Getting your personal training business up and running is a hefty task. There are a lot of big responsibilities you need to take care of, such as finding a space, figuring out how to market, and so on, so it’s easy to let the small details slip through the cracks. Often, though, those seemingly small elements are just as important as your larger-scale tasks. One such detail? Your fitness logo!
A logo might sound like an extra or trivial feature, but it’s actually a significant part of your branding. It’s your first impression on potential clients and a key element of brand recognition. Think about how quickly you can identify a McDonald’s from its golden arches or a Disney movie from the opening castle — that’s the power an effective logo can have.
A fitness logo should be unique, memorable, and communicate who you are and what you do to those who see it. Of course, this is much easier said than done. Sometimes when faced with a blank sheet of paper, you can lose all creative thought. So, we’ve pulled together some tips on how to design, some tools to help, and a few examples to inspire you to create the best fitness logo to represent your business!
How to Design a Good Logo
Since your logo is going to be pivotal to your brand identity, you must put plenty of research and thought into the design process. The good news is that if you’re reading this article, you’ve already started doing that! Now, let’s go over the key tips you need to know as you’re creating or choosing a design for your personal trainer logo.
Represent Your Brand
First and foremost, your logo should reflect what you do and who you are as a business. If you choose any random or generic symbol or text, people who see it won’t learn anything about you. A logo should convey the essence of your business to potential customers.
For example, if you work mostly with body builders, you’d probably want a logo with sharper lines and darker colors to reflect the intensity in your training. If your target audience is fitness beginners though, something with more upbeat and welcoming colors will be less intimidating.
Be Memorable, Not Cliché
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel when coming up with ideas for your personal trainer logo. However, your design should be unique enough to make a lasting impression. If you’re using the same old image as other fitness professionals, your audience won’t take you seriously.
Do some research to see what is most common in the field and not really working (think dumbbells, a bicep, and similarly stereotypical icons). Then, either try to avoid these images or brainstorm how you could put your own twist on it.
Choose a Logo Type that Fits Your Business
Did you know that there are several different categories of logos? It’s true! Here’s what they are and some examples:
- Monogram/Lettermarks — A logo made up of company initials, usually minimalist in design. Examples include HBO, IBM, and HP.
- Wordmarks — A logo that is only the brand name written in font, best used for companies with a succinct or catchy name. Examples include Google, The New York Times, and Coca-Cola.
- Pictorial Marks — A logo that consists of just an icon or graphic. If you’re using this type of logo, you should already have strong brand recognition (i.e., consumers will be able to identify your company based on just the image without your name). Examples include Apple, Target, and Twitter.
- Abstract Logo Marks — Another logo that consists of just a graphic, but of abstract or geometric nature rather than a recognizable image. This type of logo affords more opportunity to be unique and symbolic. Examples include Pepsi, Adidas, and Nike.
- Mascots — A logo that is an illustrated character, often the brand “spokesperson.” Examples include Kool-Aid, Pringles, and Cheetos.
- Text and Graphics — A logo that combines an image or symbol (pictorial mark) and text. This type of logo is versatile and yields a strong association with the name and symbol. Examples include Burger King, Doritos, and Taco Bell.
- Emblems — A logo in which the text is laid out inside the symbol. Examples include Starbucks, Harvard, and Harley Davidson.
Consider which logo type will work best for the impression you want yours to have on customers. Also keep in mind how the different types of logos will work across different mediums, such as social media, merchandise, or business cards, and think about where you’ll be using yours most.
Be Intentional with Color Choice
Color has a lot of power over the impression your logo makes. In fact, not only can color affect your mood, but it can also elicit action. The color red, for example, is said to provoke strong emotions such as passion, anger, and excitement. Seeing the color red can even increase your blood pressure and heart rate. So, when you’re choosing colors for your logo, think about how you want people to feel when they see it. Do you want them to feel inspired? Energized? Excited?
For example, if you focus on HIIT in your programs, you’d probably want to choose an intense and lively color like red or orange. But if you’re more oriented toward yoga and mindfulness, a calming color like blue would tap into the emotions you want your audience to feel when they think of you.
Mirror Your Personality in Your Font
It’s easy for a logo font to feel standard and unremarkable, especially if you choose one randomly. If you want your logo to stand out and draw the right attention though, your font should match the vibe and personality of your brand. Use your font to help let clients know what type of experience they can expect from you.
If you’re a trainer who likes to make your sessions really fun, for example, a playful font can help convey that. But if you’re more of a “get down to business” type of coach, something bolder and more straightforward would be more appropriate. Another thing to keep in mind is that no matter which font you choose, it should be clear and easy to read.
Simple Is Best
There is a lot to consider as you’re designing your logo, but if you’re going to remember one thing above all else, it should be to keep it simple. Adding too many over-the-top elements will only overwhelm and/or confuse your audience. You don’t want them to be distracted; you want them to perceive one clear, easy-to-remember message when they see your logo.
Tools to Help Design Personal Trainer Logos
Even with all our helpful tips, you might be thinking to yourself, “I’m not a graphic designer! How am I supposed to put an effective logo together?” Fortunately, there are an array of easy-to-use logo tools available online (thank goodness for the internet, right?). Here, we’ll go over some of our favorites to help you get started on your fitness logo design.
Looka
Looka is a logo-design platform that feeds your preferences to an AI software that produces custom logos based on them. It’ll generate a wide selection of options with various symbols, colors, and styles, all of which can be further tweaked if you so choose. You can also search through a library of logos for inspiration. The cost of the logo will depend on the resolution you choose and how many files and variations you want.
Canva
As far as DIY-friendly graphic design tools go, it doesn’t get much better than Canva. There are over a hundred logo templates off of which you can build your own custom design with drag-and-drop features. Many of their high-quality templates are free, although some premium design elements require payment for use.
Squarespace Logo
Squarespace logo is another simple drag-and-drop editor that allows you to customize text and icons in your design. Customization options are more limited compared to Canva, but it’s still a simple and straightforward tool that yields a professional looking logo. Low resolution files of your design are free on Squarespace logo, while high resolution files for non-members come at a $10 cost.
Tailor Brands
Similar to Looka, the Tailor Brands logo maker uses AI to generate a pool of logo options based on the preferences you provide. The options are unique and professional, and the process is pretty easy for those who aren’t design saavy. You can also customize the logo you choose, but only after you purchase it.
DesignCrowd
DesignCrowd is a little different than the other previously mentioned logo platforms in that you’ll have real graphic designers producing options for you. You can get a logo through DesignCrowd one of two ways: by choosing a specific designer based on posted designs you like, or by creating a project brief through which multiple designers can submit options.
99Designs
Another option for if you’re looking to freelance out your logo design, 99designs makes it easy to get submissions from multiple designers. Like with DesignCrowd, you can find a specific designer to hire, or you can open up a contest and get various options from various designers to choose from. All you have to do is fill out a brief with your logo needs and preferences listed.
Personal Trainer Logo Ideas
To help you put all this information into action, we’ve gathered a few examples of personal trainer logos that we think hit the mark. Use these as inspiration for your fitness logo as you’re getting started!
Ellie Rose Fitness
The Ellie Rose Fitness logo an example of a text and graphics logo that offers clear visual detail into what the business is. The font is easy to read, and the colors are simple, with the business name displayed clearly. Somebody looking at this logo will easily be able to deduce what it’s for, which is key for effective logo design.
Sam Bird Physique Coach
Simplicity and clarity are what distinguish the Sam Bird Physique Coach logo as one to inspire your design. The name and type of business are bold and easy to see with text that’s large and easy to read. Choosing to incorporate the color red gives it an extra eye-catching pop.
Fit Queen
Emily de Luzy’s Fit Queen brand logo is direct and quickly draws the eye with a distinct pop of color. The font is easy to read and not too busy or distracting. The name is a creative way to tell the audience what the business is about without being too cliché or on the nose. The crown is a unique element that ties a neat little bow on a simple, yet effective logo.
Greatest Physiques
Although they’re more of a personal trainer platform than an individual trainer, Greatest Physiques still serves as an example of a noteworthy logo design. Again, the font and design are bold and legible, which is incredibly important for visibility. The addition of the pictorial mark within the word is a nice touch that makes the image stand out further.
Other Fitness Logo Ideas
Many personal trainers offer a variety of fitness services along with their workout programs. To give you some more comprehensive inspiration for your personal trainer logo, check out these great designs from other related fitness brands!
Evolution Nutrition
The Evolution Nutrition logo quickly draws the eye with its colorful pictorial mark and easily read font. The choice of the DNA-inspired symbol is also a clever callout to the company name. The design is simple, and the nature of the business is made clear.
Myzone
Looking at the Myzone logo, there is certainly more going on than in many of our other examples. However, the name of the business is clear, and the combination of colors makes it stand out nicely. The image within the company name is both relevant to the product and unique as well.
Power Plate
Power Plate’s logo is another one that excels for its bold and easy-to-read design. They elevate it a step further with a pictorial mark that makes your eye see a plate, giving you an accurate feel of what the business is about. To top it off, the logo has another eye-catching element with a touch of red that doesn’t overwhelm.
Hyperice
A great example of a nice modern typeface, the Hyperice logo is clear and striking. Although it’s simple, it is still bold enough to remember and pick out of a crowd.
Next Steps for Branding Your Fitness Business
Designing a fitness logo is an important aspect of hitting the ground running with your personal training business — but it’s not the only step to creating a successful brand. Once you have your gorgeous logo in hand, you need to put it out there with your other branding elements to start building recognition and an audience. Don’t worry though; we go over everything you need to know about expanding your brand in our personal trainer marketing guide!
In the meantime, you can get a head start on getting your name, logo, and services out into the fitness world with My PT Hub’s branding and marketing features. From a custom branded app with your own icon (a perfect spot for your logo!) to pre-configured Google Ad campaigns and your very own microsite, there’s so much you can do with the power of My PT Hub.
Get started with your 30-day free trial today!
