Running a fitness business can feel like an endless cycle of marketing, selling, and onboarding new clients. What if there was an easier way to bring high numbers of clients into your business – without taking each one through the personal training journey?
How to attract new clients using group fitness classes
Personal training is a high-effort service to sell. Unless you successfully convert every enquiry, you could spend a lot of time and energy on calls, meetings, or back and forth messages – for no return.
If 1-to-1 PT is the only service you offer, you run the risk of facing an empty pipeline when enquiries dry up. You need to have at least one other offer – ideally a lower barrier to entry that you could upsell to PT.
How to price and position group classes as a fitness offer
Basic marketing advice says you should have three tiers of buy-in for your business. One free or very low cost, one mid-cost, and one higher cost. This might look like:
Free or low cost: free content, online webinars, in-person workshops
Mid-cost: group classes, bootcamps, small group PT
Higher-cost: 1-to-1 PT, online coaching, hybrid coaching
Benefits to your client of buying group classes
From your client’s point of view, group classes are an easy way to start a fitness journey. Cheaper than PT, potentially less daunting, and with the added benefit of being sociable. This list of benefits is likely to be especially attractive to new clients who haven’t engaged with PT in the past.
Benefits of offering group classes as a personal trainer
From your point of view, group classes or bootcamp-style sessions are a lower-cost way to get high numbers of clients into the business. Your class attendees might always stay as group class clients, or they might become PT clients. Either way, it’s a fairly simple revenue stream that fills your PT pipeline.
5 benefits of group classes for your fitness business
- Classes are typically easier to sell because they are a lower cost option
- People tend to attend class frequently, giving you more opportunity to build rapport
- Class attendees are likely to refer and introduce friends or family to help increase your attendance
- You can demonstrate your knowledge, expertise, and personality in classes
- Group classes give you lots of opportunity for social proof and other activity on socials
How to transition a client from group classes to PT
In an ideal world, your group classes will act as a nurturing group for PT clients. Use classes to build rapport, start conversations, and show clients what it’s like to work with you.
Sometimes a group class client will start the conversation themselves, by asking you about the benefits of adding personal training to their weekly route. At this point you can discuss how 1-to-1 PT will improve their fitness journey.
Some group class clients will want to add PT to their routine, but only for a short amount of time. Make sure you continue to nurture the relationship once they leave PT and go back to being solely a class attendee.
Moving clients from group to PT should be an ongoing process. Keep an your eye out for opportunities to upsell. For example, perhaps a client’s mobility is getting in the way of proper form in class, or maybe a knee or shoulder is causing them issues in the class environment.
At this point, you can have a conversation about PT to highlight the benefits of 1-to-1 over group sessions.
If you send out regular emails to your list or group class chat, be sure to mention PT from time to time. Include social proof of successful PT clients and highlight any special offers or launches.
Using group classes as a tool to retain fitness clients
If a PT client decides they only want PT for a short amount of time, use group classes to keep them engaged. This is far better than simply saying goodbye without a lower-tier offer.
