How to Become an Online Personal Trainer?

Online personal training has leaped into the digital realm with great success. An online fitness training professional has his own training platform to train clients virtually, just like a studio. The difference is in the flexibility and convenience of working out at home. Personal trainers provide guidance to their clients in different ways. Online personal training is difficult to promote when compared to studio training because establishing trust with clients takes a lot of work. However, it’s much simpler than you think to switch to training your clients remotely. So what is the easiest way to turn your passion for fitness and nutrition into a lucrative online career?

In this blog, we aim to walk you through the process of starting an online training business.

Starting an online training business- Step by step guide

So now you have decided on starting an online personal training business, let’s see how you can put things into action. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it.

Select your specialty

When you are running a fitness studio or a gym, you can be general with your offering. However, if you want to become an online personal trainer or fitness coach, you must choose a niche to focus on. In fact, you can make a significant impact when you are genuinely passionate about what you are offering.

When selecting your specialty, consider your personal strengths. What do you excel at- Is it endurance training or safe rehabilitation techniques, or anything else? The primary benefit of choosing a specialty is to set yourself ahead of the competition. Clients will approach you as you are an established authority in your fitness domain.

Here are some examples of the niches you can choose:

• Strength and conditioning
• Acrobatics
• Discipline-specific support for CrossFit, Pilates, Yoga, marathon training
• Mobility & recovery
• Competitive athletics

Attain the right qualification

If you want to become an expert in the industry, determine whether you need more training or gain the right qualifications to teach. Typically, becoming an online trainer doesn’t call for a particular degree. However, depending on your specialty, you might want qualifications that establish you as an expert in your field.

Some of the programs that offer personal training courses are as follows:

International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA): Offers an associate degree in exercise science and a personal training certificate as well.

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM): Offers science-based training programs, personal training, and nutrition. If you are already a fitness trainer, odds are you are already certified from NASM.

American Council on Exercise (ACE): The ACE offers certifications for group fitness trainers, personal instructors, medical exercise specialists, etc. While certifications are great, it’s wise to continue your education. Stay on top of the latest methods and trends to keep your services fresh and relevant and to beat the competition.

Define your clients

Before establishing yourself as a personal trainer, choose the type of clients you want to work with. Beyond the general personal training profile, it is great to consider the personality types you want to work with. Also, think about the level of communication and attention your clients might need. For example, do your clients need regular check-ins and assistance from your side or are they self-directed. Do they fall under any specific gender, age, or demographic?

Defining your client also defines your services and offering as a coach. Here are some of the considerations when starting your online training personal training business.

• Do you plan to work one-to-one with clients or take online group classes?
• Are you planning to create one-size-fits-all training programs or customize them for clients?
• Do you plan to offer a traditional training schedule, or are you willing to provide extra support for needier clients?

Coming up with answers for the above questions will help you have a clear picture of your ideal client base.

Build a professional website

Your first order as an online personal trainer is to build a professional website. The online training website for your brand is the first opportunity to create an impact on your potential clients.

Include the following information on your website:

• Your qualifications and expertise. What makes you the perfect online fitness trainer for your client base.
• Training programs and price packages.
• How people can book the training sessions.
• How to reach out to you in case of assistance

Not sure where to start? Choose a professional tutor management software to build a professional website for your fitness brand. Pinlearn is one such ready-made tutor management software that allows you to provide both one-to-one training, group classes, and self-paced training programs. With Pinlearn, you get the complete source code with which you can customize your website and business according to your unique needs.

Offer training programs that improve your credibility

Online personal training allows you to take advantage of a wide variety of content shows to display your skills and personality. Videos are a useful format to the community with your clients and teach them. Come up with demo videos of yourself demonstrating full workouts. Other than videos, you can create infographics, blog posts, Fitness FAQs etc. for various levels.

One helpful tip to create great content is to keep your target client base in mind. This is because a professional will be interested in different content than individuals who are new to fitness. Consider creating online courses by building complete training lessons for your clients to follow without or with your help.

For example, you can consider implementing the following:

• Record specific training sessions.
• Provide tutorials of all workouts for your clients to follow on their own schedule.
• Combine progress checked with before and after images.

By having tutor management software in place, creating online courses won’t be a hectic task. With options for assessments, monetization, and mobile app, it allows you to create the perfect training courses for your clients.

Market your online personal training programs

Now comes the most significant aspect of running an online training business- Growing your brand. To start with, rely on word of mouth to promote your business and expand your marketing efforts. You can leverage online marketing, including email marketing, social media marketing, or other tools to increase your exposure. For example, host a live online workout in partnership with a celebrity.

Here are some things you can do:

• Use social media to host live videos and respond to your clients who tune in.
• Live streaming workouts and encourage your followers to join in on.
• Provide free consultations or discounts for tagging friends.
• Be active in private Facebook groups.

Conclusion

There has never been a right time than this to become an online personal trainer. The fitness industry is growing incredibly rapidly, and more people are enjoying the convenience of home-based workouts. With a specialty in place, you can start creating your online fitness business. With an all-in-one platform, you can work on creating a beautiful website customized to your online personal training brand.