Stand Out As a Personal Trainer & Attract More Clients
By Jamie Logie
Being a personal trainer with a full client training schedule – and waiting list – is the goal of any good PT. But how do you make sure you stand out and separate yourself from the rest of the crowd?
Here are five ways to stand out as a personal trainer.
1. Tell Your Story
People tend to buy when they know, like, and trust you. Part of this comes from an emotional connection and a way to do that is to tell your story. Whether it’s in a bio or in person, don’t just list your credentials and experience, but tell your story. What got you on the road to health and fitness? Did you have to overcome obstacles to get in shape and improve your life? When you tell your story, potential clients will see the journey you have taken and will be able to picture their own journey to better health.
2. Niche Down
This is important to be a go-to personal trainer. Training for general fitness is great, but what’s better is to be the expert in a particular area. The more specific you can make it, the more you will attract that clientele. You may be an expert in fitness for volleyball, senior health, or prenatal fitness. You probably have a specific area of health and fitness you like the best, so be the authority in that area and showcase it. General fitness is still important, but you will be the easy decision for people looking for specific training.
3. Focus on Them
Again, in any form of bio or consultation, don’t just list off your experience and credentials. The focus needs to be on the benefits the client will receive. They don’t care how much you know about aerobic threshold training, they just want to be able to climb stairs without being winded. You need to share the results they can expect and they should picture what their new life will look like with better health. Talk about what they can expect to achieve by training with you, let them imagine themselves in that situation. Then, lastly, share what makes you the expert choice (certifications, experience, etc).
4. Have References from Current or Past Clients
Your future clients need to see that you have worked with people in the same situation as them. When they see that you have helped others achieve results, they are more likely to train with you. It’s important to have some quick go-to references you can use to put them in contact with if they are looking for more information.
If you’ve been doing your job correctly, any clients should be quick to sing your praises. So ask any past – and ideally current – clients, who don’t mind being contacted, to share their experiences with you. A current client is the most ideal because the number one sign of a good personal trainer is not certifications, personality, or experience: it’s renewals. When people renew and continue to train with you, you know you’re on the right track as a great personal trainer. When others see that your clients continuously renew your services, they know you are the right choice.
5. Using Social Media the Right Way
Social media can be an effective way to attract new clients, but with millions of social media accounts out there related to fitness, how can you showcase your abilities and stand out? This will involve finding your voice and it’s similar to telling your story. Instead of being a generic trainer and having a cookie-cutter social media presence, be the one that is helpful. Don’t just showcase yourself, but share information with others. Give people tips and education to better themselves as opposed to only sharing clips of you doing squats.
It’s still good to show some of your own training and results to motivate and inspire others. But you might wonder if there is any point in this when there are thousands of other accounts already showing the same workout clips.
This is true, but none of them have your personality or approach.
No one else has your perspective, sense of humour, or mindset – so make sure to show that. Share the unique perspective that only you have while making it a point to inform and educate people. Don’t just show an exercise, but share why it’s so important. Share the benefits that come from the movement and the reason people should do it. Don’t just show the meal you’ve prepared, share the importance of the specific foods in it. The more you teach, the more you will draw people in.
Personal training is all about helping people achieve their goals and improve their lives. So in everything you do in promoting yourself, make helping others the priority.
