How to build your fitness brand as a personal trainer

Like many things in life, building a successful personal training brand is a marathon, not a sprint, and will take time, effort, and dedication from even the most experienced of fitness fiends.

If you’re a qualified PT looking for advice on how to take charge of your talents, be your own boss, and start your own venture, you’ve come to the right place. With over 35 years of insuring some of the very best gyms, PTs and fitness instructors in the country, it’s fair to say that we know the health and fitness industry inside out.

To help you on your journey, we’ve done the heavy lifting — pun intended — and put together a practical guide on building your fitness brand. Let’s jump in.

1. Pick your lane

What made you want to enter the fitness industry and become a personal trainer? It could be that you were inspired by your own journey with exercise, have a keen interest in anatomy and physiology, or possess a strong desire to help people feel better in their own skin. Whatever the reason, why exactly you love health and fitness should be at the heart of your business strategy as a personal trainer.

That said, you will also need to set yourself apart from the competition. To do so, ask yourself what type of trainer you want to be, and what makes you unique. You might moonlight as a lifestyle coach, specialise in postnatal fitness, or be great at helping people to beat the dreaded ‘gymtimidation’.

However, if you’re a wannabe PT who needs help finding their niche, reading up on the common personal trainer ‘personalities’ may help to inspire you. These can be split into seven brackets, PTminder explains. Whether you are ‘outdoorsy’, a ‘drill sergeant’ (think the physical version of tough love) or a ‘slim gym’, “it’s all about what gets you excited; the more motivated you are, the more you ‘geek out’ about what you do, the better your chances of passing that enthusiasm on to your clients.”

2. Build your online presence

In this day and age, a powerful digital presence is critical to business success. Here’s what you should do to kick-start your brand’s online strategy.

Create your logo

Firstly, you should work on creating your logo, as this is the foundation of your brand identity and helps separate you from your competitors.

Depending on your budget, you can either choose to employ the services of a professional graphic designer to create one, or use a free or inexpensive graphic design platform like Adobe or Canva to design your own logo. 

Develop your social media strategy

Next, you want to create a social media plan. Try using a maximum of three platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, to get the hang of posting relevant and engaging content on a regular basis.

Use these platforms to present yourself as a specialist in the health and fitness field, while also coming off as approachable. Whether it be through inspirational quotes, how-to guides for workout routines, or testimonials from satisfied customers, there are lots of approaches you can take. 

Design your website

Thirdly, you should build your website. This will serve as an important point of contact for customers, allowing them to ask questions, schedule appointments, and learn more about you.

Your website should be attractive, clear and easily accessible to users. If possible, try to purchase your own domain name from a service provider, such as GoDaddy to give you a more professional look. However, there are plenty of free versions available, like Wix.

3. Market your services offline

Promoting your business through social media and your website is a great way to get started, however, in order to maintain a steady income, you will need to market your services elsewhere, too.

Explore niche marketing

There are many effective ways to promote your business, but considering the demographics of your target customers will pay handsomely. 

If, for instance, your specialty is in providing personal training to seniors, who make up a sizable yet somewhat unexplored segment of the fitness industry, you may want to direct your efforts towards print marketing. Some active agers, Wellness Creative points out, might prefer “to hangout out in person rather than online (although you shouldn’t discount online entirely).”

Consider promos

However, if you’re struggling to attract clients, you could also consider using special promotions, such as a discounted or free first session. “

This might seem counterintuitive,” Train Fitness explains, “but actually, ‘try before you buy’ is a very effective marketing strategy. You only need to offer a 30-minute personal training session, but if it impresses and/inspires those you work with it could turn into a great way of getting new clients.”

Consistency is key

The bottom line of branding? Aim for consistency in everything you do. From your social media accounts to print marketing materials, build trust and recognition with your clients by using the same logo, colours, and tone of voice throughout.

Final thoughts

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to establishing your own fitness venture. And, with Salon Gold’s bespoke insurance policies for personal trainers, you can rest easy knowing you (and your valued clients) are in safe hands. You can find more information on our Mobile and Freelance Gym Instructor Cover and Personal Trainer Cover pages, or get a quote here.