Here’s How to Make Money as a Fitness Coach

As someone new to the fitness industry trying to make a career as a fitness coach, the growth challenges can soon overwhelm you. From the struggle to find clients to the difficulty of managing your time, it can be easy to feel like nothing’s going your way and that quitting is an easy way out. However, here is how to make money as a fitness coach.

All it takes is perseverance and the right mindset to turn things around. With that said, here are some helpful ways you can make money as a fitness trainer.

Give Free Workshops and Seminars

Giving free workshops and seminars is a great way to generate leads and get new clients. When you offer valuable information for free, people are more likely to see you as an expert in your field, making them more likely to use your paid services.

Keep these tips in mind when giving a workshop:

• Promote, promote, promote. Get the word out about your event through social media, email marketing, and good old-fashioned word of mouth.
• Keep it relevant. Make sure your workshop or seminar is relevant to your target market. For example, if you’re a personal trainer specializing in weight loss, your seminar should be about how to lose weight effectively.
• Make it interactive. No one likes a boring lecture. So, keep your audience engaged with interactive exercises, games, and activities.

Note: You can also arrange demo sessions where you invite gym members to look at how to do the workouts correctly.

This will position you as an expert and increase your chances of getting more clients. It’s a key component of how to make money as a fitness coach.

Find a Niche

The fitness industry is huge, and there’s plenty of room for your specialty. When you have a niche, it will be easier to focus on the people who need what you offer rather than trying to reach everyone with a “one size fits all” approach.

Can’t decide on a niche? Follow these tips:

• Know your strengths. What are you good at? For example, if you’re a certified yoga instructor, you should focus on teaching yoga. Or if you have experience in fitness competitions and personal training, then perhaps that’s where your niche lies.
• Observe your clients. If you offer classes, note which ones are most popular and which aren’t. If it’s obvious that everyone wants to learn more about weight training, then focus on that niche.
• Price accordingly. If you’re a certified yoga instructor, you may be able to charge more than someone who says they have experience with yoga. The same goes for personal trainers: If you have a certification from the American Council on Exercise (say), you can charge more than someone who doesn’t.
• In finding a niche, think about what type of people you and your network know.

Get Referrals

Referrals are one of the best ways to get new clients. When someone you know—a friend, family member, or colleague—tells another person about you, it’s an automatic vote of confidence. The potential client is more likely to take you seriously and try out your services.

There are a few key things to remember when getting referrals:

• Think about who in your network would be a good person for referrals. A hairdresser friend who does hair for many 30-year-old women would be a great resource if those customers are your target market. Or if you focus on injury or amputation recovery, an injury or amputation attorney friend could also be a great resource for referrals.
• Don’t be afraid to ask. If you don’t ask, you won’t get it. So make it a habit to regularly ask people if they know anyone who might need your services.
• Follow up. Once you get a referral, follow up as soon as possible. The sooner you connect with the potential client, the better your chances are of making a sale.
• Say thank you. Always remember to thank someone who gives you a referral. A simple “thank you” goes a long way in maintaining good relationships.

Referrals are a critical component of how to make money as a fitness coach.

Get Listed on Fitness Directories

Fitness directories are online listings of fitness professionals and are a great way to get new clients. When people search for a trainer or coach in their area, your name will come up—and if you have a strong profile, they’ll be more likely to contact you.

Some popular fitness directories include:

• FindTrainGain
• IDEAFit
• FitnessTrainer
• Personal Trainer Finder
• ZocDoc

To get listed in a directory, create a profile and wait for the leads. Remember to check your messages and respond quickly to any inquiries regularly.

Use Pay-Per-Click Advertising

If you want to reach people who are actively searching for a coach or trainer, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a great option. With PPC, you can place ads on Google and other search engines and only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

When creating a PPC campaign, make sure to:

• Choose the right keywords. Keywords are the words and phrases people search for when looking for a coach or trainer. Choose keywords that are relevant to your niche and target market.
• Bid wisely. When you place a bid, you’re telling the search engine how much you will pay for each click. Bidding too low will result in your ad being buried while bidding too high will eat your profits. So make sure to bid wisely.
• Monitor your results. Keep an eye on your campaign to see how it’s performing. If you do not see the desired results, make changes to your keywords, ad copy, or bid amount.

Final Word

Generating new clients can be tough, but it’s not impossible. You can attract new clients and grow your business using these methods. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!