How to Get Your First Personal Training Client

Have you recently completed your personal training course with AIPT? First of all, congratulations!

Now you’ve got all the tools you need to help others transform their lives through health and fitness.

But if you’re unsure how to start, keep reading for some advice on how to get your first clients as a Personal Trainer. This article will walk you through tips and tricks on starting your personal training business, depending on your particular circumstances – including where you want to train, how often, and what kinds of services you want to offer. 

Let's look at some ways to get your first personal training client and set the groundwork for success. 

1. Family and friends 

The first and most obvious place to start is with your family and friends. As you’re new to the fitness industry, offering services at a discounted rate to your family and friends allows you to practice your newly invested skills and knowledge in a low-pressure environment. It’s also a smart way to build your client portfolio and put together success stories that potential clients can see. It’s a great idea to use these services to obtain feedback about the way you conduct your sessions – you’re likely to get more detailed and honest insights from people close to you than from PT clients who don’t know you well.  

2. Walk your talk

An important step to making a name for yourself as a Personal Trainer is to practice what you preach. If you’re that person in the gym or out and about who’s dedicated to their craft and practising perfect form, you’ll not only be a better Personal Trainer, but you’ll surely get noticed. Many people don’t have the same level of competency of exercise techniques and knowledge as a Personal Trainer – that’s why you’re there to help! If you frequent the same gym on a regular basis, you’ll eventually catch the eye of others in the space who may end up asking you for advice for their own workouts. You may even notice others who are struggling and offer sessions on how to conduct correct exercise techniques. 

3. Share your story

Have you achieved a fitness goal? Did you lose weight? Did you compete at a high level in a specific sport? Sharing these experiences while building relationships with members of the gym can be a way of obtaining your first personal training clients. Walking the floor of the gym, chatting with members and building relationships are great ways of sharing your story. This method can also encourage people to spread your story through word of mouth, talking to other members of the gym who may be interested in using your services. 

4. Offer free assessments

You shouldn’t have to work for nothing just because you’re new to the fitness industry, but offering a little something free of charge is the perfect tried-and-true method of developing that first point of connection, as well as showing potential clients the quality of your services. You may choose to offer a no-obligation fitness assessment such as: 

• body composition 

• overhead squat assessment 

• cardiovascular endurance 

• sit-up test 

• push-up test 

• step test. 

You never know; a great first impression through one of these assessments could lead to your first training session with a new client and, hopefully, a lasting professional relationship. 

5. Walk the streets

Nothing beats making connections face-to-face, and it can be a game-changer to make a name for yourself in the local community. One effective way of doing this is by visiting surrounding small and medium businesses to offer your services. Remember to think about how you might meet the needs of the business you approach. Speak their language and explain the benefits of your service that will appeal to them. It’s also a great idea to ask to leave business cards or flyers with local businesses that are customer-facing, like cafes, for example. 

6. Invest in your future

Your future is yours to create, and what better way to set yourself apart from the competition than to build a unique portfolio of skills and services? The more you invest in your career by adding specialised fitness qualifications to your toolkit, the broader the range of clients you’ll be able to help.

You could advance your career by studying the Diploma of Nutrition and bring your clients a whole new dimension of services, supporting them even further in their health and fitness journeys. 

Or you could undertake a short course in something like boxing, kettlebell fundamentals, or callisthenics, giving you a deeper knowledge set and a high level of credibility to match.  

7. Social media

All quips aside, social media is a great way to spread your message and gain your first or new personal training clients. While you’re studying your personal training course, why not share your experiences, your training sessions and what you’re learning? For example, post some photos and videos with a solution to a problem you had around your health and fitness goals.

With the ability to access this kind of content via hashtags and news feeds, the chances of people seeing your achievements may have them coming to you. 

Ready to start building your own business as a Personal Trainer? If you studied with AIPT, you could be eligible for our Graduate Placement Assistance# support. Enquire now or call 1300 616 180 to speak with a Careers Advisor about the best path forward for your ambitions.