When running a personal training business, it can feel easy to get lost in all the tasks to be done. But focusing energy and attention on those things that actually produce some income is what counts.
You might have heard that there are only two ways to increase your income in business; charge more money, or serve more clients. Here are 12 things that you can start doing today for your fitness business that can increase your income.
1. Call or Text a Client
This is done most effectively when it comes out of the blue, and your client isn't expecting it, so consider doing this in addition to their regular check-ins and confirmations.
A message to say that you're thinking about them and how well they've done or even a postcard in the mail to thank them for choosing you or congratulate them on a recent milestone makes a significant impact on people.
A message to say that you're thinking about them and how well they've done or even a postcard in the mail to thank them for choosing you or congratulate them on a recent milestone makes a significant impact on people.
Dear Jane,
I just wanted to let you know how honoured I feel that you chose to work with me 6 months ago and how proud I am of you for how long you've already come. I look forward to seeing you smash more of your goals together!
See you in session!
Best,
Your Trainer
I just wanted to let you know how honoured I feel that you chose to work with me 6 months ago and how proud I am of you for how long you've already come. I look forward to seeing you smash more of your goals together!
See you in session!
Best,
Your Trainer
This task increases your income by providing a quality service which increases the likelihood of referrals.
2. Interview a Dedicated Client with an Amazing Success Story
This is a powerful tool for two reasons. First, you spend time for free with your client over a coffee talking to them and listening to them. All of us love to feel heard, and this time connecting on a personal level allows you to get a clear idea of what motivates them in their health and fitness goals. Secondly, it generates a ton of useful content ideas because you get to hear the client talking about their problems, worries, dreams, goals, and aspirations in their own language that you can use in your marketing.
If you do the interviews online, through Zoom, ask your client if they mind you recording it. You can go back and take soundbites and edit the video into short clips for YouTube or a podcast. Ask open-ended questions, and listen far more than you talk.
This task increases your income by giving you a chance to connect with your existing clients in a way which provides you with insight into what other clients like them want.
3. Create a Free Giveaway
For current clients, this could be a "nice to have extra". Something of additional value like a guide to supplements or a short recipe book. You can then put it on your personal trainer website to attract potential clients and use it as a "lead magnet" to exchange for their email address.
This task increases your income by bringing people into your world that aren't yet ready to buy from you just yet but could be in the future.
This task increases your income by bringing people into your world that aren't yet ready to buy from you just yet but could be in the future.
4. Write a Newsletter
You could send one out once a month via email or your Facebook group, drawing attention to specific achievements of your current clients over the last month and letting them know what special events are coming up in the next month. You can also include regular blog updates or even discussions in your fitness group on Facebook if you have one.
This task increases your income by increasing the sense of community and engagement among your clients and audience, extending how long they stay with you and encouraging referrals.
This task increases your income by increasing the sense of community and engagement among your clients and audience, extending how long they stay with you and encouraging referrals.
5. Engage with Your Social Media Followers
Spending an hour every day responding to direct messages, engaging with comments, "going live" in groups and on your page and following up with enquiries will convert people into leads very effectively. Social media is designed to be social, not just to promote your personal training business.
This task increases your income by sending more relevant traffic to your posts.
Task #6. Create Video Content
You can make this yourself by filming on a smartphone (and ideally a tripod too). Editing can be done on your phone also, or on your computer for free. PC users have Moviemaker and Macs come with iMovie pre-loaded.
If you're able to invest some money in getting a videographer to film and edit this for you, they can be an incredible asset to your training business. You might consider videos on:
If you're able to invest some money in getting a videographer to film and edit this for you, they can be an incredible asset to your training business. You might consider videos on:
- What to expect when starting with a personal trainer
- Most frequently asked questions (information you'll gather from those interviews)
- Technical skills in the gym and exercise advice
- Cook-along and nutrition support
- Shorter content that can be made into social media videos
This task increases your income by having a set of video assets that can be used to promote your fitness services.
7. Create a Personal Trainer Website
Having a website can increase your chances of being found online and locally. If your only point of contact for your clients is your social media account, it could potentially feel unprofessional or untrustworthy. Also, while you're business is built on the back of someone else's business, you are subject to their rules. What would happen if they banned your account?
Website hosting is available from countless providers. There are DIY platforms you can learn and use yourself to design your fitness website; Weebly, Wix, Squarespace or WordPress are only a few examples. You can also decide to outsource the web design to a professional if you prefer spending your time elsewhere.
This task increases your income by developing your authority as a personal trainer and a place to store useful content for your clients. It can be so much more than a "digital business card" when done correctly.
8. Work on Your Website's SEO
Your website is one of your best assets as a personal training business, and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) can be one of the best ways to increase traffic and leads from it. Regularly updating the website, by making regular and useful blog content for your audience will help it to rank well in Google - as well as to position you as an expert and giving you an authority in your niche.
This task increases your income by driving more traffic to your trainer website, articles and other resources, thus generating more leads.
This task increases your income by driving more traffic to your trainer website, articles and other resources, thus generating more leads.
9. Automate Payments
Systems such as PayPal business, or Stripe allow you to set up an automated payment structure for your clients instead of chasing for cash or one-off payments from drop-ins. They cost a small percentage but eliminate the need to individually bill people and reduce the risk of missed payments to zero.
While an automated payment system may not immediately increase your income, it does create predictability with your cashflow.
While an automated payment system may not immediately increase your income, it does create predictability with your cashflow.
10. Learn New Business Skills
Running a fitness business is pretty hard. Especially when you consider that most trainers come straight off of their personal training course with little to no business knowledge whatsoever.
Learning how to build a grow a business is something that can happen on it's own but success comes much quicker when you knuckle down and learn the fundamentals early on.
Learning how to build a grow a business is something that can happen on it's own but success comes much quicker when you knuckle down and learn the fundamentals early on.
Consider learning new business skills like how to manage your money, how to market your business, business systems, becoming an online trainer and business management.
11. Planning Content for Your Business
Content includes email, website and social media content. You can do this once a month for the month ahead. You can plan the topics for your written content like blogs, photo or video content that takes some creative input, or audio like a podcast.
Having a coherent plan for the content will allow you to build up awareness in launching new products and services which increase income steadily.
Having a coherent plan for the content will allow you to build up awareness in launching new products and services which increase income steadily.
12. Develop New Skills
As a personal trainer, thinking of yourself as a business owner is vital. You will likely find things on a weekly (if not daily!) basis that you need to work on developing. There are a lot of resources to help you in a wide range of topics, from money and finances to marketing and branding, writing and nutrition.
You can take courses in a specific niche you'd like to study more, purchase books written by highly respected experts in the field or listen to podcasts and watch videos.
This task will increase your income over the long-term as the more specialised you become, the more expert knowledge and experience you'll have, which increases the value of your services.
You can take courses in a specific niche you'd like to study more, purchase books written by highly respected experts in the field or listen to podcasts and watch videos.
This task will increase your income over the long-term as the more specialised you become, the more expert knowledge and experience you'll have, which increases the value of your services.
Wrapping Up
Some of the mentioned tasks will increase your cash flow almost instantly, and others will be longer-term strategies aimed at creating a reliable stream of income for long times ahead.
