13 Practical Tips On How To Get Personal Training Clients Online

Jan 3, 2023 - 9 min read
how to get personal training clients online

As a personal trainer, you know that to succeed, it is essential to have an online presence in the fitness industry.

With the increasing popularity of technology and the internet, more and more potential clients are looking for online personal trainers.

To get the most out of your online marketing efforts, there are some key strategies you should consider.

In this article, we’ll discuss some tips on how to gain personal training clients online.

1. Get Certified

A woman holding a certificate

The first step in getting online personal training clients is to get certified. This is essential to establishing yourself as a professional and gaining trust of potential customers.

It shows them that you are educated in the field, have expertise in what you do, and are committed to helping them achieve their goals.

Additionally, certifications will make it easier for potential customers to find you online when they search for qualified trainers in their area.

Several personal trainer certifications are available, and you just have to choose the one that best fits your skills and experience.

2. Identify Your Target Audience

A large crowd of people in an arena

Before you can start your online personal training business, it’s important to identify who your ideal clients are. Who are you trying to reach?

What kind of people would benefit most from your services? Knowing who your target audience is will help you create content and marketing materials that speak directly to them and encourage them to take action.

3. Utilize Social Media Platforms

A loud speaker and icons of social medai apps

Social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube are great ways to reach potential clients who are looking for an online personal training service.

Posting regular content about your services is a great way to engage with your target audience and build relationships with them over time.

You can also use social media platforms to offer discounts or special promotions to entice people into hiring you as a personal trainer .

Additionally, collaborating with fitness influencers and taking advantage of features such as stories or live streams on social media platforms is an excellent way to connect with your followers in real time and show them why they should choose you as their trainer.

4. Create Quality Content

A woman taking a picture of a fruit on her phone

Creating quality content on your website is essential if you want prospective clients to trust you enough to hire you as their personal trainer.

For example, sharing blog posts about topics related to fitness or nutrition is a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in the field of personal training while also providing valuable information that potential clients can use when making decisions about their health and fitness goals.

Additionally, creating videos demonstrating exercise techniques is another ideal way of showing off your skills as an online personal trainer while also helping viewers learn new exercises that they can do at home without the help of a professional trainer.

5. Invest in Advertising & SEO Strategies

Three wooden blocks with the letter SEO on them

Investing in advertising campaigns or search engine optimization (SEO) strategies can help increase traffic to your website and social media pages.

This will make it easier for potential clients to find you when they’re searching for personal training services online.

Additionally, if you choose targeted advertising campaigns such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads, you can ensure that only people who would be interested in what you offer to see your ads.

6. Utilize Email Marketing & Other Online Tools

A tablet lying on a white table with the text online marketing on it

Utilizing email marketing tools such as MailChimp can help keep potential customers informed about special offers or events related to your services.

You can also use video conferencing platforms like Zoom or Skype to offer virtual one-on-one sessions with prospective clients so they can get a better understanding of what working with you would be like before committing.

7. Offer Free Nutritional Advice

A woman holding a bowl full of green vegetables

When potential clients are researching personal trainers, they often want to know what kind of nutritional advice they can expect from their trainer.

Show them! Place content on your websites such as blog posts about healthy meals and snacks or even free downloadable recipes that people can try out at home.

8. Build Your Network and Referrals

Two people sitting in a chair discussing on how to get personal training clients online

One of the most effective ways to gain new personal training clients is through fitness networking with other professionals in your field and building referrals from them.

You can do this by attending relevant events or joining local business networks in your area and reaching out for recommendations from other trainers or gym owners who already have established customer bases.

This is a great way to create relationships with people in your industry as well as get access to more potential customers without having to do any advertising yourself.

9. Selling Your Services

A text saying open for business on a beige background

Once you have built an effective online presence and started networking, it’s time to sell your services effectively.

This means understanding what resonates with potential customers on different platforms and crafting messages that speak directly to their needs.

You may also want to consider offering free consultations or email courses as incentives for signing up for personal training sessions with you.

If you offer group packages alongside individual sessions, this can be another great way of attracting new customers as well as retaining existing ones through loyalty programs or discounts for multiple purchases.

10. Use an Online Coaching Software

Image of an online coaching software

If you’re looking for a more effective way of managing client sessions and tracking progress, consider using online coaching software like Virtuagym’s complete coaching software .

These platforms allow you to quickly set up client accounts, track progress over time, communicate with clients directly through messaging features, create custom workout programs based on individual goals, and much more!

11. Share Customer Reviews

A tablet displaying the ratings page

Social proof is a powerful tool in marketing, so don’t forget to share customer reviews that demonstrate why people should hire you for their personal training needs.

These testimonials will give prospective customers insight into what it’s like working with you and help them make an informed decision about whether or not they should hire you for their own fitness goals.

Consider using online coaching software to streamline client communication and maximize efficiency when booking appointments or scheduling sessions with existing clients.

Many software programs integrate billing features as well which can save you time when it comes to invoicing and payments processing for clients who pay by credit card or PayPal.

12. Run A Fitness Giveaway Or Contest

A woman and a man participating in a tug of war game

Everyone loves a good giveaway or contest! Utilize this tactic by running something like a “ 30-Day Workout Challenge ” or “Summer Slimdown Sweepstakes” where entrants have the chance to win prizes such as private training sessions or supplements/supplies relevant to your industry if they complete certain tasks within the allotted period (e.g., posting before-and-after photos).

This will increase visibility across all platforms while also incentivizing people to take action toward reaching their health and wellness goals!

If you already own a gym you can also hold a special gym event to entice new customers. And dont worry, there are an endless amount of gym event ideas to choose from.

13. Provide Quality Instruction

A personal trainer instructing his client

Finally, once you have gained some new clients through online efforts, it’s important that you provide quality instruction so that they stay with you long-term instead of seeking out another trainer after their first session or two with you has ended.

Make sure that each session is tailored specifically towards the goals of each client; this will help ensure that they continue coming back week after week instead of feeling like their progress isn’t being tracked properly or their goals aren’t being met efficiently enough by their current instructor.

Benefits of Having An Online Presence

Establish Credibility

Having an online presence is a great way to establish credibility with potential clients. By setting up a well-designed website or blog, you can show your professionalism and expertise which will help build trust with prospective customers.

You can also use social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter to expand your reach and connect with other professionals in the industry.

This will help you create relationships that could lead to referrals and new business opportunities.

Reach a Wider Audience

By establishing an online presence, you have the opportunity to reach a much wider audience than you could through traditional methods such as word of mouth or print advertising.

Through SEO practices such as keyword optimization, content marketing, and link building, you can make sure that your website appears at the top of search engine results pages for relevant searches.

This will increase visibility and help attract potential customers who may not have otherwise found their way to your services.

Streamline Client Communication

Having an effective communication system in place is essential for any personal trainer working with multiple clients at once.

By setting up automated scheduling, bookings, and communication systems on your website or blog, you can streamline client communication and reduce the amount of time spent dealing with administrative tasks.

This will free up more time for actually working with clients and delivering quality services that they’ll love.

Enhance Brand Perception

Creating relationships with other professionals in the industry is a great way to enhance brand perception among potential customers.

By conducting interviews, publishing content related to fitness topics, or hosting webinars, you can become known as an expert in the field which will encourage people to seek out your services over competitors’ offerings.

Additionally, creating relationships with influencers who share similar values may open up further opportunities for collaboration which could benefit both parties involved.

Track Performance

Having an online training service also allows you to track performance metrics such as website visits and conversion rates so that you can focus on what’s working best for your business growth objectives.

Knowing how many people are visiting your site helps give insight into how effective your digital marketing efforts are and what needs improvement so that you can make changes accordingly for better results down the line.

Summary

Landing personal training clients don’t have to be difficult when done correctly! By following these steps - fitness professionals can tap into the power of the internet to attract new customers while keeping existing ones satisfied with their services!

Whether it be through organic searches or targeted ad campaigns, there are numerous ways one can leverage digital marketing strategies online – giving them access to a much wider audience than ever before!

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Eduardo Carreras

SEO Manager

Eduardo Carreras is Virtuagym's SEO Manager. With a background in sports & fitness and over a decade of Digital Marketing experience, he approaches the health-tech industry with passion and structure alike.