Are you a personal trainer tired of being chained to a gym or studio? If you’re thinking about transitioning from being a personal trainer at a gym to becoming an online fitness coach, you’re making a wise decision. With so much of the fitness industry moving online, there’s no better time than now to take advantage of this trend and expand your business.
In today’s digital age, becoming an online fitness coach is easier and more lucrative than ever. However, with so much competition out there, it can be hard to know where to start or how to set yourself apart from the crowd. But with the right technology and a little bit of know-how, you can create a thriving online coaching business, all from the comfort of your own home.
Jack Wilson, international transformation coach, co-owner of RACKS Fitness studio, and long-time My PT Hub partner, shares his advice on how to become an online fitness coach and how My PT Hub can help.
Define Your Niche and Your Brand
The first step in becoming an online fitness coach is to determine your niche. Are you an expert in weight loss for women? Do you specialize in bodybuilding for men? Do you have experience working with senior citizens or clients with specific health issues?
You may already have a specific area of expertise, such as strength training, yoga, or nutrition. Think about what sets you apart from other trainers and how you can offer something unique to your clients. This will help you attract a specific audience and build a strong branding strategy.
Build Your Online Presence
Once you’ve identified your niche, it’s time to start building your online presence. You can create a personal trainer website, a blog, or social media accounts to showcase your expertise and connect with potential clients.
“I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t put advertisements on social media because that’s where all of my clientele comes from,” he says. “The majority is just from Instagram. “
Not only does sharing client progress and transformation photos add to his online presence, but Jack says they also motivate his clients. “There’s that element where people want to be that person that you are posting about,” he explains. “They want to be proud that you’ve put them up on your Instagram and that everyone can see how well they’ve done as well.”
Consider creating educational content such as videos, articles, or podcasts to establish yourself as an authority in your field. This means creating engaging content for your website and social media accounts, such as workouts, healthy recipes, and fitness tips. You can also offer free consultations or webinars to attract potential clients and increase your visibility.
Invest in the Right Technology
To be successful as an online fitness coach, you’ll need to invest in the right technology. This includes a reliable internet connection, good-quality camera and microphone for video calls, and an all-in-one personal training software and app, like My PT Hub.
Even pros like Jack can have a hard time finding the right personal training software. “I didn’t really know too many systems, but thought I’d try the conventional eight-week plans,” he says. “I would do PDFs to start off with because I didn’t know about software,” Jack explains.
“You start a PDF, it takes you ages to make. It’s a one size fits all PDF. Then you get somebody come in and they’re like, “I’ve got dodgy knees.” What are you going to do now?”
That’s where My PT Hub comes in. With our comprehensive exercise library, customizable workout builder, and free workout templates, you can effortlessly create and deliver exceptional client training programs in a matter of minutes.
“Now I use My PT Hub,” says Jack. “Everything’s electronic so then it’s so much easier to chop and change exercises and workouts and nutrition plans. That’s vastly improved in terms of the software element of my business.”
Personalize the Experience
Just because you’re working with clients online doesn’t mean you can’t provide a personalized experience. With My PT Hub, you can choose from a vast library of exercises and nutrition plans or create customizable workouts and meal plans specifically designed for each of your clients.
The platform provides video demonstrations through its pre-built videos, making it easier for clients to understand the exercises involved. With My PT Hub, you can also easily manage your client list, track their progress, and identify areas where they need improvement.
Because the app is easy to navigate, clients can access their plans from anywhere, anytime. Plus, you can monitor their progress and make changes to their plans as needed, keeping you informed and in control.
Streamline Your Business Workflows
One of the biggest perks of using My PT Hub is the amount of time it will save you. You can schedule regular check-ins and provide ongoing accountability to keep your clients motivated and on track. “I’ll make sure that I’ll always message every single client personally via a voice note on a Monday, no matter what, in the morning nice and early, to keep going,” Jack says.
“It’s an hour in the morning and it’s an hour at most in the evening. Sometimes it can literally be 20, 30 minutes just to get through everyone because a voice note is very, very quick,” he explains. “But that keeps them knowing that you are there.”
You can send automated reminders through the app, send daily motivation messages, create challenges that can be linked to your social media pages, help with meal prep, and even offer in-app messaging to get conversations started with your clients.
The app’s automation features allow you to spend less time on admin tasks and more time coaching your clients. You can create and schedule workouts, set up appointments, and automate payments all in one place. This will help you streamline your business and focus on what you do best – coaching your clients.
Expand Your Online Offerings
Once you’ve established your online fitness coaching business, consider expanding your services. You can offer group coaching, workshops, online courses, or even retreats. This will not only help you generate more income but also build a community of like-minded fitness enthusiasts.
Virtual training and challenges have become increasingly popular in recent years, allowing fitness professionals to meet clients where they are. With My PT Hub, you can easily set up virtual training sessions with your clients through live event streaming or pre-recorded videos. This will enable you to train clients even if you don’t have a physical gym or studio to work in. Not only is this convenient for your clients, but it will also allow you to expand your reach and grow your business.
Sync with Your Schedule with Your Lifestyle
As an online fitness coach, you can work from anywhere, anytime. However, balancing work life with your personal life isn’t always that simple. “Everyone goes into personal training thinking I’m going to be self-employed so I could do what I, want when I want,” Jack explains. “Then you realize, if people want sessions at certain times and you don’t want to let them down, you’ll work ridiculous hours.”
My PT Hub recognizes this and allows for syncing appointments with your Google or Apple Calendar. With this, you can plan without missing important engagements, all while providing flexible workout schedules and support to your clients.
“With online coaching, you’ve just got to make sure that you get the plans right for the clients, stay in touch with them, keep checked in, and all the other time that you have is your time,” Jack says. “You are free to explore whatever you want to do, whether that’s do another business venture or whether that is with a little bit more personal training.”
Become an Online Fitness Coach with My PT Hub
Becoming an online fitness coach can be a fun, flexible, and rewarding career path. With the right technology and a solid marketing strategy, you can build a thriving coaching business and help clients all over the world achieve their fitness goals.
My PT Hub is an all-in-one personal training software and app that can help you manage your online coaching business efficiently. With a single app, you can tailor your approach to your target audience, create custom workout and nutrition plans for each client, track their progress, and communicate in real-time. You can also manage your finances, schedule appointments, and run reports, all in one platform. This app saves you time, energy, and helps you provide better service to your clients.
If you’re a personal trainer interested in how to become an online fitness coach, let us show you how to take your fitness business to the next level without overwhelming your workload. Take advantage of our free 30-day trial to experience the difference My PT Hub can make in the success of your online personal training business!
