Joining Fees!!!
Never pay for one.
I was a sales consultant (hate them too) after college and know all the sales tricks and the joining fee is the biggest load of crap of all. It's purely a bargaining tool, you heard the "if I talk to the manager and waive the joining fee, would you get started today?".
I got the manager at my gym to actually start charging a joining fee after advice from an external sales co-ordinator and convinced him to let me keep a percentage of the fee since he wouldn't believe people would pay it and people willfully handed over the cash. The business made an extra couple grand a week by joining fees alone.
90% of the fitness market is directed at Mrs Jones wanting to 'lose weight' and our job was to convince Mrs Jones that she needed a 'weight loss coach' and needed to start today to achieve her goals.
Simple sales speil.
Me - "Mrs Jones, how much would you pay to get the results you are after?'
Mrs Jones - "Anything!"
Me - "So Mrs Jones for the small weekly fee of $$$ can you see yourself starting to achieve your goals today?
Mrs Jones - "Yes"
Me - "I'll organise your paper work"
Haven't been in the industry for 10 years now and will never go back. Mind you, whenever someone who looked experienced walked in, I'd just show them what they wanted, gave them the price and let them make their own mind up, would always offer a discount joining fee though
I've actually learned more by being away from the industry as most PT's were AIF 12 week trained professionals.