The day-to-day regimen of training clients usually leaves few hours in the day to focus on finding new business. As a fitness professional, especially if you work in a gym, it may be easy to fall into the mindset that potential clients will willingly walk through the door looking for a personal trainer. Ideal situation, isn't it?
If you're so lucky as to have clients walking through the door and ready to sign the dotted line, then no need to read on. But, if you don't have the luxury of a constant turnstile of clients and are looking for new ways to add new clients into your fold, here are a few out-of-the-gym ideas to find new clients and build your business.
Network: Find local networking organizations to make connections outside of the fitness industry. Above all, be the consummate professional. Resist wearing your gym-outfits and yoga pants and brand yourself as the fitness professional in the community that represents more than exercise and fat loss. Become known as a connector; people will feel obliged to refer business to you if you refer them.
Train a charity fitness event: There is a growing trend among charities and non-profits focusing on fitness events for fundraising including racing, marathons and triathlons, bike rides and adventure fitness. Many people who are participating in these events are ideal clients; they are motivated and have an end-goal for which to train. Find local or even regional events that are scheduled, connect with the charity and offer your training services to the event participants.
Contribute to a local paper or local blog: Many communities have locally-published newspapers or periodicals and they are usually looking to feature content contributed by local citizens and businesses rather than syndicated copy. Make a connection with the publisher or a representative at the publication and offer to provide a health and fitness column. You likely won't be able to promote your business directly in the article unless you are paying for an advertorial-type article, but in your byline you should be able to include your website or contact information. Frequent readers in your community who see and read your column regularly be the first to think of you when they are ready to hire a personal trainer.
Bottom line, it may be time to look outside of the gym for opportunities to generate new business. Potential clients are everywhere; but they first must come to know you and trust you before they will pay you.
