Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with the WeStrive Blog & Podcast
As a personal trainer, clients will inevitably come and go. To keep your business going strong and your client list full, make sure to find new & creative ways to keep your current clients happy. On top of that, make sure you’re putting in just as much effort to recruit effectively for new ones!
There is no “one-size-fits-all” strategy for attracting clients. However, you can use many different methods and tools to make people gravitate towards your services. You can achieve the best results by using a multifaceted approach, and here are some things you can try out!
Marketing a service like personal training is about delivering quality results to create happy customers; firmly explaining what clients will experience from your services is one way to do that.
Do this by developing and maintaining an identity, which builds trust with potential clients and informs them on what they should expect when working with you in terms of product or service delivery.
Once set up, your branding becomes an opportunity for long-lasting success because it communicates clearly who you are and how valuable you’re perceived by others - all without having to say anything at all!
To help with your brand, get things like a website (which WeStrive builds for you for free), create a logo (here’s a website that does this for you), and make business cards for yourself.
It’s all about the people you already know. Find ways to be a part of and not just present in your community, whether that means joining a non-profit board or volunteering at an event. You will have more opportunities for marketing yourself if you join organizations like these as well!
This process isn’t instant, but will be very beneficial over time.
Here are other things you can do to attract people to become your clients:
In exchange for referrals, you can offer a free session or valuable piece of fitness/health information. It is one excellent way to increase business and have your clients refer you on their own time. For example, you can create an ebook on working out that you offer new clients to go along with their program. You could offer this eBook they normally would pay for as a free gift if someone refers you a client.
This will ensure that both parties benefit from the process while also ensuring client satisfaction with knowing someone else may be helping! If there’s giving you new business, always make sure they get something in return.
There are many other health and fitness professionals who aren’t your competition. You can reach out to these professionals, such as nutritionists, chiropractors, massage therapists, or physical therapists, for potential clients seeking personal trainers.
Try to develop a good relationship with these health professionals by referring your clients to them in case of injuries or medical issues. Maybe you create some kind of exchange so every time you send them a client, they give you a commission - and vise versa.
Social media is a fantastic way to showcase your fitness expertise. Answer any questions or chat about topics that catch the attention of potential clients and give value in every conversation you have with them. Be as helpful as you can be so they won’t forget who you are.
Make sure that you continue this practice when you start interacting with your current and potential clients on any social media platform. A common occurrence is personal trainers start social media platforms but ultimately neglect these channels. Even if you don’t find early traction - just be sure to stick with it!
Testimonials from current and past clients can increase your reputation among potential customers. Word of mouth—if it’s positive—often works as the best form of advertising. You should include testimonials on websites or strategically place them in informational material such as flyers, business cards, etc., to ensure you are attracting new business prospects and showing off how good you are!
With WeStrive, we have an entire testimonials section built into your free website. You can add before/after photos, testimonial videos, quotes, and more!
A gym is a place where people are encouraged to get healthy, and there’s nothing better than seeing someone else who’s on the same journey as you. Tag your clients in posts that showcase their hard work, whether with an encouraging post or by congratulating them for doing something awesome like getting a new PR in their Deadlift!
It’s important to be able to test the waters before diving in headfirst. If a client is considering working with you as a personal training client, then a free trial is perfect for both parties involved because, during that period, they will see if it works out and fits into their schedule or lifestyle.
Have you ever gone to get ice cream or froyo and received a “free” sample? They offer these samples because they know you’ll buy after you find something you like.
The best choice you can make is to offer a free one-week trial to get new customers in the door. Once they sign up, show them how you can help with their fitness goals and maybe set reasonable goals for that first week. People love to achieve something. Maybe say, “let’s lose 2 pounds”. Even that small goal will excite them and keep them coming back for more.
People are always on the hunt for a good deal. Some people have unlimited funds but for 99% of the world, that’s not the case. Try to find a reasonable deal you can offer clients. You’re trying to grow your business but that doesn’t mean your business can’t be generous!
Offer discounts or free assessments if someone purchases more than one session in advance.
Example offer:
25% off of sessions #1-5 at any time you come into our studio - but hurry because this discount only lasts until December 10th!
50% off your first month of online training!
As a personal trainer, you should be paying special attention to their marketing strategy. You have the option of doing in-person training, online, or both. No matter what you choose from this list, your budget needs to include slightly more expenses on growth tactics such as social media and advertising on local channels if you want a competitive edge over other personal training businesses!
You may not immediately get the results that you want. However, if you continue your marketing and show your clients that you love what you’re doing, you will surely be overbooked in no time.
Want to become a better personal trainer?
Make sure you're setup for online training with these articles:
About the Author:
Cory McKane is the CEO/Founder of WeStrive - a platform for personal trainers to manage & grow their personal training business. He enjoys working out and spending time working with trainers on WeStrive on how to manage/grow their business.
References:
