Is it really possible for a personal trainer to help someone get into shape without being there physically?

This is a concern many people have when it comes to online personal training. And as a trainer, it’s your job to sell to people that you can be the answer to their problems.

Like with anything in life, there are some things that work for some, but don’t work for others.

So figuring out how to sell online personal training to those that are determined to make it work for them should be your top priority.

But before they ever give you that chance, you have to show them you’re capable to getting them the results they’re looking for.

So below I have some things you should focus on to help grow your online personal training business.

Also, if you plan on this being your main source of income, then you want to make sure you have all the right tools to get the job done.

Why People Choose Online Personal Training

There are many reason why someone would prefer to work with a personal trainer online rather than in person. Some reasons may include:

• Affordability
• Convenience
•  Trust

If you’re not aware of it by now, but 1 on 1 personal training can be very expensive. This is why many are choosing to join group fitness classes.

Although they may not get that personal touch one would get working with a personal trainer, but they still get a good workout at a fraction of the cost.

Not only that, but group sessions can be a really fun atmosphere.

The good thing about online personal training is that it’s much more affordable than seeing a trainer in person.

Also, it provides a lot of convenience for the customer since they don’t have to leave their house to get that workout in.

All that is left is for you to build that trust with your potential client so that they want to train with you online.

So let’s get into some things you should focus on to help build that trust with customers looking to get into online personal training.

Focus #1: Understand Your Target Audience

If this is your first time training people online, then you will quickly learn that it is a lot different then training someone in person.

Since there is no personal contact, you have to find a way to connect with the client you’re trying to sell too.

But before you begin selling to a potential client, you first have to figure out who you’re trying to sell to.

Not only that, but you also have to ask yourself how much time are you willing to devote to your online program.

Once you’ve answered these questions, it’s time to find your target audience.

Keep in mind that there are other trainers doing the same thing, so it’s important to find a way to separate yourself from them.

To do that, check out those who already have an online training program and find a way to make your program.

Being new to this type of training, you want to make sure you start small and grow it as you continue to build.

As you work with your targeted client base, pay attention to what they want and add whatever you feel will help improve your online business.

Adding too much too soon may cause you to give your clients things they don’t really need.

Focus #2: Building A Website - The Future Of Online Business

With any online business, a website is a must.

Although that may seem obvious, there are many businesses that fail to understand that having an online presence is the future of business.

If you have a business  that doesn’t have a website, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to monetize your skills.

So as an online personal trainer, you want to make sure your site is built ready to produce income.

Simple things like making sure your about me and contact page is up and running for visitors to check out.

Remember, getting someone to hire you as their trainer is going to take you building a connection with that person.

And more times than not, one of the first steps in building that connection will be through your “about me” page.

The other thing you want to keep in mind is as you build out your site, think about potential products you may want to sell on it.

You see, the great thing about the fitness industry is that there are so many products to recommend to your clientele.

As you start to develop a base, they will be looking to you to guide them to healthy products or services.

And by having a website, you can create another stream of income selling those products or services.

Yes this will require you to develop your own products/services, but there are ways to get around that if you’re not ready to create your own.

But I will get into that later. The most important thing to understand is that building out your site will be an ongoing process.

Making sure each user has a good experience while on your site is crucial.

Also by having a site, this gives you an opportunity to monetize your skills as a fitness professional.

Focus #3: Create Content - The Secret To Getting Traffic

In order for your business to succeed, you need people visiting your site. As you’re getting started, more than likely you will be telling people you know about your service.

Unfortunately, you only know so many people.

Not only that, there’s probably a small percentage of people that you do know who are looking for an online personal training program.

So finding other ways to get traffic to your site will be crucial. One of the best ways to do that is through the internet.

The problem however is that many people have no idea how to do that.Yes you can pay for traffic, but there’s also a free way to get content.

Keep in mind that it does take time to build, but once built, traffic can flood in. the way to get that free traffic is through the creation of content.

Whether it be videos or health articles you write, creating this type of content will be the source of your traffic.

Of course you will have training sessions for those that decide to become clients, but you also need to be creative.

Maybe have simple videos that can help people get through certain exercises. It's important to make sure these videos are short and easy to understand.

Creating an exercise library is a great way to get people to keep coming back to your site.

Even if they don’t become clients, this helps increase the level of comfort they have with you.Setting up yourself for potential business down the line.  

Focus #4: More Helping and Less Selling

Sometimes the best way to sell someone is by helping them first. People don’t like to be sold to so it’s important to not make your first interaction a sales pitch.

You first want to show people how much you can help them which will then eventually lead to sales.

One of the best ways to help people is by providing them with free content.

Maybe using your exercise library as a way to show visitors some of your coolest exercises that they can use on their own.

Also, by writing articles that can help educate your visitors on how to live a healthier lifestyle.

Providing this free content will allow your visitors to develop a bit of appreciation for the help you continue to provide.

And if it gets to the point where they’re still not getting the results they’re looking for, they may want to hire you to help them get those results.

People are more than willing to buy from someone they trust will help solve their problems.

This could also lead to sales that aren’t related to your program, but from products that are listed on your site.  

Focus #5: Marketing Your Business - Building A Brand

When it comes to marketing your business, creating content like videos and articles are a great way to found within the search engines of google.

If you’re able to know what people are searching for in the search engines when it comes to their health and fitness, that gives you an edge in solving their problems.

But another effective way to market yourself is with the use of social media.

People everywhere are using platforms like Facebook and especially Instagram to market themselves as an authority in the fitness industry.

It’s important to figure out which platform would be best to help build your brand.

People use Instagram showing pictures and short videos as a way to get their message across as a fitness professional.

You can also create a YouTube channel to promote your business as well.

Also, remember that your life as a fitness professional doesn’t have to only be shown in a gym. You can show people how fitness is also a part of you outside the gym.

Even if you like to travel, you can show yourself doing some fitness activity and post it on your website.

And this is the great thing about having a site, you get to document what you’re about which helps your brand.

People love seeing others showcase their life outside of what they do as a professional. Let them get to know you on a more personal level.

So just make sure that whenever you’re doing something regarding fitness, don’t be afraid to document it.

Focus #6: Invest In Tools - Growing Your Business

In the beginning of starting your business, there’s no doubt that you will be on a tight budget.

You will most likely be spending your money on the bare necessities to help get your business off the ground.

Like i mentioned in the previous section, getting traffic to your site is key to the growth of your business.

And as long as you’re able to produce quality content, you can get that traffic for free.

But as you’re business continues to grow and the money starts coming in, you need to make sure you re-invest that money back into your business.

I’m sure you’ve heard many people say that, but believe me when I say that it’s true.

That’s because in order for your business to continue to grow, you need to invest in tools.

Having the right tools can bring your business to a whole new level.

Whether it be by improving user experience on your site with a quality website theme, or investing in an email tool that allows you to keep in touch with your clients.

Also, since most of your business requires high quality video, it will be important for you to get tools that make producing these high quality videos possible.

But as you continue to develop your business, you will learn what type of equipment is needed to make sure you are giving your business the best chance to succeed.

Focus #7: Build Your List - Where The Money Is

Many business people will tell you that the money is in the list.That it is easier to sell to former customers, than it is to sell to new ones. 

Therefore making sure you take care of your customer base is crucial to the financial growth of your business.

One of the best ways to do that is through email marketing.

Whether you are keeping those who follow you up to date with fitness articles are videos, you want to make sure you are providing them with value.

Because if you’re not, they can easily just unsubscribe to your mailing list.

So it’s important to understand how to divide your business when it comes to retaining vs acquiring new customers.

There are tools that allow you to keep in touch with your base through email.

For example, you can have it where every time you create a new article, it will be sent directly to your email list.

Even if you have a product or service you want to sell, you can send it to your list so that they are made aware of this new product/service.

In the beginning this won’t be as important.

But as your business continues to grow, you will need to invest your time into making sure your email marketing is a well oiled machine.

Conclusion

Building an online personal training business can be tough, but trying to sell it can be tougher.

But if you focus on these 7 things, you will be building a foundation that generates you income for years to come.

It’s important to understand that building a business online requires a lot of training and education.

Which is why I would recommend you check out this Wealthy Affiliate Program which has taught me how to do many of the things I talked about in this article.

They will teach you how to build your own online business, and provide you with tools that give you the best chance to succeed.