To build a successful online training business, it's important to first understand why the idea of online training appeals to clients.
Fitness in the past
To understand the appeal of online training, first, we need to think about what training used to be.
In the past, clients paid trainers to count each step, each rep, and had little flexibility in where and when they'd meet their trainer.
In short, in-person training was wildly inconvenient.
Delivery method matters
Many people who would never try a workout in a gym feel comfortable working out at home with online classes or with online training. Walking into a gym can feel intimidating, no matter how confident a person may be.
Online training removes the fear that someone else is watching or the fear of making a mistake. When you train clients online, they're able to try new things without the fear of doing something wrong—all because you're offering a delivery method that makes sense for them.
We need to think about why the people who want online training services prefer an at-home delivery method, and how we can deliver those services in a way that accommodates their barriers and meets their needs. For example, if some clients prefer to work out with their camera off while still receiving instruction, allowing them to do so can make it easier for them to fully engage in the class.
Leveraging technology
Online training allows for real life to happen. If a client gets a late start to their day and misses an in-person training session, they simply miss out. With online training, real-life can happen—and clients can still get their workout in.
COVID-19 forced in-person trainers to begin to use technology to reach clients. Even trainers who never wanted to work online realized they had to begin to leverage technology in order to meet the safety needs of their clients. When life happens and clients are late or need to reschedule due to time constraints, online sessions over FaceTime or Zoom can make it easy for them to get their workouts in and continue to make progress.
This also allows us to use our ability to think on the fly, helping clients to get a great workout in using the equipment they have, in the place they're able to work out.
Staying client-centered
Some clients only want to do a few sessions to get an idea of how they should be working out, while others want to spend months or years training to meet their goals. In the past, we had to turn down these types of clients because it didn't make financial sense to develop a program and give away valuable hours for someone who isn't a repeat client. With online training, trainers have more time and space to accommodate the needs of all clients, regardless of how much time they're able to dedicate to ongoing sessions.
Clients can work with the best of the best
This is where your marketing comes into play. If you're able to market yourself as the best of the best for your target market, your clients will feel like they've found a needle in the haystack—and they'll be right.
By training online, you're making yourself available to clients around the country, or even around the world. Clients don't have to worry that they're not geographically close enough to you, or that they're unable to fit themselves into your schedule.
Bottom line: There are many reasons why people choose online training, and it's key for us to remember that we're providing a virtual service that allows us to serve our clients in a way that makes sense for their lives.
Learn a flexible framework for building your online training business.
The demand for online training has been increasing over the last decade and continues to grow exponentially. As more people adapt to a virtual world, it’s time to take action on the future of your career. The Online Trainer Academy teaches you a flexible framework that adapts to you and your unique needs, so you can have the business and life perfect for YOU.
