Top 15 Reasons Why You Need A Personal Training Website Today!

When I first started training clients, I quickly learned how essential it was to have a personal training website.  The top personal trainers always had plenty of new clients rolling in, many of which were direct leads from their own website. Have you ever done a “Google search” of yourself? Even if you’ve tried it once or twice, do you really remember what the top 10 results are? With billions of internet users across the globe, your search results should be taking advantage of this tremendous reach to target and attract hundreds of potential clients.  If not, you’re simply leaving way too much on the table. In order to succeed with your personal training business, you’ll need to build a well-crafted and reputable online presence.

Bringing Your Personal Training Business Online

Televisions, laptops, treadmills and stationary bikes, you name it, these days, everyone and everything is connected to the internet in some form or fashion. In such a tech-driven world, clients will almost expect you to have a website showcasing your talents and services. At a minimum, you should have some sort of web presence – whether it be a LinkedIn or client-friendly Facebook profile page. However, the best way to build your brand online is to create a personal trainer website of your own. How many times have you tried to look up a business online, only to find that it didn’t have a proper website? Chances are both you and your wallet went on over to a more online-friendly competitor. You, too, are running a business – a personal training business. And this is no different.

So, Why Is It Important To Be Online? Here Are The Top 15 Reasons:

1. Your competition has a website – Without a doubt, other trainers competing for the same clients in your area will have a website. Whoever has a website has the upper hand and is likely to be seen as the more established fitness professional.
2. It’s an easy and effective way of communicating with clients – Add a contact form to your website to allow clients to interact with you for any questions or feedback. For the more adventurous, you can even add a Q&A forum to engage even further.
3. Generates a steady rate of referrals – A website makes it easier for others to find you and for current clients to refer others. When it comes to word of mouth referrals, pointing others to your website allows them to gather the information they want in order to make an informed buying decision.
4. You can post your prices – Formalizing your fees upfront sets pricing expectations and also screens out those who aren’t your ideal target anyhow. Although tough, if someone simply cannot afford your services, it just isn’t a productive use of your time to screen and consult with them.
5. You can post your PARQ and Waiver forms – Handling these administrative matters properly is critical to understanding your client and to limit your liability. Using electronic forms eliminates the hassle of unnecessary paperwork saving you time and money. Save these files to the cloud for quick reference.
6. Review websites send referrals straight to you – Sites such as Yelp! and Google Reviews list businesses and crowd-sourced local business reviews. Each business gets a profile page and may link to the website URL. Once a potential client is on a review website, the users are doing online before a purchase and are likely to click on your website address in search of more information.
7. Customized email address are more impactful – Having a website allows you to host an email address such as Matt@BusinessSavvyPersonalTrainer.com as opposed to MattABC123@gmail.com. The first is more professional and adds some credibility when labeled with this “seal of authenticity”.
8. Establishes your credibility and commitment – Are you going to be there for your clients when they need you?  From a customer’s perspective, a business is unlikely to pack up and leave town overnight when they’ve got a well-established website up and running. In other words, the lack of a website could cause some potential clients to become skeptical of whether they are stepping into some sort of a scam.
9. You can open new income streams – By offering other services and selling products, such as supplements, gloves, and belts, you open up a whole new channel  to earn more income. It’s a simple and effective way to expand your business beyond just personal training.
10. Wide-reaching and cost-effective advertising – A website is perhaps one of the most cost-effective ways of marketing your business. For as little as $5 per month, you can get started cultivating your brand today.
11. Consider it an “online business card” – Building relationships is easier when potential clients can explore your services without the pushy salesmen and the commitment, very similar to window shopping.
12. Expand Your Reach And Audience – The sales portion of personal training boils down to a numbers game. There are over 3 billion internet users worldwide and 250 million in the US alone. Are you getting a big enough piece of the pie?
13. Educate Your Clients – Familiarize the clients with the services that you are selling. Build a blog to cover hot and relevant topics within health, nutrition and exercise.
14. A website works for you 24 hours a day – Even while you’re sleeping, a website can generate interest in your services and products, translating into multiple client leads and increased revenue for minimal effort.
15. Share exercise and nutrition plans with your clients – Use your website to distribute or sell content customized for your clients. Clients will become raving fans when you understand their specific needs, and go above and beyond to cater to them.

With a professional website, proper search engine optimization, and the right marketing strategy, your website can generate tons of buzz, traffic and hype, leading to more clients, more income, and more freedom.

Build Your Website, Build Your Business

Why risk missing out on the tremendous amount of internet-driven business when you could simply create a website of your own. For just a few dollars each month, a website will build a competitive advantage for you over other personal trainers missing this fundamental resource. You need to keep up with the times in order to stay competitive and stand out in a fast-paced and ever-evolving industry. And, don’t worry if you’re not tech savvy. In the weeks to come, I’ll be showing you step-by-step exactly how to build your very own personal training website. In the mean time, check out the resources page for useful tools and tips. Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect to start, but every journey starts with the first step. What are some of the other benefits that your website contributes to your business? Please share any success stories by leaving a note in the comments below!