Best Way to Get Clients as a Personal Trainer: Create a Training Plan and Decide How to Charge
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Create a training plan and decide how much you will charge.
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Know your services and how much time each client should spend with you, especially your existing clients.
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Create an action plan (e.g., “I will have my first clients by X date.”)
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Set goals for yourself, such as the number of clients per week or month, that would be realistic given your current situation, resources, experience level, etcetera…(this may change over time). Consider asking for client referrals to fill scheduling gaps and grow your client base without extensive marketing efforts.
1. Define Your Personal Training Service
Defining your personal training service is crucial to attracting the right clients and standing out in the competitive fitness industry. Start by identifying your niche. Do you want to work with clients focused on weight loss, strength training, seniors, or youth? Knowing your target audience helps tailor your services to meet their specific needs.
Next, determine your unique selling proposition (USP). What sets you apart from other personal trainers? Maybe you have a background in sports science, or perhaps you specialize in post-rehabilitation training. Highlighting your unique skills and experiences will make you more appealing to potential clients.
Develop a clear and concise message about what services you offer and how they will benefit your clients. Whether it’s personalized workout plans, nutritional guidance, or motivational support, make sure your message communicates the value you bring to the table. By defining your personal training service, you’ll be able to effectively communicate your value to potential clients and attract those who are looking for your specific expertise.
2. Create a Comprehensive Training Plan
A comprehensive training plan is essential for delivering high-quality personal training services and achieving client success. Start by assessing your client’s goals and needs. What are their fitness objectives, and what is their current fitness level? Understanding this will help you create a plan that is both challenging and achievable.
Develop a customized workout plan that addresses your client’s specific needs and goals. Include a variety of exercises that target different muscle groups and keep the workouts interesting. Incorporate progressive overload by gradually increasing the intensity of the workouts. This will challenge your clients and promote continuous improvement.
Regularly monitor your client’s progress and adjust the training plan as needed. This ensures that the plan remains effective and aligned with their evolving goals. By creating a comprehensive training plan, you’ll be able to deliver effective and personalized training services that help your clients achieve their fitness goals.
3. Determine Your Pricing Strategy
Determining your pricing strategy is critical to attracting and retaining clients. Start by researching the competition. What are other personal trainers in your area charging? This will give you a benchmark to work from.
Calculate your costs, including equipment, marketing, and insurance. Understanding your expenses will help you set a price that covers your costs and provides a profit. Consider your expertise and qualifications. What sets you apart from other personal trainers, and how does this impact your pricing? If you have specialized skills or certifications, you may be able to charge a premium.
Develop a pricing structure that offers different options, such as package deals or discounts for long-term commitments. This provides flexibility for clients and can encourage them to commit to longer-term training. By determining your pricing strategy, you’ll be able to attract clients who are willing to pay for your services and ensure a sustainable business model.
4. Create a Media Page for Your Business
Social media is a great way to market your business, and it’s free! A professional website is also crucial as it enhances credibility and serves as a central hub to showcase your skills, client testimonials, and contact information. You can reach a lot of people by using social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram. Social media can help you build your personal training brand and promote fitness events that you’re hosting.
Social media sites like Facebook also enable you to connect with potential clients directly so they can see what type of person they might be working with in person if they choose to hire you as their trainer.
To ensure your posts are reaching the right people, though, it’s important to use hashtags so people can find them easily when searching for them online (e.g., #fitnesscoach).
Be aware of your expectations and how to achieve them. Make sure you are honest with yourself about what you can truly offer.
5. Write a Blog About Fitness and Nutrition
You can write about your own experiences, or you can write about topics that are relevant to your target audience. Establishing a personal brand is crucial as it communicates the value and expectations of your service, helping to build client trust and engagement. You might choose to blog about fitness and nutrition, but there are many other options as well:
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Your business - What does it do? How does it work? Why should people hire you?
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Your hobbies - Do you have any hobbies that would be interesting for readers (e.g., rock climbing)? How did they help shape who you are today? What lessons did they teach you? What can other people learn from them?
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Relevant educational background - Did anyone ever tell you that they were interested in learning more about what they saw on social media platforms like Pinterest or Instagram? If so, then perhaps a post explaining how these tools could benefit businesses would be useful!
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Skills & talents - Do any of these skills come up frequently enough during conversations with colleagues or friends/family members where someone might ask “How do I get started?”
Hashtags can help you find people who are interested in the same things as you are, which will make it easier to promote your personal training business and connect with potential clients.
6. Find a Site Where You Can Buy New Leads for Personal Training Clients
Finding a great site where you can buy new leads for personal training clients in your area is one of the best ways to get new clients. Additionally, implementing strategies to get more personal training clients can significantly boost your business.
There are many places on the internet that offer this service, but not all of them are created equal. You will want to find a site with high-quality leads from real people interested in getting fit and healthy with a personal trainer like yourself.
The best way to do this research is by searching Google or Bing for “best websites to buy leads” or similar terms like: “websites that sell leads,” “buy cheap leads online,” etc…
It’s important to keep in mind that your blog shouldn’t be a one-way stream of information. Instead, it should be a conversation where you answer questions and help readers learn more about their interests. This helps them feel more connected to you as an individual. You will find many sites that offer to sell you leads, but not all of them are good. Some sites only have leads from people who are already looking for a personal trainer, while others may have leads from people who aren’t as interested in fitness and just want to get into shape. You need to find high-quality leads from real people who want to work with a personal trainer like yourself.
7. Network at Events in the Community
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Get a business card made.
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Dress professionally, and be sure to have a good website if you don’t already have one.
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Be friendly and approachable at events where you might meet potential clients (you may have to pay for a booth). Networking among fitness professionals is crucial for cultivating business relationships and attracting new clients.
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Have an elevator pitch ready that explains who you are, what services you offer, why people should hire you instead of other personal trainers in town (or even other personal trainers at this event), and how much it costs per session or month/year depending on whether they want sessions or access to all of your content online.
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Only ask for referrals if the person seems happy with their experience working with you–don’t try selling them something else! This will make them feel uncomfortable about giving referrals later on down the line because now there will always be this feeling that perhaps there was something better out there somewhere else…and who knows? Maybe there was! But maybe not…it depends on how well things went during those initial interactions between the client & trainer :)
8. Offer a Free Trial Session or Consultation
Offering a free trial session or consultation is an effective way to attract new clients and showcase your services. Develop a clear and concise offer that outlines what clients will receive during the free trial session or consultation. This could include a fitness assessment, a sample workout, or a discussion of their fitness goals.
Promote the offer on your website, social media, and other marketing channels. Make sure the offer is visible and easy to understand. During the free trial session or consultation, deliver high-quality services that showcase your expertise. This is your chance to make a great first impression and demonstrate the value of your personal training services.
Follow up with clients after the free trial session or consultation to discuss their experience and encourage them to sign up for your services. By offering a free trial session or consultation, you’ll be able to attract new clients and demonstrate the value of your personal training services.
9. Send Out Flyers or Postcards
Flyers and postcards are a great way to get your name out there. Flyers can be sent to people who may not have seen your website or heard of you before, while postcards can be mailed directly to potential clients. Flyers and postcards are easy and inexpensive to print at home, so don't worry about having them professionally designed! Just ensure that all important information (your contact info) is included on both sides of the flyer/postcard so that recipients can easily reach out if they're interested in working with you. Staples or OfficeMax offer printing services for both flyers and postcards, which means no need for fancy paper or graphics--just keep it simple!
10. Create an Introductory Special Offer or Promotion
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Create an introductory special offer or promotion and mail it to everyone on your mailing list. Building relationships with future clients through personal connections, such as attending local meetups and events, can also be beneficial.
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Offer something that is easy to deliver and will get people excited about trying personal training for the first time (like a free session).
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Make sure people can’t refuse the offer, like “Get 10% off any trial session.”
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Make sure your offer stands out from all other offers in the mail by including some kind of incentive or bonus with it (for example: “Free consultation/consultation package”).
Conclusion
Remember, being creative and persistent is the key to getting new PT clients. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, there are lots of ways to get more referrals and new business. The most important thing is that you keep trying!
