Marketing Small Group Personal Training

You have seen the exploding trend of group fitness classes and believe that you can achieve similar success marketing small group personal training? Many gyms and personal trainers have the skills and knowledge to create small group personal training classes, but very few know how to market such programs. 

So, how do you market small group personal training? Marketing small group personal training involves three key elements:

• Identifying your target demographic for your group training sessions
• Knowing the channels where you can reach your target demographic and have a presence on those channels
• Authentic personal messaging and specialization

In this article, I will focus on how you can market your small group personal training program. I will not go into detail regarding the design and content of the program. As a gym owner or personal trainer, you will have that bit mastered. Read till the end, and you will be in a position to start getting clients for your small group personal training classes today.

Marketing Small Group Personal Training

Here are some key trends we must consider which will guide our decision to enter into the world of group personal training:

• There is a general shift towards HIIT, Functional Training and Holistic Wellness
• In 2017 there was a 15% increase in the number of Americans who belonged to a studio, bringing the number of Americans who go to boutique studios to 18.2M [source: IHRSA health club consumer report]. Boutique fitness studios are booming
• Today, people prefer going to more than one specialized group training class rather than going to a single full-service gym
• Millennials and Generation Z make up 80% of health club members and usage of boutique studios, and fitness content apps surged 330% between 2014 and 2017 [source]

What do all these trends tell us? There is a definite shift towards treating fitness programs as experiences. The trends outlined above show that there is less reliance on full-service fitness chains. There exists a clear opportunity for an enterprising personal trainer or gym owner to create successful small group personal training programs.  

Target Demographic For Your Group Personal Training Program

According to MarketWatch, Millenials are flocking to specialized group personal training classes and studios. Another significant demographic trend is that Generation Z will spend their money with fitness operators with whom they feel aligned. 

Both the above facts and trends are great news for you as a personal trainer or a small gym owner. Millennials prefer group fitness classes, and Generation Z prefers the personal touch. Target your group personal training towards Millenials and Generation Z. 

Now that you know your target demographic, all your marketing strategies and tactics must be designed to attract your target customer – Millenials and Generation Z

Marketing V/s Sales For Your Small Group Personal Training Classes

The tactics and strategies I am asking you to execute will fill the top of your funnel and show results if practiced consistently over time. 

To get customers today, you don’t need marketing. You need sales. You need to go out and talk to your friends/family and people you meet at the gym to find your first 10-20 customers for your small group personal training classes. 

Once you have done that, follow my strategies to get a regular stream of customers. 

Marketing Channels For Your Group Personal Training 

Whether you like it or not, you will have to create an online presence for your group personal training program. An online presence need not be a full-fledged website. 

If you are a single personal trainer working to create your own small group personal training class, I would suggest a website might even hinder you. The time, effort, and money you spend getting a website up and managing it is spent better elsewhere. 

Scheduling & Buying Your Classes

Although a website is not a necessity, you must allow your customers to view your schedule online and book your classes as class packs or memberships. 

You can post your class schedule online or share the link to your class schedule on Instagram, Twitter, or any other channel where your customers exist. Once a user goes to your online class schedule, they should be able to buy and book your classes. 

You can do this using a simple fitness class management software. At this point, don’t look into anything filled with lots of functionality. You need two simple features:

• Post your class schedule online
• Allow your customers to buy and book your classes.

I am biased, but I suggest you sign up for StudioGrowth. 

Instagram For Your Group Personal Training Program

Instagram is perhaps the best channel for you to attract new customers. Your target demographic of Millenials and Generation Z are the primary users of Instagram.  

If you already have an Instagram profile, put a link to your online class schedule in your bio where it says “Website.” In your description, write about your specialization. E.g., you could write that you offer group personal training with a focus on reducing weight [whatever your specialty is]. 

Generation Z will spend their money on personal trainers with whom they can relate. Instagram is an excellent channel for you to show your authentic self. 

Have a regular post schedule and post stories showing your group personal training classes. Have Q&A sessions and give easy access to yourself for your audience. People will always choose your small group personal training class over a faceless gym if you can show them how you will help them. 

YouTube For Your Group Personal Training Program

Apart from Instagram, if there is any other channel you should use, it will be YouTube. Your goal as a personal trainer or a small gym looking to market your small group personal training should be to build credibility.

YouTube is an excellent way for you to build an audience. You should create YouTube videos on fitness topics that will interest your target demographic.

Use YouTube to convey your knowledge and give out information related to fitness that your target demographic will find helpful. Over time you will have a steady stream of customers who find you on YouTube. 

Google My Business

Since your group personal training classes will be local to your area, I recommend setting up a Google My Business page for your classes. As a result, your classes will show up to people around your vicinity when they search for group personal training classes.

I have written an in-depth article on how to get a Yoga studio on Google My Business. Follow each step in this article, and you will only need to change the “category,” and the rest of the steps are the same.  

Get yourself on Instagram, YouTube, and Google My Business, and you will have more customers than you can handle. 

Specialization And Messaging

People choose small group personal training sessions for two main reasons, to get:

1. Personal attention and guidance from an expert
2. Specialization and training with a motivated group

So, to make your small group personal training sessions successful, you should offer a specialty that differentiates you and be able to message this to your target audience. 

Your specialty could be around these types, for example:

• Equipment based (SoulCycle, Psycle)
• Skill-based (Boxing, Dance)
• Outcome-based (weight loss, get fit for 10k, etc.)

Once you identify your specialization and what type of experience your classes will offer, you can begin to work on the messaging. 

Your message should speak directly to your target audience. Talk about the problem you are solving and why your small group personal training class is the solution to the problem. 

For example, your group personal training class could target people who want to run a full marathon in the next six months. Your messaging can be around how your group personal training program can help build the stamina and technique needed and provide group accountability.  

Once you have identified your messaging, use it in all your channels. Incorporate the messaging in your communication with your audience. 

It is essential to understand that the strategies outlined in this article are marketing strategy and will bring customers to you. These strategies will take months of consistent effort to bear fruit. But when you begin, you will need to hustle and sell to get new customers. Understanding when to use these strategies and when to hustle and sell is what will make you successful.