- Learn how to start your own fitness business or grow the one you’re already running.
- Don’t neglect the internet — whether that’s social media or search sites.
- Share your expertise through leading group classes, writing online, or teaching in other venues.
- To unlock the 10 remaining tips, enter your email below!
Whether you are new to the fitness industry and hope to start your own business someday or you want your company to grow and prosper, check out our 15 tips on how to take your business to the next level!
When you’re ready, request a demo of our All-In-One Fitness Business Management Software to see how our software can help you grow your business.
#1 – Teach Group Fitness Classes
If you’re just getting your feet wet as a trainer, teaching a group fitness class will get your name out in your community while giving you some training practice. You’ll also be able to network with future clients!
#2 – Get Certified
To get anywhere as a trainer, you need to be certified. Certification gives you the opportunity to do one-on-one training sessions, group sessions, and even virtual training. It also provides you with credibility.
#3 – Be Your Own Boss
Start your own personal training business. You’ll be able to control your hours, rates, and specialization!
#4 – Don’t Limit Yourself
Don’t just train in a gym or a health club. Train in hospitals, a public park, out of your home, or in a corporate setting. Get creative, and broaden your environmental horizons!
Once you’ve gained experience, you can decide how you want to focus your training and brand your business accordingly.
#5 – Stay Knowledgeable on Proper Nutrition
As a trainer, it’s wise to keep up with proper nutrition. You can develop general meal plans for clients. But be careful: If you’re not a certified nutritionist, don’t offer prescriptive solutions with specific, individualized meal plans. Offer food suggestions and basic diet tips instead.
See for yourself - Meet with the Exercise.com Team today
Train Anyone, Anywhere in the World.
#6 – Teach Educational Classes
Branch out and teach classes on nutrition, weight loss, weight management, etc. You could also become an exercise counselor. These roles would give you the opportunity to advertise your training services.
#7 – Legitimize Your Business
Is your fitness biz legit? It needs to be. Use this checklist to make sure, and see if your company should be an LLC, S-corp, or C-corp. It will take time and some money to get everything rolling, but the return will be worth it and you will protect your personal assets.
#8 – Make Your Business Easily Searchable
Make it easy for people to see what you’re all about and locate your services (as recommended in the video above). Get your business on Google My Business, Bing, and sites like Manta, Yelp, and TripAdvisor.
#9 – Build a Strong Online Presence
Create a website that’s attractive and user-friendly. Use social media — such as a Facebook business page and Twitter account — to advertise your company. You could also create a Youtube channel with exercise tutorials and link to it through your Facebook and Twitter.
#10 – Host Meet-and-Greets
Get to know potential clients and build relationships. You could meet them at your favorite local establishment or an outdoor space like a park. Ask questions and take notes on what they’re looking for in a training session.
#11 – Offer Giveaways or Discounts
Don’t think about offering discounts or freebies as losing money. Think about it as investing in your future. Incentives get clients in the door and give you the chance to show that your expertise is worth paying more for in the long-run.
#12 – Get to Know Your Clientele
During sessions, take the time to understand your individual clients and their needs. Be friendly and build a trustworthy, professional relationship with them. They’ll keep coming back and will likely refer you to their friends and family.
#13 – Ask for Referrals
Don’t be shy! Ask clients for referrals and give them incentives for sending new people your way. For example, you could give them half-off their next session or offer a free group fitness class.
#14 – Write Stuff
If you can write well, choose local or online publications or a blog to write for. Write articles that offer your professional health and fitness advice. Show off your expertise. These articles will link readers to you and your fitness services. Think of it as a free billboard for your business (what’s more: most certifying organizations provide personal trainers with CEUs for published work).
#15 – Join Exercise.com for Business
Grow your business with our fully custom-branded online training platform and iPhone and Android apps. We’ll help you reach more clients with your expertise to increase revenue!
With Exercise.com’s technology, you can:
- Deliver workouts on your branded mobile apps or web platform to your client’s calendar with effortless logging, demonstration videos, and performance tracking at their fingertips.
- Offer a custom-branded app and web workout software to gain a competitive advantage in a crowded fitness space and grow your business online.
- Sell workout plans, offer workout memberships, deliver online training, and much more to increase revenue and client engagement.
- Automate everything from accepting payments to delivering training plans with logging, demonstration videos, performance tracking, and PDF benefits so you can focus on growing your business!
- Create endless opportunities to increase revenue by delivering workouts to anyone, anywhere in the world!
- Utilize built-in partnerships with top fitness professionals and take advantage of our simple workout plan creator and exercise manager for flexible solutions to save yourself time.
- Provide your clients with a unified experience from apps to web with the brand they trust.
- Stay connected with your clients and cultivate personal relationships that increase retention.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I start a personal training business?
Starting a business begins with conducting a lot of research. Check out this article for more info.
Should personal trainers work in a gym before starting a business?
Not necessarily. However, working in an already established gym may help you gain valuable experience that you can transfer to your own business in the future.
Do I need insurance if I start my own business?
Yes. In order to protect yourself from various legal troubles, you should be insured.
If you’re ready to grow your fitness business, request a demo of our All-In-One Fitness Business Management Software today.