5 Ways To Build Your Personal Training Client Base

December 21st, 2021 Health & Fitness Careers

One of the more challenging aspects of a job as a personal trainer is gaining and keeping clients.

Whether self-employed or working at a gym, much of your success as a personal trainer hangs on building and maintaining a loyal client base.

Personal trainers need a busy schedule in order to thrive. Yet it can be hard to keep a full booking sheet when you’re just starting out or when you’re dealing with clients who become unmotivated to workout.

Here are some helpful tips to growing your client base as a personal trainer so that you can succeed as a PT as well as help your clients achieve their fitness goals:

1. Marketing your business/services

Personal training 101: If you want to attract new clients, you need to know how to sell yourself.

There are a few ways to go about this:

• Build a website: Have an easy-to-navigate website that showcases your services and allows people to sign-up. Make sure you have your contact details listed and an enquiry form so that potential clients can reach out with more questions if need be.

• Be active on social media: Social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.) play a huge role in drumming up more clients for your personal training business. You can use your profile to build your reputation and credibility as well as maximise your audience reach. Use relevant hashtags, include high-quality images (including photos of your gym/PT space, your equipment and a sample workout routine), participate in online discussions and encourage conversation on your page.

• Turn to print advertising: Think business cards, flyers and print advertising in your community’s local magazine or newspaper.

• Network: Talk to others in your industry or in the related health fields. Generate word of mouth and boost your chances of gaining referrals.

2. Offer a free consultation

A free consultation or free trial should be part of any personal training package. This will allow potential clients to get a feel for you, your gym and what personal training will involve – without the financial sacrifice upfront.

Offering a free consultation is also a great way for you, as a personal trainer, to get to know your client and be able to draw up a personalised plan that is unique to them and their goals.

During the free consult, you can gain further insight into your clients budget and timeline so you can come up with a package that is right for them.

3. Ask for referrals

Ask existing clients or your own friends & family if they know of anyone else who could benefit from your services.

Word-of-mouth referrals are an effective way for personal trainers to gain new clients. Not only do client referrals provide a huge vote of confidence for you as a trainer, but it’s also a foolproof method of marketing your business.

When it comes to trying out a new product or service, the majority of people will look to friends or family for advice. They will also trust a service or product that is referred to them by a friend/family member or shared on social media by a friend/family member.

4. Showcase your value

Clients are looking for a personal trainer who they can trust will help them to reach their goals. For this reason, you need to be able to show them exactly why they should be choosing you as a PT.

Aside from formal qualifications and certification as a Personal Trainer, you should also showcase relevant skills or attributes including:

• Complementary services you offer such as sports massage, outdoor/group training or physiotherapy
• Offering individualised programs
• Your expertise in strength training and use of equipment
• Specialisation in a certain field or aspect such as weight loss or powerlifting
• Knowledge of anatomy and health science
• Passion for personal training! This goes without saying, but in order for a client to believe in your services, you need to demonstrate your passion for exercise and maintaining an active lifestyle.

5. Make each session exciting

As soon as workouts become repetitive and boring, clients will lose motivation and end up skipping their appointments.

In order to keep your personal training clients motivated, you’ve got to make every workout fun!

To begin with, make sure your workout plan is individualised for your client and reflects their fitness goals. It’s helpful to ask your client at their initial consultation which equipment or exercise they like and dislike so that you can factor this into future workout plans.

Some other ideas to make your personal training sessions exciting include:

• Avoiding repetitive workouts
• Changing up the workout plan every 4 weeks
• Training with your client
• Playing their favourite workout songs
• Adding alternatives to each exercise
• Offering workouts outside the gym (such as at the local park or beach)
• Tracking their progress and sharing results after each session

Invest in your personal training career

Growing your client base as a personal trainer can be challenging – especially if you’re just starting out.

With the ICI UK Diploma in Personal Training, you will be equipped with all the skills and knowledge you need to grow your client base and fast track your career as a personal trainer.

The course is flexible and carried out via online distance learning, and there are no prerequisites. What are you waiting for? Become an accredited Personal Trainer and share your passion for fitness with others, starting today.

by Gladys Mae

Gladys Mae serves as the General Manager and Head of Student Services at the International Career Institute. Gladys holds a degree in Mass Communication - Broadcast Media from the University of San Jose-Recoletos. She joined ICI in 2010 and has over the past 12 years been instrumental in providing leadership and guidance to staff and students alike. Prior to joining ICI Gladys led a multifaceted career with key roles in the banking and business process outsourcing industries.