‘Adopting an effective marketing strategy is crucial. Get it right and your business can fly.’
Setting up your own Personal Training business is all well and good, but just because it’s there doesn’t mean you’ll immediately attract clients and income; for that you’ll need a solid marketing strategy.
It can seem like a daunting task when you’re just starting out, but if you put in the effort you’ll find the results will be worth it. As always, it’s best to get some reliable advice from someone who knows what they’re talking about, so we’ve recruited Ben Hardman, Marketing Executive at Gorvins Solicitors and Editor of BlogBetis, to contribute some of his top tips for marketing success.
Know Your Target Market
A Personal Training business may appeal to a lot of people, but you should still take some time to really think about who your core target market is. Do some research, get out into the community and find out what you can. Having a more defined target market in mind can help you dedicate your available marketing funds appropriately and reduce the potential for wasted spending.
‘If you neglect to understand and interact with your audience, your new start up is likely to flop.’
Get Social
This largely follows on from our previous point about knowing your target audience. Once you have this down, you can start to fine-tune your marketing strategy online through social media.
‘Look into your typical audience and set up some relevant social media accounts; each one may have a slightly different demographic. It’s always useful to set up a Twitter account and Facebook business page to start with, but depending on your business and audience type you may want to venture into Linkedin, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube or Google+.’
Another benefit of social media is its cost-effectiveness. ‘As a new business, cash is likely to be tight and this is why social media is so vital. In comparison to print media, TV and radio, digital marketing, costs are mere snippets of the price. On Facebook, for example, you can ‘boost posts’ or ‘promote your page’ for as much as a few pounds a day, reaching thousands of targeted users.’
A word of caution: Don’t get too carried away with constant plugging and promotional posts. Remember to actually engage with your customers using regular, informative posts that they will appreciate. For example: ‘A good rule of thumb on Twitter is the 4-1-1 rule: for every call-to-action or self-promotional tweet you do, you should retweet one relevant post and share four relevant pieces of content/news written by somebody else.’
Don’t Neglect Print
Although social media offers great value for money as a marketing medium, don’t fall into the trap of thinking this is the only method you should invest in.
Despite common opinion, print is absolutely not dead, and can really help you reach a wider spectrum of your target market. People still love tactile media and, as you’ll surely know, the health and fitness magazine industry is booming. It would, therefore, be madness not to take advantage of this and invest in some relevant advertising space if you have the budget to throw at it.
Of course, print advertising isn’t the only way to take advantage of offline techniques. ‘Getting creative with your business cards is an effective way to set your brand apart. Choose a unique design that reflects the values and creativity of your company. Try creating an attractive logo or include an informative, aesthetically pleasing infographic to print on your material.’
Invest In Direct Marketing
Another essential and cost-effective method of marketing, direct marketing (DM) can involve direct mail and leafleting as well as email, telephone and mobile/SMS marketing.
Whichever forms of direct marketing you use, make sure you have a clear call to action and a consistent message if you’re using a combination of more than one. It’s also crucial that you keep a good database of current and potential new clients; this is a brilliant way of tracking your customers’ characteristics and habits and, in the long run, helps you hone your marketing efforts even more accurately. All DM methods can be incredibly powerful and effective at generating sales leads and revenue, especially for small businesses, so it’s definitely worth harnessing them for yours.
Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Again, this is dependent on your budget, but pay-per-click advertising can be highly effective in driving traffic to your website and generating new client leads. For example, if you’re a Personal Trainer based in Manchester, you can bid on and purchase keywords such as ‘Personal Trainer Manchester’ and this will mean an advert for your business will appear among the paid results of online searches using this phrase. Each time someone clicks on your ad, you pay your negotiated fee.
Even on a low budget, this method of marketing can be highly effective so it is well worth exploring, especially if you’re based in an area with low competition for your trade.
Make Yourself Known
As a Personal Trainer, showing your human side and creating a physical presence amongst your potential client base is crucial. ‘One of the biggest marketing tips I can give is to get your name out there. This may include attending networking events and chatting to potential clients (where a great business card can make a lasting impression). If your name is out there, it can then start to get around.’
So there you have it. So long as you begin harnessing the power of the above marketing methods, you can take your new business out of the dark and fly it straight into the spotlight of your target market. Not everything may work as well as you’d hoped but, after all, that’s what marketing is all about – finding what works best for your own business and taking full advantage.