Effective marketing strategies have never been more critical for personal trainers, given the dramatic effect that the Covid pandemic has had on the personal training industry. As such, there’s no better time than now for personal trainers to review how they market their personal training business to ensure that they remain competitive.
As you review and update your existing marketing plan for 2024 and consider how you will promote your personal training business, here are 12 surefire marketing ideas that you may consider to help level up your personal training marketing game so you can rise above your competitors and grow your business this year.
1. Define your ideal customer
To generate leads for your gym, it is always a good idea to first identify your ideal audience. Take advantage of your surroundings – a personal trainer who lives near a retirement community might want to provide personal training for older people.
To help you identify your ideal customer, ask yourself these questions:
- Which age range do they fall within?
- Which gender are they most likely to be?
- How physically fit are they?
- What are their hobbies?
- Are they students, professionals, stay at home parents, or retirees?
These questions will help you to create your ideal client profile. This will help you to determine how your services can be offered to meet their needs. If your clients are busy during the day it may be a good idea to adjust your operating hours and offer personal training on weekends and weeknights.
2. Create your own personal brand
When thinking about how to get clients as a personal trainer, you may start by developing your personal brand. Create a persona that people will love and be able to relate to you. It should convey your unique value and who would most benefit from using your personal training services. If your brand does not accurately reflect you as a person and professional, then people may be less likely to feel a connection with you.
You can market a unique exercise plan or technique by creating a branded program. Give it a name that appeals to your target audience. This tactic enables you to shift the focus away from your role as a personal coach and instead become the creator of an innovative new signature workout. This can help you stand out from your competition.
3. Invest in maximising your website
It is important to have a professional company website that provides answers to the burning questions that your ideal customers have in order to market yourself well. This includes content marketing, such as publishing helpful blog posts and case studies, to name just a few.
Through content marketing you can build your authority and credibility by demonstrating your knowledge in specific areas of personal training. Content marketing works best when you publish new content regularly and circulate it through your social media accounts and in your e-newsletters.
4. Request customer testimonials
Customer testimonials published online are one of the most effective ways to advertise a personal training business. Consumers will go online to find social proof in almost every industry, including personal training, before making a purchase, which means customer testimonials and reviews can be incredibly powerful for bringing new business enquiries to your business.
As such, when you have customers who delight in the personal training services that you provide, be sure to ask them to leave a positive review on your website and on your social media pages. Your better testimonials could also be turned into case studies.
5. Harness the power of social media
Social media can provide a wealth of opportunities for personal training marketing. Focus your efforts on the social media platforms that your ideal clients frequent the most. You can push targeted advertising to certain audiences on both Instagram and Facebook. Your ideal clients might be more active on other social networks, such as LinkedIn, Twitter or Tik Tok, so consider broadening your approach.
6. Create a community
Engage in ongoing conversations on social media with your followers to learn more about them and increase your visibility. This will help you build meaningful relationships. Encourage clients to communicate with one another, share their personal training success stories, and encourage each other with their health and wellbeing. You can also use social media to demonstrate your expertise and market yourself as a thought leader in personal training.
7. Increase your online visibility
In small business marketing it is crucial that your brand can be easily found by people searching online for the services your business provides. People will most likely search Google for a personal trainer when they want to find one near them.
To increase your chances of being found online by your intended audience, start by registering your business for a free Google Business Profile. Doing so will help make your business’s key details easier to find for people searching for personal trainer services online.
8. Lean into email marketing
To help establish an ongoing connection with potential customers, develop an email marketing strategy that includes periodical e-newsletters (weekly or monthly) and email campaigns promoting your personal training business, including new products, new offers, and health and wellbeing tips, to name a few.
9. Encourage referrals
Referrals are a great way for personal trainers to grow their customer base. Ask your clients to refer you to friends, family, and colleagues, and offer them a discount to incentivise them.
Cross-referrals can also be very effective. Ask other health-conscious professionals in your local area (such as chiropractors, sports physiotherapists and nutritionists, and complementary therapists) if they would be willing to refer you to any clients who may be looking for a personal trainer.
10. Consider offering online PT classes
Flexibility is key when it comes to personal training businesses. Give your clients the option to work out with you remotely by offering group personal training sessions online via video conferencing platforms such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom. You may also offer clients the option for one-on-one PT sessions via video conferencing.
11. Offer free trials for potential new clients
Potential clients may be tempted by the offer of a free introductory PT session if they are hesitant to commit or want to get a feel for your flavour of personal training before they sign up for classes. You have nothing to lose here and everything to gain, so why not give it a shot?
12. Offer ‘plus one’ promotions
People love to exercise with their friends, so personal training small business owners may consider running a timed promotion that allows existing customers to bring a friend along for free to their personal training session. This is yet another effective way to grow the customer base for your personal training business.
How BizCover helps small businesses reduce their risk
A key facet of succeeding as the owner of your own personal training business is ensuring that your business can endure long-term. And a key tactic for doing just that is actively reducing the risks to your business.
BizCover makes purchasing your personal trainer insurance*, also known as exercise professional insurance, quicker and simpler than ever – and without the hassle you may have come to expect from business insurance providers.
Our online platform lets small business owners compare competitive business insurance quotes from leading insurers online and purchase their business insurance in less than 10 minutes – without the paperwork, and without the drama.
Common types of business insurance that you may consider for your small business include:
- Professional Indemnity insurance: Insurance that protects professionals against claims of negligence or breach of duty made by a client as a result of receiving professional advice or services from your business.
- Business Insurance: Insurance that provides cover for your business’ premises and contents against loss, damage or theft, also offering protection against financial loss experienced from an insured interruption to your business.
- Public Liability insurance: Public Liability insurance provides protection for you and your business in the event a customer, supplier or a member of the public brings a claim against you due to them being injured or sustaining property damage as a result of your negligent business activities.
- Personal Accident and Illness Insurance: Personal Accident and Illness insurance can provide levels of cover for loss of income, permanent disablement and even death if you are unable to work as a result of an injury or illness (even if it occurs outside of work). You can stress less about paying the bills while you recover from an injury or illness.
If you own or are starting your own PT business, visit our dedicated online destination for insurance for personal trainers and fitness professionals to compare competitive business insurance quotes for personal trainer insurance, also known as exercise professional insurance.
With BizCover your PT business can get covered in just 10 minutes, meaning you can get back to business faster. If you prefer to speak with us, you can reach our friendly team on 1300 920 867.
This information is general only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be relied upon as advice. As with any insurance, cover will be subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions contained in the policy wording.
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ABN 68 127 707 975; AFSL 501769
