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How to Grow an Online Personal Training Business?
March 1, 2023
Many personal training businesses start when a trainer decides to branch out on their own and develop their own operation from scratch. While this means that these startups generally have clear and detailed plans for the services they offer, it can be more difficult to grow the operation if lacking some business expertise.
In order to help, we’ve created this guide on how to grow an online personal training business. At a time when people are using online services to find and book PT sessions more than ever, a seamless, engaging and attention-grabbing digital presence is vital. If you can combine this with some smart marketing and advertising initiatives, then your business will have a solid platform from which it can strive for the next level.
Our tips for online personal training business success
There are countless things you can do when trying to grow an online personal training business, many of which rely on personal training apps. Some will have a bigger effect than others, depending on the type of training and customer demographic that you deal with. But in more general terms, these eight tips should set you on the right track:
Reach out to new audiences
Building a high profile and a strong presence within your local community is a key part of business growth, as name recognition will make you the go-to business for personal training in the area. To achieve this, develop a presence in as many major online directories and business spaces: think Google Business (which will help with Google Maps if you have premises), TripAdvisor, Bing Places and even social platforms like LinkedIn.
Make the most of your reviews
All those online directories and social platforms above are places where customers can leave reviews and ratings of their experiences with you. If you get lots of positive reviews, then you can really get those nice comments to work for you. Make sure you publicise the best ratings and positive comments on your website and social channels, so that you can build trust and confidence with both current and prospective customers.
Get noticed with free advice
Everybody loves a freebie, and if you’re trying to attract customers who have plenty of options in your area, it can be an excellent way of tipping the balance in your direction. There are many ways you can do this through online means, such as a free consultation on their fitness goals and how you can help, or even a free sample PT session with no obligation to buy.
Join forces with other professionals
The personal training community can be a force for good if you’re trying to make your mark. Getting in touch with other professionals can help expand your ideas and broaden your reach. You may even be able to come to agreements whereby a contact will send work your way if they’re too busy, or vice versa. There are also personal trainer networks you can join that can help make your business more searchable to the public.
Run competitions
Giving away a prize is a good way of getting engagement and building interest on your social media channels. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a big prize: something as simple as training accessories or a PT session will do the trick. Just make sure you set out the terms and conditions as clearly as possible: what the prize entails and how the winner can access it, what entrants have to do to take part, and the closing date for entries.
Start a referral scheme
If you’ve already got a base of satisfied customers, then you should encourage them to spread the word to their relatives, friends and colleagues about why they enjoy your training so much. The best way to do this is through a referral scheme, whereby both the new customer and the referring existing customer receive special discounts and offers as a reward.
Encourage repeat business
Similar to the previous point, when you’ve already got a loyal customer following, getting more business from them is one of the best ways to drive extra profitability. Discounting sessions purchased in bulk (for example, booking the same slot each week for a few months) can incentivise them to spend with you regularly. It also gives you the confidence of knowing that you’ve got extra income to look forward to in the future.
Enable booking through social media
No doubt you’ll already have some highly active social channels up and running, but the next step in customer convenience is to enable them to make bookings directly through their chosen social platform. This can be achieved by using integrated booking systems, which allow you to add a simple booking button to your social page or website: when a customer makes a booking, it then appears in your schedule automatically.
Get personal trainer insurance with Protectivity
As you grow your business, you may well find that you have an increasing number of business assets, employees and overall value. This only heightens the importance of protecting those valuable resources, and minimising the risk of an unforeseen incident hitting you in the pocket and undoing all your hard work.
At Protectivity, we provide personal trainer insurance that gives peace of mind for ambitious businesspeople like you. Whether you’ve been in the game for years, or you’re just starting to branch out on your own, we can provide a customised policy that perfectly complements the specific nature of your enterprise. We can include Public Liability, Professional Indemnity, up to £250 of free equipment cover and much more, and our flexible payment plans mean our policies start at just a few pounds a month.
If you’d like to know more, take a detailed look at all our personal trainer insurance options personal trainer insurance.
