business plan for online fitness

How to Write an Online Fitness Business Plan

Jessica Armstrong

13 min. read

Updated November 13, 2023

Free Download:  Sample Gym Business Plan Templates

When starting an online fitness business, one of the first key elements you must prepare is a business plan. A useful tool for new owners acting as a roadmap for your new online venture and evidence that you are creating a legitimate business, a well-written plan can guide you through your development and future stages of business growth.

While many new business owners  starting in the digital fitness sphere  will often leave business planning as a latter step in an attempt to get things moving, creating your plan in the preliminary stages has enormous benefits. For starters, it can set your business up for success from the start rather than down the line. 

Not to mention with an impressive business plan you can garner early support from influential players in the industry such as investors that can help you propel your business forward in an already saturated market. If you want your  online fitness business  to stand out amongst competitors and attract valuable clients, there are 10 must-haves your online fitness business plan needs to include.

• How to write an online fitness business plan

While  high-quality business plans  typically include 10-20 pages, one to two per topic, the most important factor is the content. Investors and readers do not want to receive a repetitive document that does not give them tangible information they can use to make decisions about your business. Facts and research hold a lot of value when it comes to earning support for your new business. 

If you can show your readers you have a clear vision and can bring your business to life with strategies that can be efficiently and effectively executed, you’ll get their attention. With that in mind, here are the 10 things your business plan for your online fitness business should include.

• Executive summary and mission statement
• Industry analysis
• Customer analysis
• Competitor analysis
• Online market analysis
• Products and services
• Marketing plan and analysis
• Financial plan
• Location and delivery
• Management team and staff

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1. Executive summary

After a brief introduction of your business, the first topic to cover in your business plan is the executive summary.  The executive summary  is a synopsis of your entire business plan. A reader should be able to understand what they will learn and gain from your business plan in this first section. The executive summary should also include two to three sentences on each topic your business plan covers including your observations on how you plan to execute your strategies for each area of your business.

Due to the nature and growing popularity of online fitness, you should also include how you will differentiate your business and specifically operate in the online space. It is possible that your readers will not be familiar with running a digital fitness business, so you should be prepared to answer questions they will have throughout your document.

Mission statement

In the executive summary you will share your  mission statement , the reason your online fitness business will exist. Incorporating your core business values, who your target clientele is, and how you will serve them are important key pieces that make strong mission statements. Now, remember, your readers will have read and heard dozens of mission statements, and it’s not uncommon especially in the large fitness industry that many will be repetitive of each other. 

For example, a repetitive and lackluster statement could be that your mission is ‘to help online fitness customers stay fit with at-home workouts. While that does indeed state what you will do and how you will offer your services, it’s missing the wow factor. Instead, you could say that your mission is to ‘disrupt the traditional exercise format by providing ambitious fitness customers with easy to access online workouts that they can enjoy on the go’. 

The more specific you are the better, but also show why your business is unique. Consider what is needed in the industry and what online fitness customers will benefit from, and use your mission statement as an opportunity to state how and why you will provide those benefits to them. 

2. Industry analysis

The  industry analysis  is the next section of your business plan. This is where you will share all of your knowledge about the fitness industry, and more specifically as it relates to online fitness. You can include a brief summary of what fitness is, what it means to the industry, and statistics that can show the trajectory of the industry over time. How it has evolved, popular trends, such as online workouts, exercises, and on-demand fitness content, and relate it back to how you will operate in this market. Include research you have gathered and begin to introduce why you want to run a business in this space.

3. Customer analysis

Now knowing the industry and what you want your business to achieve, you can share information on your ideal clients and who will benefit from your new services in the customer analysis section. Creating multiple customer profiles can give readers a closer picture of who your client will be, their demographics, likes, dislikes, disposable income, and where you will be able to target and market your services. Use this section to also show you have a great understanding of  what people look for in online fitness  and how you can deliver that.

These details will help your reader understand who is the best fit to obtain your services and take advantage of your offering. While you might already have clients interested in obtaining your services, don’t limit yourself to one market if you know there are others who can benefit from what your business has to offer. It’s always helpful to identify those so your reader can explore if there is potential to grow and be successful in those areas.

4. Competitor analysis

A support section for your industry analysis and customer analysis is the  competitor analysis . Here you will provide a more in-depth look at the competitors already operating in the online fitness market. You can also draw comparisons on competitors in the in-person versus online spheres and how you will compete with businesses in your region, as well as global seeing as an online platform can scale well beyond your local area.

You should also research and comment on what competitors are typically offering in their businesses, for example, online workouts, memberships, on-demand, in-person, hybrid, and how your business can fill needs those businesses are not filling. Expand on why your business is different and how you will compete and attract clients to your business. Listing your strengths as well as weaknesses can help readers of your business plan make suggestions and present ideas once they have all the information.

5. Online business operations and security

The creation of online fitness has been very popular throughout the industry. With more opportunities to participate in the online market and earn a large income, every day more and more trainers and instructors are going the route of launching their own businesses rather than working in a traditional gym or studio setting. Not to mention managing a business online comes with incredible flexibility. However, because of the relative newness of online fitness, the rules and regulations of a typical fitness business fall into somewhat of a grey area.

Important factors such as health and safety protocols to legalities to music licensing are still being created and updated as time goes on. Showing your readers that you have a thorough understanding of the best practices for  running a safe, secure, and protected online business  —both for the protection of your future customers and yourself—will reassure readers that you are aware of what you should be doing to run a professional and legitimate online business. 

Highlight the ways you will protect and keep your customers’ information secure for example, using tools such as secure online booking and customer management software that will keep your data protected and your business safe.

6. Products and services

At the core of your business is the products and services you offer. In this section or your online fitness business plan, you will explain all of the different types of services, classes, and packages, for example, memberships, you will offer your clients. You can explain the various levels of packages you intend to have as well as how you will deliver these products and services to your customers. For example, you could offer: 

• Unlimited group fitness packages with access to all online classes and on-demand content.
• One on one virtual personal training with downloadable guides and nutrition planning
• Access to an on-demand library with workout content that can be used on the go. 
• Online consultations for new members to build their workout routine to best achieve their goals.
• Online class packs with a number of classes and content customers have access to in a given period of time.

As you will be delivering your core services, for example, online fitness classes, you will also need to include the systems and products such as equipment, tools, and  online gym management and booking software  you will need to do so. Informing your readers how you will deliver the best service and product to your customers will make it easier for them to understand how you will operate a professional and customer-friendly business.

7. Marketing strategy and analysis

One of the more creative areas of your business plan is the  marketing strategy  and analysis section. In this part of your plan, you will reveal what strategies you will implement to attract clients, earn sales, grow in your market, and further. A great way to prove you understand the market and demands of fitness customers today is by sharing successful strategies that you will implement to attract clients, generate sales, and grow in the digital fitness space. Use your customer analysis to show how you will market to the different types of customer profiles that will benefit most from your business. 

Speak on popular trends and how you intend to capitalize on them. Discuss what other online fitness businesses are doing that has and has not worked, and what you will do differently. Dive deep into what marketing opportunities have not been utilized or have been utilized well to build success and how you will follow suit. For example, you can discuss how you will use social media and email marketing to target your audiences, what digital marketing platforms you will use to automate your marketing, how you plan to use your software to build retention and deliver a seamless customer experience. 

You don’t have to be a marketing expert to write a great marketing analysis and plan. Simply share the most effective strategies online fitness business owners are leveraging to successfully market their businesses and how you will use, expand, build, and execute those strategies to achieve your goals. 

8. Financial plan

The financial plan section of your fitness business plan should discuss everything relating to your revenue, income, and budget. It helps to have an accountant or financial planner help you build this section as you will need to share projections, define early costs and future costs, as well as determine what revenue you will need to earn in order to afford your business.

Start up costs for an online fitness business  can really vary depending on the type of investments you want to make. They can be as low as almost free to as high as the 10s of thousands, especially when investing in high-tech equipment. But when starting out you can keep your expenses and costs light, you don’t need to spend all of your initial funds and investment on the most expensive equipment and technology. 

Focus on the essential equipment you need such as a microphone, camera either built in or on its own, a laptop or recording device where you will host and record your sessions, basic equipment such as weights, mats, bands that customers can easily purchase on their own, and affordable online gym management software that will make it easy for you to manage your business and your customers to book your classes. 

You can also discuss in this section what you hope to gain financially for yourself, how you plan to collect payments from customers, for example using software with reliable payment processing, and how you will allocate budget to marketing, operations, development, and expenses.

9. Facility and location

Starting a new business does not necessarily have to be expensive to be successful, however, start-up costs when it comes to renting a facility or location can be high. Although you are running your business online you still have to consider where you will run it from, whether that be your home, a rented facility, or a facility you purchase. Considering the location and taking into account how you will operate from the area you are in, be sure to identify the costs and what makes the most sense for your business.

Even if you plan to start your business from home and grow to a facility or physical space, later on, you will still need to register your business in a specific location and address. Be sure to choose an appropriate location to conduct your business and provide your services to your clients, as well as a place that will help boost more business and clients and have an opportunity to grow. It’s also important in this section to state how much budget you are considering putting towards the location of your business and what revenue you will need to generate to afford these costs.

10. Management team

While many online fitness business owners start out as sole traders, one of the main areas for potential growth is hiring staff or a team of other instructors and trainers. Even if you do not plan on having any staff or management in your employment at the start, if you plan to down the line, this section of your business plan is a great place to layout your future plan. You can include details such as the type of staff you would hire, where you will recruit from, salaries or payment, and where your staff will need to reside. For example, you could consider hiring:

• A marketing manager to assist you with your marketing and outreach efforts
• An accountant to manage your finances and business revenue 
• Additional coaching and training staff to provide more classes and content
• Coaches in other time zones to augment the hours you are able to operate

An important note to consider when hiring for a remote and online position is ensuring you have the correct legal documentation to hire in a specific area. When you begin creating your hiring plans, consider hiring a lawyer to help you get all of the paperwork you need organised so that you don’t fall victim to any legal or hiring issues. 

• Start writing your online fitness business plan

Knowing all of the must-have items your online fitness business plan should include in order to be successful,  now is the time to get writing . Don’t worry if your final draft isn’t perfect. What matters most is that you thoughtfully and clearly articulate what your business is, who it is for, and how people in your industry will benefit from the existence of your business. 

Be sure to include each of the sections above, and it never hurts to have a member of your network give your business plan a read before beginning to share it with potential investors, banks, and partners. With a business plan in hand, you’ll be on track to launching a successful online fitness business.

Jessica Armstrong is on the marketing team at TeamUp , fitness management software for studios, gyms, boxes, personal trainers, and their in-person and online classes and on-demand content. A California native, living in Sevilla, Spain, Jessica is passionate about travel, fitness, wellness, and helping the fitness community learn how to run the best versions of their businesses.

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How to Start & Grow an Online Fitness Business In 5 Steps

Published by caroline @ wellness creative co on 4 september 2023 4 september 2023.

Interested in starting an online fitness business? Whether you run a gym, are a freelance personal trainer, or have a cool product idea, online channels open up new and exciting opportunities. So, how can you turn this kind of dream into a reality?

In this article – learn how to start an online fitness business in five simple steps, from idea generation to a successful launch.

Over the years we’ve built several successful fitness businesses online, from health blogs to this marketing agency! We’ve also helped lots of new online businesses to launch in the wellness industry, including fitness equipment manufacturers, supplement companies, and online personal trainers. So, we have first-hand experience of the start-up approaches that work best across a variety of health and fitness business models.

Why Start an Online Fitness Business?

There are lots of great reasons to build an online business. For some, it’s about generating extra income , either as a secondary revenue stream or to replace a full-time job. But there are many other reasons to consider starting your own venture…

• More flexibility with your time so you can work when you want.
• Ability to work from home instead of having to train clients in person.
• Earn a salary while travelling or living the digital nomad lifestyle.
• Generate passive income instead of trading your time for money.
• Reach a wider geographic audience beyond people in your local area.

It’s important to think about your ‘why’ upfront because not all online business models will tick every box. For example, if you want to earn passive income or travel, then starting an e-commerce website that requires you to pack and ship products may not be ideal.

The beauty of starting your own online business is that you can design it to fit your lifestyle goals. While can always find ways around challenges – in the above example, drop shipping or outsourcing could be solutions. But doing so will likely involve extra money and processes, so it’s important to factor it in from the start.

If you’re more tempted by founding a bricks and mortar studio, you might like to learn how to start a gym business or build a successful yoga business instead.

Starting an Online Fitness Business

Here’s an overview of how to start an online fitness business in five simple steps…

• Come up with a winning idea
• Validate demand for it
• Build your online platform
• Launch your business
• Continue to drive growth

Now let’s dive into each of these in more detail…

1 – Online Fitness Business Ideas

The first step is to come up with a winning business idea. For some people, this is the hardest part – you may know that you want to start something but have no clue what that ‘something’ is. Others will have a very clear concept that they want to turn into reality.

If you fall into the first category, then are some online fitness business ideas to inspire you… 

• Fitness blog monetised through ads, training programs, sponsored posts, or other digital products
• Online personal training or fitness classes through Zoom, Skype, or Microsoft Teams
• E-commerce website selling fitness equipment, workout apparel, or nutritional supplements
• Instagram or TikTok influencer monestised through sponsorships, digital products, or merchandise
• Online fitness training programs, ebooks, or courses
• YouTube vlogger monestised through ads, affiliate commissions, or digital products
• Authoring Amazon Kindle ebooks on health and fitness topics
• Online fitness certifications and industry training 
• Develop a health and wellness mobile app
• Membership site offering workouts, nutrition plans, recipes, etc.

Get more inspiration with 22 Profitable Fitness Business Ideas That You Can Start Today .

2 – Validate Your Business Idea

Once you have an idea for your online fitness business, you’ll need to validate it. This step is crucial before diving straight in (no matter how tempting this may be). Validation helps you to quantify demand for your business idea before you invest money into developing it.

There are a few ways you can validate your fitness business idea…

• Google keyword planner – this tool allows you to see how many people are searching online for something each month. For example, you can check how many people Google ‘surf fitness online course’ to see if there’s a market for this idea.
• Offer presales – just like you would before opening a new gym, try to generate advance sales of your product or service (this can also help you fund development). Use a tool like Shopify or Podia to set up a sales page and promote it to your network or social media followers.
• Build an MVP – create a minimum viable product (MVP for short) that you can sell to validate your idea before creating the complete final product. For example, an ebook on surf fitness training would be a good MVP to validate a more comprehensive online course or membership idea.
• Write a business plan – prepare an online fitness business plan that outlines your strategy, marketing, and financials, so that you’re clear everything stacks up and is likely to be profitable. Download a cheatsheet checklist and sample marketing plans as part of our Business Bundle .

Validation might seem like an annoying extra step when you’re excited to push ahead with your idea, but it’ll save you time and money in the long run. For more detail on how to do this, Smart Passive Income’s great value book (as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases) is worth checking out. 

If you find that there isn’t much demand for your business idea, then think about how you can adapt your approach. Could you target a different audience, tweak the product, or package it up in another way ? You don’t need to give up on your initial idea altogether – just come at it from a different angle by considering different business models, platforms, and promotional channels. 

3 – Build Your Online Fitness Business

Once you have a proven concept, it’s time to turn it into a reality. This is where you translate your fitness business plan into a functioning online operation. It’s time to build your business!

This stage will differ depending on the type of fitness business and platform that you’re building. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution – you could need a website, social media channel, or simply a Zoom account! So, we’ve created some dedicated guides with detailed instructions on how to start some of the most popular online fitness businesses…

• Become a fitness influencer
• Set up an online gym shop
• Starting a fitness Instagram
• How to build a fitness blog
• Sell fitness programs online
• Become a fitness YouTuber

Whichever type of online fitness business you choose to start, there are core elements that most will have in common…

• Structure – how products, services, and content are laid out, and how users navigate between them. Drawing a spider diagram or hierarchy list is good for drafting this.
• Content – you’ll need to create images, videos , product descriptions, blog articles, sales page copy, and anything else that’s relevant to your platform.
• Payment processor – a system for accepting payments is vital for making money online ( PayPal , Shopify , and Podia are all easy to use).

You might also like… 20 Name Ideas For Online Fitness Businesses .

Next, it’s time to launch your new fitness business to your customers…

4 – Launch Your Online Business With a Bang

The launch stage is vital because it can make or break your online business. People are unlikely to simply stumble across your website or platform – you’ll need to get the word out. 

You need to put as much effort into driving traffic towards your website, social account, or app as you did into building it. There are lots of different ways to do this and the marketing section of your business plan will should have your approach outlined. Here are some ways to launch your online business initially…

• Set up your social accounts – create compelling bios and post sneak peeks of your product or service that builds anticipation.
• Email list – start a waiting list as soon as you have your idea so that you can email interested people when you launch.
• Website – you may want to build your website in advance but wait until the launch day to publish the content and make it live.
• Educational content – if you’re launching a new product or service, then you may need educational content such as how-to videos or infographic guides to teach people how it works (this is particularly important for fitness equipment).
• Partnerships – collaborate with complementary brands with existing audiences to get the word out about your new venture.
• Influencer marketing – work with influencers and leverage their audience relationships to promote your new business (this is a great tactic for startups).
• Online advertising – run ad campaigns on Google, Facebook, and Instagram to raise awareness of your brand and generate leads.

These marketing tactics are particularly suited to new businesses that don’t yet have an established presence. It can be hard when you’re starting from zero, but these approaches help you build brand awareness , drive leads, and generate online sales quickly.

Fitness Marketing & Lead Generation Roadmap

Your All-in-One Toolkit to Attract, Engage & Convert More Clients

5 – Grow Your Online Fitness Business

Once you’ve launched, you’ll need to continue to run your online fitness business successfully. This is often a balancing act between managing inventory, generating sales, and ensuring positive cashflow.

If you want to grow your online business, then you’ll need to continually find new customers while keeping existing ones loyal. There are endless ways to do this and many of the ideas listed in step 4 will continue to work. But if you’ve established your business then some of the most effective ways to grow it include…

• Search engine optimisation – so that Google knows what your website or blog is about and can send relevant traffic to it.
• Social media – pick one platform, whether that’s Facebook , TikTok , or Instagram , and focus your efforts on building an engaged following (check out these ideas for personal trainers and gym social strategies ).
• Competitions – run competitions where people can win prizes for sharing your brand with their networks as this is a great way to drive referrals and word of mouth.
• Blogging – write weekly blog posts to help you website rank for more keywords and drive search engine traffic, remembering to promote your articles after writing them (try this blog promo checklist ).

You might also like… This case study on How ONO Protein Oats Grew Their Online Business .

Online Fitness Business Start-Up Tips

Starting an online fitness business is a great way to generate income on your own terms. Coming up with profitable ideas and validating that there’s consumer demand are the first crucial steps to success. From there, you’ll need to build, launch, and continue to grow your business longterm. We can wait to hear how you get on!

Caroline @ Wellness Creative Co

Qualified personal trainer (BSc Sports Science) & nutritionist (MSc Human Nutrition) with 15+ years of fitness & wellness marketing experience working with global brands.

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How To Start an Online Fitness Business: The Complete Guide for Beginners

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Are you a fitness coach, physician, yoga trainer, fitness blogger, or gym owner? Do you prioritize fitness as the most crucial element of being healthy? Are you thinking of starting your own online fitness business?

If so, you’re in the right place!

Welcome to the ultimate guide on how to start an online fitness business.

This article will walk you through setting up your own online fitness business, selecting a niche, and growing your audience.

This beginner’s guide is designed to walk you through the entire process.

Here, we will cover the why, the how, the what, and the where of starting an online fitness business.

We will also cover the naming of your enterprise, setting up web hosting, selecting a WordPress platform, and everything you will need to create a successful online fitness business.

By the end of the article, you will have the information you need to plan, launch and run your business!

Why should you start an online fitness business?

If you’re into fitness, have trained people before and want to turn your passion into a business, why wouldn’t you?

An online fitness business can include exercise videos, fitness routines, healthy diet, and information around the niche. All the things you may already know well, just in an online form.

Here are a few underlying reasons to start an online fitness business:

Convert your passion for fitness into a business

As an expert in fitness, you can turn your ideas, techniques, thoughts, and passion into a great business. And what better way to present it than online?

You can educate millions and motivate them to adopt a healthier lifestyle from the comfort of your home.

Grow your fitness brand

Building an online form can help you grow your brand if you already own a physical fitness business.

Internet marketing can benefit your business. Most customers search online before most purchases, so an online presence will surely help.

Having an online presence helps with every aspect of your business. From building trust and authority to showing customers where to go if they want to attend a class.

Increase audience outreach

The global online fitness market is valued at $6 million and is projected to reach $59 million by 2027. That’s a huge target market!

With an online presence, you can reach out to a wide range of audiences across the globe and grow your business. And the best part is, that it equally benefits you as well as your audience!

Offer a flexible schedule for customers

Many people would love to get into a healthy routine but do not have a fixed time to go to the gym. Some people just have no idea about how to begin!

An online fitness business offers a solution. Not only does it offer a flexible schedule, but you can do it in the comfort of your own home.

Convert your audience into paying clients

Businesses, either online or physical, are all about making money! In exchange for products or services you offer, you get to make a profit.

You can sell products like gym equipment and supplements by integrating eCommerce into your website .

You can add a membership portal that allows access to your content to subscribed members.

How to start an online fitness business

If you’re looking to start an online fitness business, we have five detailed steps. We will also be discussing marketing and monetizing your venture.

Let’s start:

Step 1: Select a niche

The fitness industry is huge. It includes eating healthy to self-control, weight loss to motivation and meditation, diet plans, exercise, workouts, pilates, zumba, yoga, and so much more.

Looking at all the aspects of fitness expertise can be a smart move but we suggest working within a particular niche.

What do you mainly specialize in? Is it providing workout videos and routines, or is it offering and suggesting a healthy diet plan?

Do you plan on posting a whole routine of workout videos, or is it going to be a blog website with recipes and healthy eating ideas?

Here are some popular ideas with an existing audience to give you inspiration:

• Weight loss
• Bodybuilding
• Healthy eating
• Functional movement training
• Nutrition plans for better health
• A diet regime for all age groups
• At home workout plans

Selecting a niche helps you in many ways, from choosing a target audience to keeping your focus.

A niche-based business website enables you to gain authority in your place and stand out from the rest.

Before choosing a niche, be sure to consider your passion.

Are you passionate about your subject? Are you sure you’ll enjoy working in it? Do you have enough experience for a fitness business?

You don’t have to come up with your niche in a day. We suggest ensuring you understand your wants and needs along with the market demands and business potential before selecting your niche.

Step 2: Come up with a suitable name for your business

The name of your business can have a significant impact on its identity and how others view it.

Naming your business is an incredibly important step. It comes with great responsibility because it frames your business and frames audience perception.

Before generating name ideas for your online fitness business, we recommend putting the following question into perspective:

• What is your business going to be about?
• Who is the target audience?
• What content do you plan to offer?
• Is the name just for your website or for a business too?
• Is the name too challenging to spell or pronounce?

We suggest considering these questions before coming up with your business name.

We also suggest using the same name in the online form if you already own a physical business.

Moreover, you can look at your competition or view expired domain s for inspiration.

Once you come up with a name, one step remains – the domain test. Other businesses might have already used the word you’ve come up with.

We suggest coming up with two to three alternatives if your chosen domain name is unavailable. You can also be creative with domain naming, such as adding a region, niche or location to the name.

Think www.popularfitnessnameincity.com instead of www.popularfitnessname.com.

Step 3: Know your target audience

A niche helps you identify your target audience, but there’s more to it than that.

Your business is not only about you. Everything you do creates an impact on your audience.

That’s why we think audience analysis is essential.

Who is your audience? Who are your services developed for?

You need to go beyond and think about everything from your audience’s perspective: why they’re on your website, how can you benefit them, and what should you be offering?

With this in mind, you can find your target audience and focus on converting them into customers.

Step 4: Decide your business model

Remember when we said earlier that business is about making money? It is, and there are ways to do it. Deciding on a business model helps.

A business model helps define how your business will generate revenue. Therefore, when you start, it is necessary to determine the type of model to support your goals and incorporate it into your business plan and market search.

It simply outlines how your fitness business plans to make money.

The model comprises factors like:

• What products will you be selling or what service are you going to offer
• How to market the service you offer
• What sort of expenses the company will face
• How the fitness business expects to make a profit

An online; fitness business innovates the structures based on these models:

Fee-for-service model

This is what it exactly sounds like, changing the fee for a specific service offered. A business set on this model can increase its earnings by working for additional clients or increasing its rate.

Subscription model

Essentially, the customers are required to make a recurring payment for ongoing access to the service.

Bundling model

This model involves businesses selling two or more two products together in a single unit for a lower price than they would charge selling the products separately. An online fitness business can implement this model, offering various training packages in a single unit that benefits the clients.

Step 5: Select a suitable platform for your website

Once you have finalized your niche and name and a business model, it’s time to select a platform to build on.

There are free as well as paid platforms. If you’re serious about starting your business, we recommend using a content management system as your platform as they offer enriched features and flexible customization.

WordPress.org is the most popular Content Management System (CMS) for hosting websites. It powers over 40% of the web.

It is a self-hosted platform where you buy your own domain name and web hosting.

We think self-hosted works best. There is a little more work involved, but you get complete control of your website, the design, feature, niche, customization, and every aspect of your online business.

To explore more options, you can check out our article on content management systems .

Step 5.1: Selecting reliable domain and hosting

Once you select a domain name for your business, it’s time to purchase and use it for your website.

A domain name is the address of your website, where your visitors type the www. name into the web browser to land on your website.

Our domain name is ‘ wpastra.com ‘ .

When selecting a domain name, we suggest going with a name that is memorable and easy to spell. The shorter the domain name, the easier it is to remember.

Also, we recommend adding popular extensions like .com or .net or .io.

Finding the best WordPress hosting service for your fitness business can be difficult. With so many hosting providers, which do you choose?

We have an article on the fastest managed WordPress hosting that might help.

Step 5.2: Setting up a business website in WordPress

To use WordPress, you need to set it up. Many hosting providers offer automatic WordPress installation, others let you install it in just a few clicks.

We have a detailed tutorial on how to install a WordPress website if you need it.

Setup takes just a few minutes and most of the work is done for you. Simply answer a few basic questions and WordPress will take care of the rest.

Step 5.3: Selecting a theme

Another great advantage of using WordPress is the availability of responsive themes !

So, what is a theme?

WordPress theme is a group of files built to change the appearance of your website. It includes style sheets, graphics, CSS, animation, and other files.

There are various types of themes, such as multipurpose, full-site editing, and niche-specific.

Themes control many things on your website ranging from layouts, fonts, and color schemes,

While there are hundreds of online fitness WordPress themes , we recommend choosing Astra .

Astra is built to deliver high performance and functionality. It operates efficiently and offers hundreds of professionally designed templates.

It can be a perfect fit for your online sports business because the theme is lightweight, speed-optimized, responsive, retina-ready, and most of all – free!

Step 5.4: Selecting plugins

Before setting up your website, we recommend installing and activating a few necessary plugins on your website.

A plugin is an addon that adds features or enhances existing ones.

You can use them to customize your website and add the features you need.

Check out our list of must-have plugins to get started.

Step 4.4: Setting up your fitness website

Now that you’ve every element to get your online fitness business up and running, it’s time to set up.

You’ll need to install a theme, design the homepage and necessary pages and publish it for the world to see.

If you choose Astra, all you’ll need to do is install the theme, install the Starter Templates plugin, select a gym or fitness website template and Astra does the rest.

To beautifully design and set up your website from scratch, follow our tutorial guide: How to make a WordPress website .

Step 5: Creating content and publishing it

The success of your online fitness business depends on the type of content you publish. Online businesses are defined by the quality and quantity of that content and it will make or break your venture.

Your niche selection gives you an idea of what kind of content to post on your website.

For an online fitness business, it can be workout videos, diet plans, video tutorials on how to get started and similar content.

Or it can be a blog, tips, videos, audio, or images explaining your fitness business.

To bring more visibility to your website, you should create content and publish it, keeping Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in mind.

Here’s our tutorial guide on how you can create content and publish it on your website .

To get started with creating content, you’ll need to add a page or post to your website.

Here’s how to add a new post. Adding a new page is exactly the same, just select Pages instead of Posts .

• Head to Posts > Add New from your WordPress dashboard

You can enter the title and use multiple blocks to embed audio, image, paragraph, and videos on the page and design your content accordingly.

• Publish the post

Similarly, following the same steps, you can create as many pages or posts as you like.

Marketing your business

Building a website and publishing content is only half the battle. It would help if you marketed it too.

The need for marketing has always been there. With an estimated 1.86 billion websites , it would help if you had some tactics to get yours noticed.

Tactics can range from sharing content on social media to email marketing . Marketing is a time consuming, but essential part of running a business.

Here are a few proven marketing strategies you can use for your online fitness business:

Use search engines

Some of the most popular search engines, like Google and Bing, have a huge audience. It is the primary way that users on the web can discover your website.

This is where SEO, Search Engine Optimization, comes in.

SEO is a very complex topic but can have a massive impact on the number of traffic you drive to your website.

To mark your online business friendly with SEO, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

The first is keyword research . You need to find the correct keywords to use on your content to rank them well on the search engine pages.

The other way is by building links to your website. You can suggest your visitors share your content on social media and go guest post – getting backlinks to your site.

Overall, SEO is a gradual marketing strategy but can do much for you in the long run!

Share your content on social media

If you are talking about marketing strategy, social media is a must-have. With vast numbers of engaged users, you need to be able to share your business on at least two to three platforms.

Some of the most popular platforms for business are Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Consider where your target market is likely to hang out and concentrate your efforts there.

You can add a social share button on your website to help with this. You could also expand the audience on social media by forming channels or groups and engaging them with your content.

There are also options for social media marketing where you post your content in exchange for a few dollars.

We suggest creating content on the website that is shareable with your audience.

Email marketing

Email marketing is a crucial method of marketing after SEO and social media.

It is simple and easy to set up compared to other marketing methods.

The first step toward email marketing is building an email list. These details help you directly connect with potential customers.

You can send emails when you publish new content or if you have some exciting news.

To do so, many email subscribers and newsletters plugins are available to use on your website.

But, you must keep an eye on the open rates for the performance as not everyone is a fan of marketing emails!

Create partnerships with businesses

So you’ve created worthy content and published it on your website, kept SEO in mind, promoted it on social media, and created emails.

It’s now time to step outside of your website and do more by collaborating or partnering with other businesses.

You can reach out to other businesses with a similar target market and ask them to contribute to your blog.

Or work out an arrangement , where you exchange content providing backlinks to each other’s websites.

You could also collaborate with social media influencers. You can search for influencers in your niche and offer them merchandise or a subscription in return for publicity.

Guest posts

A guest post is where you write a post for another site, providing a backlink to your website as a reward. Backlinks are the primary payment for guest posts. The visitors on a site can be redirected to yours following the link to your online fitness website.

You prepare content on an agreed topic and post it on their website.

The initial starting guest post begins by reaching out to websites that can be suitable for your business.

Start earning from your online fitness business

While the intention of starting an online fitness business ultimately can be to earn money, it takes time, consistency, and patience to get you through the early steps.

A few other ways to start earning from your online fitness business are:

eCommerce integration

It is 100% possible to sell supplements and goods from your website by integrating them into a fully responsive eCommerce website.

Membership website

The membership portal is another form of earning from an online fitness business. You can create courses and content on your website that requires a subscription for your audience to access.

You can do this by using any of the membership plugins and prioritizing the membership function of the website.

Affiliate marketing

Affiliation can be a great source of income for websites doing well in SEO.

Wrapping up

Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, a professional trainer, or knowledgeable in the fitness field, starting your own online fitness business could be a great move.

This post taught us what an online fitness business is and why we should start this business.

Further, we learned how you could get started.

We mentioned detailed steps to build your online fitness business, from selecting a platform to web hosting, the domain to the theme, and designing and customizing it.

Finally, we talked a little about marketing your business and earning from it.

Have you ever thought of creating your own online fitness business? Which platform, according to you, might be the best? What are your thoughts on this article?

Get exclusive access to new tips, articles, guides, updates, and more.

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may receive a small commission. Read disclosure . Rest assured that we only recommend products that we have personally used and believe will add value to our readers. Thanks for your support!

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• How to Start an Online Fitness Business in 9 Steps

Jenny Weller

There is a huge opportunity in the fitness industry to expand into digital and online fitness. In the last few years, online fitness has exploded in popularity. People are spending much more time working out at home and online, creating a huge opportunity for fitness business owners to create a scalable, profitable fitness business from the comfort of their own homes.

Competition is always high in the fitness industry but with online services, you have the potential to reach a massive audience that is no longer dependent on location. As an entrepreneur, you can delve into several businesses from an online personal trainer to a virtual yoga teacher. In this article, we’ll discuss how to start an online fitness business and how ABC Glofox can help you get there.

• Online Fitness Trends in 2021
• 3 Online Fitness Business Ideas
• 3 Key Elements of Building an Online Fitness Business

The Top Online Fitness Trends to Follow

There is a huge opportunity for fitness professionals to launch an online business. If you already have a fitness location, then you need to start thinking about how you can share your classes and community in an online medium. From just simply filming your classes to hosting online Q&As, you can create a whole world of virtual content that can help you boost members and create a thriving fitness community.

However, you need to get tactical. The digital fitness space is competitive and the brands that are proving to be successful have put a ton of thought into the online experience. It’s about creating a digital experience that is just as good as your in-person class. Whether you’re offering personal training sessions online or running an online group health coaching program, the experience is everything. 

Online fitness trends will always continue to grow and evolve. With bigger virtual fitness challenges, better online classes, and flexible fitness, digital fitness is here to stay. As online fitness continues to get smarter, there will be apps, plans, and online fitness programs that deliver just as good if not better results than your favorite spin class. 

For a lot of people who can’t attend group fitness classes, AI and virtual reality are offering a way to join classes on a global scale. As technology continues to evolve, you can transform your living room into a HIIT class and join from around the world. 

But how do you provide a complete fitness experience to your members anywhere in the world and in the palm of their hands?

ABC Glofox has partnered with Trainerize to bring you the integration that every online fitness coach needs to grow and sustainably scale their business.

3 Evergreen Online Fitness Business Ideas 

The global online fitness market is expected to reach $59 million by 2027 . This includes everything from streaming, fitness devices, and online training. Today, online fitness is seen as a flexible and effective way to work out and achieve results. It’s something that people can easily fit into their schedule while never having to leave their homes. Here are three online fitness business ideas to take advantage of. 

1. Online Personal Training Business 

With a big shift towards home fitness and online training, virtual personal training is a fast-growing sector in the fitness industry. Online coaching businesses are booming. With great qualifications and a unique USP, you can start training both solo and groups from around the world. By utilizing the best personal fitness technology , you have the potential to expand your reach further than you ever could with an in-person fitness business. 

Want to set up your own online PT business?

Fitness Training Courses and Workshops 

Another way to leverage the popularity of online fitness is through fitness training courses and wellness workshops. These would be courses that are pre-made into an online program. The benefit of this is that a limitless number of people can access pre-recorded content at the same time. You also have the option to live stream alongside courses and workshops as well as deliver additional resources like tutorials, webinars, recipe cards, a healthy eating shopping list, and even one-on-one advice and training. 

Using Trainerize and ABC Glofox, you can provide the best possible online and on-demand experience to your members.

Virtual Yoga Teacher and Fitness Instructor 

If you’re a fitness instructor or yoga teacher, you can lead virtual classes all over the world. Members can join you for live streams or access pre-recorded content on-demand through a digital fitness streaming platform and app. You may want to approach virtual teaching as a hybrid business where you deliver a combination of both digital and in-person classes. This way, you attract different audiences and can make the most out of every opportunity. 

Want to set up an online yoga or fitness business?

3 Key Elements of Building an Online Fitness Business 

When building an online fitness business, there are certain factors that come into play to create a compelling offer that attracts customers and gets results. Here are three key parts of an online fitness business to consider when building your digital empire. 

1. Marketing Strategy 

Your marketing strategy is how you will make people aware of your online offering. Attracting, engaging, and building your online community will raise brand awareness so that you can start bringing on new clients. From organic social media to content marketing and paid ads, there are several ways you can use digital marketing techniques to build an effective strategy for an online business. 

Want to find out how to boost your leads by 250%?

You need to think about how you will convert your target audience into paying clients. How will you take strangers along the sales journey so that they make a financial investment and commit to your business? With online personal training clients, in particular, often you’re looking for high-paying clients who not only see the value in your services but who are a great fit for you. You need to generate leads through your marketing and then implement a sales system where you can convert customers. 

Want to create a seamless sales pipeline for your fitness business?

It’s easier than you think

3. Service Delivery 

Finally, a major component of an online fitness business is service delivery. How will you train clients online? Not only do you want to create a fantastic digital experience, but you want to streamline the process so that it doesn’t take up too much of your time. It should be easy for members to access your resources, make payments, join a live stream, and communicate with you. You will need both hardware and software to deliver your services. So, for virtual training, you will need a camera and sound equipment. But you will also need to set up your online training space and choose the best software that works for you and your business. 

Ready to meet the best online fitness training platform on the market?

To start an online fitness business, you need to find the right combination of technology, marketing, and experience. Most importantly, you need to make sure you have the ability to drive results for your clients and streamline your business to make the most out of your time. 

The Customer Engagement Playbook for Your Fitness Business

1. find your niche .

The first step in creating an online fitness business is to find your niche. There are several segments within the fitness industry, all with their own submarkets. By finding your niche, it helps you to determine what makes you unique and special. When choosing your niche, it’s not just about personal qualifications, but your experience and your personality. Although getting the right qualifications is a key part of starting an online fitness business, it’s not the only thing you need to think about. 

While it’s easy to think choosing a niche may narrow down your list of potential new customers, those who do fit your niche will see you as the obvious and only choice. This means they will be willing to pay for your solution because it has value and solves their problems. 

2. Define Your Concept 

After finding your niche, it’s time to define your concept further. You can start to delve into different business models and determine your offering and pricing. You have the option to choose group programs, one-on-one training, pre-recorded video content, streaming, fitness coaching, and more. As you create your online business, defining your business model and offering should help you figure out your unique selling point (USP). 

Think about what makes your business unique, what you want to do, and how you’re going to achieve that. As you solidify your concept, you will validate your idea with market research, develop your services, and really flesh out your brand. 

3. Determine Your Ideal Client 

During the early stages of your business planning, you need to do a ton of market research so that you can figure out who your ideal client is. You may have multiple target audience personas or have a more narrow target market. Either way, determine who your ideal client is so that you can craft the most effective marketing and sales strategy. 

When you know who your dream client is, you can start to find out their hopes, dreams, fears, and challenges. The more you know about your target audience, the more you can create an irresistible offer that solves a problem in your customer’s life. When you have an offer that is too good to say no to, you’re on the right path to success. 

4. Write a Business Plan

With any business, digital or in-person, you need a thorough business plan. The more detail and research in your business plan, the better the foundation for a successful business. Your business plan is the guide for so many decisions down the line and will also help you gather funding if needed. 

Your plan for your online business should include the following:

• Goals and objectives
• Market analysis 
• Value proposition 
• Marketing and sales
• Operations and staffing 
• Financial projections 
• Potential risks and challenges 

5. Craft Your Marketing Strategy 

Off the back of writing your business plan and determining who your ideal client is, you can start to craft your marketing strategy. By developing your online fitness business brand, you can begin to create your marketing messaging and communication tactics. When you understand your target audience, you can create a more effective marketing strategy. 

Your audience and market research are at the core of your marketing plan. Once you nail this down you can think about social media marketing, paid ads, writing blogs, building your website, and generating real leads that will be a good fit for your business. 

6. Solidify Your Sales System 

Once you’re marketing your business effectively, you can think about how you move those people through the sales funnel. What steps do you take to go from introducing your brand for the first time to paying for a virtual yoga class or HIIT session? You need to create a sales process that guides potential customers to add to cart or schedule a virtual personal training session. 

Your sales system depends on the type of online business you’re running. If you’re selling a high-priced program to fewer people, you will use a slightly different technique to a digital fitness business targeting a much larger audience. It’s important that you find a method that works for you and your ideal customer. 

7. Decide on Service Delivery 

The way you deliver your service could make or break your business. You can do all the research and planning in the world. But, if your technology lets you down and delivers an inferior experience, you will end up with poor reviews and a diminishing customer base. Think about what technology you can use to deliver your fitness training programs. How will your customers access your program and resources?

On top of the way you deliver your services, it’s useful to consider how you will communicate with customers to keep them motivated. All of these factors combine to determine how you will get your customer’s results. You may want to use a combination of apps, member portals, and video streaming to deliver your services. In addition, you may need a video chat platform to run one-on-one sessions. 

8. Online Client Management 

Online client management is a key part of running an online business. You need to keep track of your clients, your diary, process payments, manage memberships, and more. If you are running group and solo programs, you can set class reminders for members to join. 

Client management software or personal training software is a no-brainer when it comes to running an online fitness business. When you streamline the tasks you need to perform on a daily basis, you can regain a ton of time and focus on the things that will generate revenue.  

9. Build Relationships and Community 

Building relationships and nurturing a thriving online community is a major part of developing a welcoming and inclusive online brand. Community is a big factor when it comes to a purchasing decision, especially in fitness. 

Often, when you start a new fitness regime, it can feel a little lonely and make it harder to accomplish your fitness goals. By focusing on building genuine relationships and creating a community that supports one another, you can help people feel more connected. 

Community and Consistency is Key

Building an online fitness business presents a huge opportunity to take a piece of the big fitness pie. Digital fitness and virtual training have skyrocketed in popularity. More and more people are looking to find ways to improve their fitness or overcome weight loss obstacles in a flexible yet effective way. Online fitness has a huge role to play in overall health in the coming years. By finding your niche, you can start to build your offering and showcase your value so that you can convert your target audience into paying clients. 

Looking for the fitness business partner that can help you scale your online business into a thriving community filled with loyal members?

Table of contents

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How Glofox’s AI Can Mitigate Member Churn and Boost Retention 

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Owning a Gym: The Hard Lessons to Learn in Your First Year

How to Create a Flawless Gym Business Plan

Announcing ABC Glofox’s New Restricted Memberships Update

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Starting a Fitness Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

Vivian Giang is a writer and editor. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, BBC, Fast Company, Marie Claire, Fortune, Slate and Business Insider, among others.

Robert Beaupre leads the SMB team at NerdWallet. He has covered financial topics as an editor for more than a decade. Before joining NerdWallet, he served as senior editorial manager of QuinStreet's insurance sites and managing editor of Insure.com. In addition, he served as an online media manager for the University of Nevada, Reno.

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Starting a fitness business is a heavy lift (pun intended). But it can also be a very rewarding industry to work in. You are helping people accomplish their fitness goals, and in turn, helping them to live healthier lives.

If you're looking to start a business with lucrative potential, this is a great industry to be in—the global health and fitness club market is projected to grow at a rate of 10.6% from 2018 to 2023. Furthermore, according to the 2019 International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHSRA) Global Report, the United States health club industry generated a record $32.3 billion in 2018. Comparatively, the United States health club industry only generated $25.8 billion in revenue in 2015.

If you're a fitness junkie, you already enjoy breaking a sweat. Now it's time to put in a different kind of work. Here's everything you need to do when starting a fitness business.

Starting a fitness business in 6 steps

A good fitness business is centered around providing excellent equipment, professional instruction, and personal training. But starting a fitness business requires a lot more than that. Here are the six steps you'll need to take to start your fitness business.

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Step 1: Decide what kind of fitness business you want to operate

There are many different kinds of fitness businesses out there. You can become a personal trainer, teach classes, or operate your own facility. There are pros and cons to each. Being a personal trainer is a low overhead venture if you're wondering how to start a fitness business with no money, but it requires in-depth knowledge of exercise and nutrition techniques. Operating a facility, on the other hand, requires a lot of overhead, but you can lean on the expertise of others. There are also gym franchising options to consider when thinking about starting a fitness business. Popular franchises include Crunch Fitness, Planet Fitness, and Pure Barre—you might even consider starting a Crossfit box.

If you're in need of inspiration for starting your fitness business, here are some popular options to consider:

Zumba studio

Physical therapy

Spin classes

Powerlifting gym

Yoga studio

Pilates studio

Step 2: Get trained

The next step in starting a fitness business is to get some training. Whether you want to know how to start a fitness training business or manage a gym, you need to have some background in fitness in order for people to actually think you know what you're doing. Good places to get credentialed include the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), American Council on Exercise, or National Academy of Sports Medicine. Legitimate certifications are accredited by either the NCCA (National Commission of Certifying Agencies) or the DEAC (Distance Education Accrediting Commission).

Of course, training in fitness isn't the only education you'll need. You're also going to need to do a lot of research into learning exactly what it takes to start a business.

Step 3: Write a business plan and select an entity

This step is pretty similar regardless of whether you're starting a fitness business or any other kind of business. When you’re writing a business plan, there’s a lot you'll need to include. You might find it helpful to use a business plan template to make sure you cover all of your bases.

Factors to consider when writing your business plan include:

An analysis of the market

Who your competition is

Marketing and sales plan

Financial plan and projections

The key is to make sure there's a need for your business and that you'll be able to generate enough business to continue operating after you've invested so much to get started.

Another important part of your business plan when starting up a fitness business is selecting your business entity. Given the nature of the fitness business, you should go with a business entity that offers owners some protection from liability. A limited liability partnership or limited liability company might make the most sense for you if you’re looking for some liability protection.

Step 4: Get necessary permits and insurance

There may be certain business licenses and permits required to operate a gym in your state and locality. You should check with your town, city, or county clerk’s office to make sure you're following all the regulations outlined by your various governing agencies for starting a fitness business.

One permit you'll most certainly need is a certificate of occupancy. A certificate of occupancy confirms that all building codes, zoning laws, and government regulations have been met. If you're leasing your gym space, it is typically the landlord's responsibility to obtain a certificate of occupancy.

Operating a gym also comes with some risks that opening another business might not. People are going to be working out, using equipment, walking around things they can trip over, and doing other potentially hazardous activities. You’ll want to make sure you get small business insurance for a host of scenarios so that if anything happens to someone while they’re in your gym, the business is covered.

You also want to be covered in the event that equipment is stolen or damaged. You might even want to encourage any instructors you hire to get personal trainer insurance as well.

Step 5: Get an EIN

There are a lot of reasons you need an employer identification number (EIN). It allows you to file taxes and avoid tax penalties, open a business bank account, speed up loan applications, establish business credit, and a lot more.

You can apply for an employer identification number online through the IRS. If you register with the IRS online, you should receive an EIN within minutes. Note that fitness businesses operating as sole proprietorships don't need an EIN, but it is still a good idea to get one for the aforementioned benefits.

Step 6: Get funding

If you're wondering how to start a fitness business with no money, some ventures aren't cheap, but you do have funding options that may work for you. According to health club consultant Bryan O'Rourke, costs start at $30,000 but can quickly soar to $500,000. What's more, getting a fitness business up and running takes some time—so you'll need to have a little in the bank.

If you’re looking for some startup funding there are a few options available to you, such as an SBA loan , a business line of credit, or a personal loan.

A business line of credit would give you access to money that you could pull from if you needed it in your early days of starting a fitness business. The difference between a line of credit and a loan is that while the money is available to you, you only have to pay interest on the funds you actually draw on.

There's also gym equipment financing , which is another great option if you're wondering how to start a fitness business with no money. The gym equipment purchased with the proceeds of the financing will, in turn, act as collateral for the gym equipment finance loan used to purchase it.

7 tips for starting a fitness business

Now that you know the steps you need to take when starting a fitness business, let's provide you with some tips that will help your business thrive. To provide you with the best advice possible, we talked to entrepreneurs who successfully started their own fitness business. Here's what they had to say:

1. Personalize your fitness business

The health and fitness club market is expected to grow to be a $147.1 billion industry by 2024, with an emphasis on personalized training.

Consider ClassPass, which operates in 18 countries around the world and is valued at $600 million. ClassPass teams up with classes at boutique studios to offer everything from cycling to yoga to dance to martial arts for its members. For a $19-$199 (which varies by subscription plan) monthly fee, members enjoy unlimited classes to studios in the ClassPass network and can attend the same studio up to a certain limit each month.

ClassPass’ success story is one example that customers want specialized, niche workouts offered in fitness boutique studios. If you're wondering how to start a fitness class business that will be attractive to a growing clientele, this is one example to follow. Other such examples include ShadowBox, a fitness boxing studio; GoRow Studios, a gym that specializes in workouts using rowing machines; then there’s modelFIT, a gym in New York and Los Angeles that is "marrying mindful nutrition with mindful exercise" and is a popular hangout for celebrities.

“People are kind of shying away from the lone wolf workout of going to a box or a membership gym because the [boutique fitness] market is more efficient,” says Eric Posner, CEO and co-founder of boutique cycling studio Swerve Fitness in New York City. “You get a better workout in a less amount of time and pay less than you would for a personal trainer by going to a fitness boutique.”

2. Make your fitness studio a place to hang out

In a panel discussion hosted by American Express' U.S. Small Merchants Group, ClassPass founder Payal Kadakia said fitness studios are “like the new restaurant scene"—it’s not just about burning calories and working out; it’s about the experience and lifestyle. It's paramount you know this if you want to know how to start a fitness business.

This concept of hanging out at your workout spot is how Posner, along with his co-founders Chelsea Kocis and John Henry McNierney came up with the idea for Swerve. It was just a few years ago that the three co-founders, who at the time were college athletes-turned-finance professionals, found themselves tired of taking clients through the typical dinner-and-drinks routine. Instead, they took them to cycling classes.

"We found this to be an unbelievable way to build relationships that were meaningful, as opposed to the typical steak dinners and drinks," says Posner.

“We were going to mostly cycling classes and what we saw about these classes was there were unbelievable ways to get an efficient workout in and do it with other people, but [these classes] weren't capturing the camaraderie of going with a group or going with other people. It was very individualistic,” continues Posner. “So, that's how we came up with the concept of a team-inspired indoor cycling workout.”

Making your gym a place people want to hang not only brings customers in the door, but also makes your fitness business a place they'll want to return to again and again.

3. Incorporate data into your services

We live in a data-driven world, so it makes sense that people want data-driven workouts. People want to see how many calories they burned, how their current performance compares to their past averages, and how they compare to other people—basically what they achieve when they leave a workout session.

Take the technologically-savvy Swerve workout room for example, where riders are divided into teams and try to bike their way to the highest score.

“Technology is playing a big role and the way that [Swerve was] able to tap into that is we have a console—you have a console on your bike—and you see your own personal metrics on this console during class,” explains Posner. “And there are big flat screens behind the instructors where you see your team's average score. After class, all your stats—and this shows how many miles you biked, how many calories you burned, where you ranked in class, and all that—can be viewed on your account profile.”

“So, we find that to be a huge motivating tactic for our riders… and that kind of adds another layer of accountability and it's very results-driven.” Want to know how to start a fitness business that will keep clients coming back? Give them the tools and data to accomplish their personal fitness goals.

4. Specialize in a type of workout or demographic

When Alana Kessler opened the doors to her yoga studio in 2009, she quickly realized classes offered to pregnant mothers who have busy, working lives basically didn’t exist. As a result, Kessler made prenatal classes essential to Sangha Yoga Shala's list of classes offered and has since then built a name for herself.

The key to how to start a fitness training business that offers quality, specialized classes is that you can’t skimp on good trainers. Spend time training instructors and finding excellent ones who will give your customers consistent results every time they’re in front of the class. If you want to know how to start a fitness business, the first thing you should figure out is how to acquire awesome trainer talent.

“I encourage my teachers to build,” advises Kessler. “I incentivize them to build with me. Some [studios] might tap out at a low rate to keep their overhead low, but I pay my teachers well.”

5. Get your studio on social media

Vanessa Packer, co-founder of modelFIT, told the audience at American Express' panel discussion that Instagram played an “instrumental part” in helping modelFIT become a lifestyle instead of just a gym. This means reaching out and engaging with your community on social media.

Do you make it easy for customers to post about their experience? Do you respond in a timely manner that builds connections with existing clients? Additionally, have you thought about untraditional marketing strategies to spread the word for your business? For example, ClassPass gave away passes to influential fitness bloggers in the beginning to quickly get their story out there. What social media marketing techniques could your fitness business do?

6. You'll need to wear many hats

According to Tyler Sellers, senior coach at Total Shape, starting a fitness business requires a lot more than just fitness instruction.

"You must be well-prepared for the behind-the-scenes logistics, especially at the start. As a piece of advice, being a small business owner means that you are the accountant, the administrator, the marketer, and the trainer at the same time," Sellers says.

7. Hire excellent staff

When Laurel Roach started TriFIT Wellness, a corporate wellness training facility in Phoenix, AZ, she says she didn't have a background in the fitness business. Therefore, she had to lean on the staff she hired in order to make her business a success.

"I recommend hiring the most qualified trainers because the wellness industry is notoriously under-regulated," says Roach. "Genuinely passionate employees are difficult to replace so make it a priority to hire and retain the trainers that make your customers feel like an all-star."

Start Your Dream Business

The bottom line

Starting a fitness business is a lot of hard work. But if you succeed, you'll join a booming industry that helps people live their life to the fullest.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

BUSINESS STRATEGIES

How to start a fitness business: a step-by-step guide

• Kiera Carter
• Sep 26, 2023

There are a few fundamentals of starting a fitness business, no matter your niche. You need to market your brand to potential clients, manage a schedule of classes and maybe even shoot workout videos to promote your services or train clients virtually.

It’s a lot at first, but just so you know, Wix Fit streamlines operational tasks, like managing calendars and onboarding new clients, and modernizes your business with quality live streams and online challenges.

But let's back up a bit, because a successful fitness business can take a lot of forms. A fitness business is any company that offers a fitness service, either in person or online—or both. Popular fitness businesses include yoga or Pilates studios, CrossFit boxes and kickboxing gyms. Whether you’re a personal trainer or the owner of a studio or gym, you have the power to make your fitness business truly your own.

11 steps to start a successful fitness business:

Discover your niche

Create a business plan

Fund your fitness business

Find your space

Create a website

Offer online classes and sessions

Make bookings a breeze

Implement a clear payment process

Choose your app

Engage clients on social media

Analyze your performance

01. Discover your niche

Before you dive into the business essentials, you’ll need to establish your specialty and fine tune your brand. Do you want to start a gym business ? Are you interested in learning how to make money as a personal trainer ? How to become a yoga instructor ? How to become a Pilates instructor ? You’ll need to obtain the right personal training certifications to establish your authority.

Once you’ve pinpointed your niche, research it like it’s your job (because it is). Understand your target audience, the specific clients you’re trying to reach and your competition when it comes to starting a service business .

Important FYI on that last part: Your competition is both local and virtual, so don’t limit your competitive research to gyms in your neighborhood. You’ll need to develop your personal fitness brand from all angles to stand out in a dense wellness space. Look at relevant YouTube channels, Instagram accounts and TikToks, too.

You can also explore online fitness management courses at Wix Learn.

02. Create a business plan

Next, it’s time to plan. Do you have a name for your business? If you need help, check out the Wix Business Name Generator , which offers ideas based on a few questions about your business.

Be inspired: Fitness business name ideas , Gym business name ideas

Once you have a name, it's time to create a logo that represents your brand and goals. You can look at fitness logo ideas beforehand to understand the kind of look and feel you should be aiming for, or learn how to make a fitness logo .

Then, to start a business you’ll need first a business plan. A business plan is a professional document that outlines the purpose, goals, strategy and financials of your venture (things like gym equipment, rent, insurance and staff wages). It usually includes a summary of your business, industry and customer analysis, an operational plan and financial projections. You can tailor yours to fit your needs. You can read more about creating a business plan here.

Lastly, you’ll need to choose a business structure (sole proprietorship, LLC , corporation , etc.) and register your business . The business structure you choose depends on many factors such as the amount of personal liability you're comfortable with and how many people you plan to hire. (Read more about the many business structures .)

03. Fund your fitness business

The cost of starting a gym varies a ton, especially whether it's a digital gym or a physical one. The latter can cost anywhere from $25,000 for a small studio with minimal equipment to over a million dollars for something more involved. Read more in how much does it cost to open a gym?

So, how are you going to pay for your gym? Your options are essentially:

Fund it yourself

Partner with an investor

Secure a business loan

The more you invest in your gym personally, the more say you'll have in running it. If you've maxed out your savings, consider a loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration , which works with lenders to support small medium businesses .

04. Find your space

Even if your business is virtual, you'll need to think about where you'll shoot your workout videos and run your online sessions. It helps to have a cohesive look to your set, so find a well-lit room in your house and stick to the same location for each video in your series. If you plan on training clients outside, check out our guide to green exercise .

Of course, renting a space for a full-on fitness facility requires more effort and money. The good news is, plenty of landlords are willing to negotiate rent right now. (Tip: Hire a lawyer to do the negotiating for you.)

05. Create a website

You’ll need to build a fitness website to display your services and allow for online bookings. When making a website think of it as the center of all the action—the place where people come to learn more about you and your services, sign up for a membership, book a session with you, watch your training videos and purchase your apparel.

Wix Fit offers different fitness website templates with built-in booking capabilities. Other marketing features—live chat, email campaigns, social posts and SEO—can drive traffic to your site and help your business grow. You’ll also need to choose a hosting plan and a domain name .

Here are a few elements worth adding to your fitness site:

Photos: Add a photo gallery of your sessions with clients, your gym or studio and events. Photos are an integral part of your fitness business website design , so make them count.

Videos: Learn how to shoot a workout video like a pro and display workout demos or offer full training videos. (Try the Wix Video Maker .)

eComm: Sell fitness equipment, healthy foods and apparel in an online store .

Testimonials: Feature recommendations and personal stories from your clients.

Your contact information: Include your name, phone number, email address and social channels so that clients can reach you. FYI: A custom email address looks more professional than your personal one.

A blog: Start a blog to share the latest fitness industry trends , workout tips or personal stories. Get started with a blog maker.

An SEO strategy: Implement strategies that help your site rank higher in search results. These SEO tools will give your site a boost.

Alternatively you can use an appointment scheduling app in order to secure bookings.

06. Offer online classes and sessions

Integrate Zoom directly with your site, so you and your staff can easily host classes. Even if your training is better done in pairs, like martial arts, you can still demo drills and exercises online to supplement your in-person training sessions. This is called hybrid fitness.

There are a few ways to up your Zoom exercise game :

Bring extra energy. You need to smile more on camera to make up for the physical distance.

Tell clients to sign in early to account for any technical issues.

Save time for questions. People enjoy chatting before and after class.

07. Make bookings a breeze

Use online scheduling to list your services, plus relevant info (the instructor's name, duration of class, price, location and so on). With Wix Fit, clients will be able to add the session to their calendar, then receive automatic email reminders, all without any additional work on your part.

How to use Wix Fit's online scheduling solution:

Choose your offerings: Offer group or individual sessions, classes or courses, package deals, sets of sessions or full membership plans.

Sync calendars: Sync with Google Calendars to track sessions.

Receive real-time notifications: Once a client books a session, you and your staff immediately receive an email update.

Waitlist when necessary: If a class is booked, clients can sign up for your waitlist and receive an automatic notification if a spot opens.

Provide a member login: Invite clients to become members, so that they can automatically sign in to your website or access your services on mobile.

08. Implement a clear payment process

Your payment process should be transparent and direct. Clearly list the plans on your site and explain the specific benefit of each membership and package. As a general rule, offer no more than three plans, so you don't overwhelm your clients with too many options. (Read more in 8 ways to price gym memberships like a pro .)

Note: With the Wix Bookings app, you can accept both full and partial payments, both online and in person, and clients can save their credit card information to pay for future sessions.

09. Choose your app

Mobile matters: More than half of people say they wouldn't recommend a site with a lousy mobile interface. Invite members to book your services and pay directly from their phone via the Fit by Wix app or the Branded App by Wix . They function the same way, but the latter app allows for your own branding.

As the business owner, you'll use the Wix Owner app. It's a free extension of your website, meaning you can do everything you can do on desktop, just on mobile.

10. Engage clients on social media

Some fitness businesses operate almost exclusively on social media. Even if your primary business is a physical gym, remember that potential members will often check out your Instagram page to see what you're about. Treat it the same way you would your website and invest in visuals that represent your brand and use it to develop your networking skills. You can use the same photos and videos on your website and on Instagram, and be sure to respond to clients who interact with you.

11. Analyze your performance

You put in the work, now see if it paid off. Use analytics to measure your progress and gain a deeper understanding of your fitness business. View detailed information about new and returning clients (such as average class attendance, total sessions booked and no-shows).

This kind of info paints a clear picture of what’s working for your business—and what's not. Integrate customized reports using Wix Analytics to make adjustments (like offering more of one class). You’ve got to know what your clients like to give them what they like.

Can starting a fitness business be profitable?

Yes, a fitness business can be profitable, but like any business, success depends on various factors such as your business model, location, marketing strategies, competition and the quality of your services. The fitness industry is diverse, offering a range of opportunities for profitability. The following fitness businesses can be profitable if successful.

Operating a gym or fitness center can be profitable if you can attract a consistent membership base. Providing a variety of classes, modern equipment, and a welcoming environment can help differentiate your gym and attract customers, while maintaining reasonable operating expenses .

Offering personal training services, whether in a gym or as an independent trainer, can be highly profitable. Clients often pay a premium for personalized attention and expertise.

With the rise of digital platforms, creating and selling online fitness programs, workout videos, meal plans, and coaching services can be a lucrative venture with lower overhead costs.

Running specialized fitness studios (e.g., yoga, spin, CrossFit, Pilates) can attract a loyal customer base willing to pay for specific training styles and experiences.

Combining fitness with nutrition and wellness coaching can provide a comprehensive approach to health and attract clients looking for holistic solutions.

Selling fitness apparel, equipment, supplements, and accessories can be profitable with the right branding and marketing strategies.

However, the fitness industry is also competitive, and success is not guaranteed. To increase your chances of profitability:

Understand your target audience and local market to identify needs and opportunities.

Offer something unique that sets your business apart from competitors, whether it's specialized classes, innovative equipment, or exceptional customer service.

Deliver high-quality services that meet or exceed customer expectations.

Develop a strong marketing strategy to attract and retain customers. Utilize social media, local advertising, and partnerships.

Create a positive and engaging environment that keeps customers motivated and coming back.

Provide consistent and reliable services to build trust and loyalty.

Ensure you have a solid business plan that includes budgeting, revenue projections, and expense reports and management.

Remember that profitability might not happen immediately; it could take time to establish your brand, build a customer base and refine your business model. Conduct thorough research, plan carefully and be prepared to adapt and innovate as you navigate the fitness industry's challenges and opportunities.

Other business ideas to consider starting:

How to start an eCommerce business

How to start a dropshipping business

How to start a farming business

How to start a food prep business

How to start a flower business

How to start a plumbing business

How to start a baking business

Looking to start a business in a specific state?

How to start a business in Arizona

How to start a business in Virginia

How to start a business in Washington

How to start a business in Wisconsin

How to start a business in Michigan

How to start a fitness business FAQ

How to start a fitness business with no money.

There are a number of ways to start a fitness business with no money. One way is to start a mobile fitness business. This means that you can provide fitness services to clients in their homes or at other locations, such as parks or community centers. This type of business requires very little overhead, so you can start it with very little money.

Another way to start a fitness business with no money is to start a virtual fitness business. This means that you can provide fitness services to clients online through video conferencing or other platforms. This type of business also requires very little overhead, and it allows you to reach a global audience.

How hard is it to start a fitness business?

Is it worth starting a fitness brand, related posts.

How to name a business: 10 tips for getting it right

The 17 best fitness websites for 2024

The new rules of training clients during a pandemic

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How to start an online fitness business.

More and more people are opting for at home workouts over heading to a brick and mortar gym. And while the online, on-demand fitness model might seem like a relatively new phenomenon, research shows that the switch to virtual and at-home workouts has been brewing for several years.  There’s been steady growth in the online fitness sector, and there are reasons to believe it’s only going to increase.

With that in mind, if you’re looking to start a fitness business, you need to make sure your business plan can thrive in online, too. In this article, we’ll go over how to create a successful online fitness business step by step, so you can ride the wave of people leaving the gyms and hitting the living room.

What is an online fitness business?

An online fitness business can look like a myriad of things, but all of them will offer a way for people to get exercise via online tools and classes . You could offer virtual training to groups of students or help individual clients with their wellness goals by running an online personal training business.

Most online fitness businesses offer workout videos and virtual classes that are either live or recorded, though some branch out into training services, tutorials, or weight-loss and wellness plans.

Why start an online fitness business?

It seems like every personal trainer and fitness professional is leveraging their social media platforms to promote an online coaching business. And why wouldn’t they? There's a huge demographic of folks who don’t feel comfortable being in a gym, but are still looking to keep up their fitness.

In fact, 72% of consumers say they prefer an online fitness option to going to a brick and mortar gym. Plus, starting an online fitness business can help you expand without the sunk costs of setting up a bricks-and-mortar gym. Still not completely convinced? Here's some more data:

• A 2020 study by ClubIntel tells us that “84% of Gen Z reported their facility offered digital fitness content, 25 to 30 percentage points higher than the other generations."
• By 2027, the market for online and virtual fitness is estimated to be valued at $59 billion.
• According to Uscreen’s data, trainers with online fitness studios earn an average of $7,503 per month.

There’s clearly demand for online fitness classes, and there’s room in the market for new growth. If you’re interested in starting your own fitness business, now may be the time to do it.

But before you start, it’s a good idea to get a sense of what kinds of online exercise classes are already out there.

gym membership form

Two main types of online fitness businesses.

When you look at the market for online health and fitness classes, you'll recognize two models being used: fully virtual or hybrid. Each option has its pros and cons. We’ll break them down to give you a rounded view of how you can start your online classes.

Fully-virtual model

Going fully virtual with your online fitness business means you'll forgo any physical presence and be wholly online.

If you’re looking for work as a trainer but you’re not interested in being in a gym in person, you might opt for fully virtual online personal training.

Pros of going fully virtual:

• Your customers can access your classes wherever and whenever they want.
• Business overheads are low– you don't need to invest in gym equipment or rent a large space to run classes.
• Your total addressable market isn't limited by constraints such as location or language– people from all over the world can buy your training programs.
• You can create and share your content on your own schedule.

Cons of going fully virtual:

• It’s less personal. Clients and customers may feel distant, and you can't personally monitor training goals as accurately.
• You’ll need a basic understanding of data and computers in order to optimize your business.
• Posture corrections and in-class injuries or strains can't be directly attended to in the moment, as they would in person.

training evaluation form

Hybrid model.

In contrast to going fully virtual, a hybrid model gives your customers the option to work out online or in-person.

A hybrid model is great for those trainers who already have in-person clients, and are looking to expand their reach online without losing them.

Pros of the hybrid model:

• More personal– your clients have the option to work out with you in person, and still take classes when they're traveling or can't get to your location.
• You have in person connections from your clients which can help you market your online classes or get referrals , testimonials, or even brand reps.
• Adding an additional revenue stream to a pre-existing business is less risky.

Cons of the hybrid model:

• Focus is split between your online and offline classes, which means you could end up spreading yourself too thin.
• Running an online business needs some skills you may not already have as an in-person trainer.
• If you're setting up a hybrid model from scratch, you’ll need more start up money to find a brick and mortar location in addition to building your online business.

Form a better life now.

Three pricing models for your online fitness business.

Picking the right pricing model will help you make the profit you deserve, and keep your customers happy . There are three main options: the subscription, multi-tiered subscription, or transactional models.

Choosing a pricing model will come down to the unique value you offer, your target audience, and the time you have to create content.

Subscription model

A subscription service has members pay a monthly or yearly fee for access to your online fitness classes. It gives the business owner a stable income, and your customers know exactly what they pay, and what they’re getting.

This popular model will require you to add content regularly so that your long-term members don't get bored with the same videos.

Get It Done Fitness runs a subscription model, and offers live and on-demand fitness content for its subscribers.

The site is run by trainer Bradley Simmonds and his team. They offer regular live stream classes, so there’s always fresh content for members to access. Since the videos only remain on the site for a week, members have a reason to return often.

This business has chosen to offer discounts for customers who sign on for a longer membership, a common pricing strategy in the fitness industry. Along with lower prices for a longer commitment, customers can get an added perk of a personal message from their online personal trainer, which can help keep clients engaged and boost customer retention .

Multi-tiered subscription model

Multi-tiered subscriptions are the more advanced version of a basic subscription model. They're a chance for you to offer extra layers of value to your customers through premium features, which can include things like:

• Longer or earlier access to classes
• Exclusive access to your live stream classes
• Use of the mobile, TV, and Apple Watch app you set up

As with normal subscriptions, you'll need to release new content often. There's an added challenge of maintaining different feature levels, but by adding these tiers, you can better engaging your users by offering them more premium options.

LYT Yoga uses a multi-tiered subscription model. LYT Yoga offers 3 different pricing tiers, each one with different benefits so members can choose the price and perks that work for them and their fitness goals.

As well as increasing accessibility across income levels, it also gives LYT extra tools to boost income and reduce churn. Giving customers options to bump up or down can increase the likelihood that clients will simply alter if they need a change, rather than ditch your business all together.

Transactional model

If you've ever watched a sporting event on pay-per-view, you'll be familiar with the transactional pricing model . Rather than asking for a recurring payment from your customers, with this model, you sell individual classes or packages of classes for a one-time fee.

In terms of online fitness classes, this method tends to work best when teaching a skill, such as "boxercise 101" or "the complete course for dancing Thriller." You could also think of it like you’re selling a bundle of training sessions, like you’d do in an in-person gym, in the hopes that your online clients will buy another bundle once they’ve used them up.

Birdietime uses a transactional model. They offer online golfing classes from some of the best coaches in the world. You can join as a subscriber and get access to the classes, or you can use the single coaching plan. The transactional model is at work in their single coaching plans, which can be bought for a one-off fee.

The lifetime value (LTV) of a customer is lower using the transactional pricing model, but it can work as a stepping stone to subscriptions and still offers great value to your customers.

How to start an online fitness business in 4 steps

Now that you’re familiar with the business and pricing models, it’s time to get into the details of how to create and grow your own online fitness business .

Starting your fitness business can be broken down into four steps:

• Choosing your business and pricing model
• Creating content
• Building a site
• Promoting your business

Choose the type and pricing model of your business

The first thing you’ll need to do to start your online fitness business is to decide what type of classes or skills you can offer. As you can imagine, marketing yourself as a dance teacher will look a lot different than marketing yourself as a HIIT trainer. The type of classes you’ll teach will also inform whether you go with a fully-virtual or hybrid model.

Once you’ve decided what type of fitness training you’ll do, you’ll need to pick a pricing model. You can decide which one will work best for you based on the information in the previous section.

There are pros and cons for the subscription, multi-tiered subscription, and transactional models, so prioritise your business's unique needs over anything else.

Other factors that'll go into choosing your pricing model will include your revenue goals, what your competition is doing, how you plan to market your business, and other monetisation options like selling fitness equipment or workout gear.

Create the content for your online fitness business

After working out the finances, it's time to get on the mat and start making content. How you start is going to depend on your audience - are you targeting people at the start of their fitness journey and need to lay out the absolute basics, or do you want to offer HIIT classes for seasoned practitioners?

Regardless of what it is, you need to have enough content ready when you launch to wow your clients and keep them coming back.

Before you get going, think about how you want your content to stand out. You can do this by researching the content your competitors offer. Try to understand what your audience is looking for. Once you’ve done that, you can create a few core categories, get some solid content made, and create a plan for how it'll develop into the future.

Launch your site

A vital component of your online fitness business is your website. Without a way to host your classes, your customers can’t enjoy them. Even if you've already got a website for your existing gym, a video-focused membership site can change the game.

When deciding where to host your business, you can choose one of two paths:

Build your own membership site: This will likely require a website developer and multiple subscriptions, but may give you more creative freedom.

Use a membership site platform: Platforms like Uscreen are designed to get your business up and running quickly and easily, sometimes at the expense of total creative freedom.

Promote your online fitness program

With your site ready to go, you’re ready to find your audience and promote your new online fitness business. There are lots of ways you can market your new website, but we’ve highlighted a few tried and true methods.

• Harness the power of your existing social media, like Instagram and YouTube, to direct your followers to your new site.
• Email your current list of subscribers (if you have one) and offer a special deal or discount for signing up to your site.
• Start to understand your audience and use paid advertising on the channels your audience uses to reach people who will want to take your classes.
• Offer content in innovative ways, such as podcasts, long-form blog content, or quick exercises on TikTok to get your brand name in front of potential customers.

Marketing is a skill in itself. There are techniques that you can pick up when you're starting out, or you could hire someone to market your business for you. Every fitness business is unique, so you’ll need to find the marketing strategy that helps you find new clients. That might be digital marketing, word of mouth , social media marketing, or something totally different.

Over to you

Whether you've got an in-person presence as a trainer already, or you’re looking to start an online only fitness business, there's a business model and pricing structure that can help you succeed. By going through the steps outlined in this article (and doing a bit of learning on the fly) you’ll be on your way to teaching online in no time.

Like starting any small business, launching an online fitness business will require research, patience, and hard work. But, you can also expect to have a bit of fun in the process. Whatever the challenges you face, remember that there is a market for what you're doing, and loads of tools to help you do it.

This guest post was written by Amir Shazeidi, SEO Lead at Uscreen, a robust video monetization and distribution platform.

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How to Start Your Online Fitness Business in 2022

It’ll never be a better time than today for you to start an online fitness business. Former baseball player Sahil Bloom says it best: “Every single time I thought I was too late, it was still early.”

Although COVID sucked in many ways, not many people can deny that it forced them to embrace the digital world. Because of that, online fitness businesses are booming.

Reputable in-person trainers to newbies alike are becoming curious on how to start an online fitness business in 2022. So, whether you want to learn how to grow an online personal training business or just want to learn how to become a fitness influencer, we’ll break it all down for you.

In this post, let’s talk about what you’ll need to get started without breaking the bank. Let’s explore everything, including how to market yourself, streaming software tips, and the different ways to make money.

Let’s jump into it. 

Table of Contents

Why start an online fitness business in 2022, how to start your online fitness business in 13 steps:.

• How To Start
• Differentiate Yourself From Influencers With Large Followings
• Decide On Your Fitness Niche
• Determine Your Ideal Audience
• Set Up Your Training Space With the Right Equipment
• Build Your Brand and Visual Identity
• Set Up the Website
• Decide On Pricing
• Video and Audio Equipment
• Pick the Best Streaming Platform
• Create Content
• Market Your Fitness Service
•  Create a Community

Final Thoughts

The lure of online fitness as a profitable business took a bit to kick off. Even you might’ve wondered why people would pay for online fitness professionals when there are plenty of free videos online. It’s not until people try to commit to free videos that they realize there’s zero accountability, among many other factors that are necessary for a successful fitness journey.  

Many people eventually get sick of repeated failures after trying to do it on their own using free videos.

A few of the many benefits your future clients will love about paying for fitness services online include: 

• Form critique
• Exercise modification tips due to joint problems
• Weekly check-ins 

The reality is that, for the most part, the way people train and eat should be custom-tailored, and fitness is definitely not a one-size-fits-all. Here’s where your value comes in. 

Starting an online fitness business can be exciting but scary. As long as you stay consistent in following the steps we’ll talk about, you’ll be ahead of the game compared to people who choose to play things by ear or give up after a few weeks of no traction.

Commitment is the name of the game. It happens, but it’s very rare that your online fitness business will explode after 1 week or even 1 month. Before you get started, make sure to set realistic expectations and timelines with yourself and know that there will be challenges. Determine how you’ll cope in advance. 

With that said, here are the steps on how to build an online fitness business. 

1. How To Start

The best way to start is to just throw yourself in. Tell friends and family about your plans, so you have people to keep you accountable. Nothing will be perfect at the start, but it’s easier to make improvements along the way once you put your online business out in the real world. 

Don’t get discouraged by feeling like you need to create long business plans. This often seems scary to people who are new to starting businesses. Sure there could be some benefit in business plans that are 20 pages long, but right now, it’s more of a distraction. Keep it super simple in the beginning. To start, we recommend:

•  Hubspot’s one-page business plan template. 
• The 1‑Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib (it’s a book, but you can google the template for free too).

2. Differentiate Yourself From Influencers With Large Followings

When you first start exploring how to run an online fitness business, you might be a bit intimidated that there are already thousands of huge fitness influencers, but don’t be. Here’s why. With hundreds of thousands of followers, fitness influencers can sometimes feel too out of touch for many people. 

Many people love being a part of smaller groups because the leader is more accessible. Imagine joining a yoga platform led by someone with a million followers. It’s easy to feel like just another number, and good luck trying to get a 1-on-1 with that influencer. 

In other words, there’s less accountability in bigger groups, and you should definitely use that to your advantage when marketing your smaller service. 

3. Decide On Your Fitness Niche

If you haven’t already, expose yourself to different types of fitness influencers on social media to get inspired. Which niches fascinate you? There are so many options to choose from. Here are some examples:

• Yoga for more energy
• Pilates for better posture
• Sports training 
• Personal training for stronger legs
• Mobility training to reduce injury
• Police training to pass physical exams
• Rehabilitation to recover from specific injuries
• Healthy eating for those with a gluten-intolerance
• Speed training for athletes 

4. Determine Your Ideal Audience

When learning how to start an online personal training business, please avoid the common newbie mistake of trying to appeal to everyone. Facebook first started as a social media for Harvard students, and they eventually built on that momentum to earn the right to appeal to everyone. Like Facebook, most successful businesses start out very targeted to gain traction.

Getting clear on your ideal audience also makes it easy to market. For example, if you provide workouts for high school quarterbacks, you can make more targeted pieces of content such as “ arm workouts to improve throwing accuracy ”, or “ arm workouts to improve throwing power ”. Imagine a high school quarterback seeing that vs. “ arm workouts for stronger arms ”. That’s so generic. 

Likewise, it’ll help you choose photos for your website. For example, women in menopause probably won’t be inspired by pictures of male athletes with ripped abs.  

Some target audience ideas to get your creativity flowing include: 

• People who live in apartment buildings 
• Women in their 30s post-pregnancy
• Moms who have recently had a C-section
• Women basketball players
• Really busy professionals in corporate jobs
• Women in their 30s with desk jobs who are worried about posture
• Members of the LGBTQ+ community

Many people feel hesitant to get so specific, but author Kevin Kelley’s concept of 1,000 true fans explains it best. Many people start by thinking about reaching millions of people, but you truly don’t need that much of a following to make a good living. If you can get only 1,000 people to invest $100 in you per year through a mixture of offers and services, that’s already $100k a year. 

5. Set Up Your Training Space With the Right Equipment

You don’t need a huge gym space. As long as you can set the camera far away enough to capture the full length of you standing and laying down, it’ll generally be good enough. 

If you don’t have natural lighting, consider investing in a ring light to point towards you. And when setting up the camera, try to make sure it doesn’t point towards a light source. 

As far as equipment, how much you decide to invest is completely up to you. There are plenty of bodyweight exercises, athletic drills, and more that don’t require any equipment whatsoever. 

Some basic pieces of equipment to consider are:

• Dumbbell set
• Resistance bands
• Large exercise ball
• Portable bench
• Kettlebells
• Medicine ball

Make sure to choose bright colored equipment because it’s easier for your clients to track on video.

6. Build Your Brand and Visual Identity

Once you’ve chosen your ideal audience, build your brand and visual identity in a way that’d appeal to them. Here’s a good time to look at the various influencers again to draw inspiration. 

This step includes creating a logo, choosing your brand colors, and the type of photographs you want to exemplify your brand. One tip to keep in mind is to be consistent with your brand on all platforms. For example, have a consistent photo and name on all social media platforms.

You might think that it’s obvious that it’s you and people should know better, but remember, it’s the small things that add up and build momentum. 

7. Set Up the Website

In our opinion, having a website should be a non-negotiable. It helps you look more professional and it’s also a great place to funnel people into from all your social media channels.

Sure, there’s no denying that social media in 2022 is powerful. However, you just have to be aware that ultimately, you don’t have full control over social platforms. If one day Instagram decides to shut down your account for violating a rule by mistake, it can take weeks before you’re back up. For that reason, we strongly recommend you have a website where you can continue business no matter what. 

If you’re new to marketing, keep it simple. Look at a few websites of competitors and model them. It’s a common newbie mistake to try to get too creative. Just stick to what’s been proven to work. As you grow and learn marketing, then you can get more creative. For example, keep the menu names simple such as: home, about, schedule, blog, contact.

Tip: A website is also a great place to collect emails. In exchange for emails, offer something like a free workout template PDF or a cool recipe.

8. Decide On Pricing 

Now let’s move on to the next step on how to create an online fitness business: money. Let’s go into detail about common class types, their pricing, and other pricing models: 

• Prerecorded classes: A great way to scale your time, but generally cheaper, like $10 a month. You’ll really need to work on generating big followings because you’ll need a higher number of people paying for this service to gain enough traction to make a living from it.
• One-on-one: With this model, you’re limited to about 5-25 clients but can generally charge more because you can provide live feedback. Of course, it depends on training frequency, but you can charge people anywhere from about $100-$1000/month as an estimate.
• Group live stream classes: People love joining group live streams because of the sense of community compared to one-on-ones. You’re also still able to give feedback to individuals, just not as much. Of course, you’ll generally charge less per person for group classes, but a bit more than what you charge for prerecorded classes. 
• Hybrid programs: Consider offering a mix of everything.
• One-off pricing: This is when you charge per live class, like $10 for one class.
• Package pricing: This is when you give small discounts for buying in bulk. For example, 20 classes for $170 or 5 classes for $45.

Additionally, there are sponsorships, subscriptions, and affiliate sales.

The pricing recommendations are estimates based on what common platforms charge and what others have reported charging. On top of those estimates, if you’re starting an online personal training business specifically, consider that according to ziprecruiter, online personal trainers make $24 /hour on average.

9. Video and Audio Equipment

When you’re first learning how to start your own personal training business online, don’t stress about needing to get too fancy. You can invest in professional cameras and microphones as you scale, but webcam or mobile live streaming will be fine in the beginning. Here are just three inexpensive pieces of streaming equipment to consider for now:

• Phone mount
• Wireless lavalier mic

10. Pick the Best Streaming Platform

Your website and the streaming platform you choose are equivalent to the physical gym you’d lease if you were doing in-person training. You want something aesthetically pleasing with a good vibe, ultimately providing an amazing experience. And unlike some industries, fitness is very visual. 

The streaming platform you choose will play a big role in the overall experience you deliver. When selecting a streaming platform, consider factors such as:

• Features to improve streaming quality
• Organized video content library
• Pricing models supported
• Features to prevent others from stealing and reproducing your videos. 

Some streaming platforms to consider are Brightcove, Livestream, and Dacast.

With Dacast, for example, you’ll be able to:

• Access a powerful video paywall with multi-currency support
• Prevent others from stealing your videos with features such as watermarking and DRM
• Build apps using Dacast’s iOS and Android SDKs
• Make it easy for other to find videos with an organized video content library
• Broadcast classes to desktops and smart devices, including phones and TVs
• Create live channels for Apple TV,  Roku, and Fire TV Stick
• Embed a white-label video player with your branding onto your own website 
• Monetize your fitness content with pay-per-view, subscriptions, or advertising
• Use advanced video analytics to identify trends such as where most of your viewers are located and what devices they use
• Access customer support 24/7 

Reputation is everything in the early stages. Invest in an all-in-one platform that allows you to provide the best experience. Doing so provides a domino effect— positive reviews, referrals, and your first set of raving fans. 

Try Dacast for free for 14-days. After that, pricing starts at just $39/month.

Try Dacast for free

11. Create Content

You’ll find that a large part of learning how to start an online fitness training business is understanding the importance of creating content. Constantly creating content is a way to show clients that you’re always “in the know”.

Some types of content you’ll create are: 

• 10-20 second clips
• Longer videos
• Social media posts

The content can be about anything. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Exercise tutorials
• Exercise modifications for people with certain problems like knee pain
• New stretching techniques
• New cool fitness apps
• Healthy recipes
• Healthy versions of common junk food
• Healthy eating hacks
• Common mistakes with popular exercises

Also, a good way to come up with topics is to get them straight from your audience or clients. Notice a question that you’re constantly asked? Notice common answers within your questionnaires? Write it down and make content on it. 

One major tip: Repurpose content to maximize your time. In practice, this basically would be creating a video about a new stretching technique. Turning that video into multiple 10-20 second Instagram or Tik Tok clips. And turning the video topic into a blog post. The same concept applies when you turn a live stream into a prerecorded video . You could basically build a program around prerecorded videos that were initially live stream sessions. 

12. Market Your Fitness Service

Creating content and having your brand is one thing. Getting the word out there is another. Having some content already published will make selling your services so much easier. The idea is to show people you can help them by helping them in advance before they become paying clients. 

Having a clear niche and ideal audience also makes marketing your service easier through word of mouth. 

Imagine you help moms who struggle to lift after having a C-section. When someone who knows of you talks to a friend who recently had a C-section and is looking for an online fitness program, it’ll be much easier to remember you. Now suppose you’re a generalist. It’s doubtful that you’d pop up in someone’s mind when they’re randomly talking to a friend looking for a fitness program. 

With that said, a sample end-to-end marketing process can look like this:

• College basketball player searches for something particular like “wrist exercises for basketball.” 
• Your article pops up. 
• Player binges on your content. Becomes a fan. 
• Tells his friends. 
• You create a $9/month subscription.
• Maybe only 1 out of 20 (5%) people who consume your free content invests.
• You do more marketing to get your free content in front of more eyes.

Tip: Consider referral bonuses. For example, if someone refers a friend, offer the referrer a free month.

13. Create a Community

People love to make friends with like-minded people. Create a group or platform where like-minded people can exchange their own journeys and encourage each other. Using the pregnant woman’s example, they can motivate each other with breakthroughs and tips. A group can also be a great source of content ideas. 

Run 1-day, 30-day, and 90-day challenges in the group and create accountability groups. Fitness lovers love these. Groups are also an excellent place to host weekly live Q&As and check in with your members between live sessions. 

Other things to consider are a contractual agreement (with cancellation policy, refunds, etc.), liability release, and safety waiver forms. As you get started, you can google templates online, but you’ll eventually want to hire someone down the road to make it more all-encompassing. 

With that said, we hope you feel a lot more excited and knowledgeable about how to start a fitness business online this year.

Take the first step of your journey by trying a Dacast free 14-day trial to see what all is possible. 

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How to start an online fitness business

Want to start an online fitness business now that the ‘new normal’ of post-COVID life has set in?

It’s an appetizing idea, and for a good reason. We’ve now grown accustomed to Zoom calls, virtual kick-off events - and yes, online workouts. In fact, the global online/virtual fitness market size was valued at $6,046 million in 2019 and is projected to reach $59,231 million by 2027.  Simply put, there’s a wealth of growth to be had, and savvy entrepreneurs can reap the benefits. 

What constitutes an online fitness business? 

An online fitness business is a way for gym owners, managers, or franchisees to expand the range of services they offer. A successful hybrid fitness business model can justify the growth and expansion of a smaller online fitness business. 

Starting an online fitness business means that you’re offering an online service that helps individuals or groups work out without you being physically present. Pre-recorded or streamed live and in the next section, we’ll take a closer look at more virtual fitness business ideas, but the premise is the same:

You’re using the internet to share fitness, health, wellness, or nutrition-based content with paying clients. 

Virtual fitness business ideas

The type of online fitness business ideas is only multiple by how many definitions of ‘fitness’ there are.

Live one on one sessions

The concept of a personal trainer following around a paying individual in the gym, showing them what workouts to do, ensuring good form, and generally motivating them isn’t a new one. 

Live, one on one virtual workouts do the same. Both the trainer and the client can be at home or separate gyms, but the central concept is that in real-time, the client is being led and guided by the trainer. The quality of the one-to-one help remains, while both people can be in different parts of the world. 

Live group sessions

This concept sees a trainer (or trainers) working in real-time with a group of people. That might be a small group of people all in one place together or a large group of people who are all connected remotely but located in different areas. Live group sessions are a feature that more paying customers are expecting from an online fitness class . 

The benefits here are a single trainer assisting a group of people, the same way a personal trainer would run and help a group workout in a gym or other training facility.

Tools like PerfectGymTV make live streaming a class to the masses easy by automating class reminders and setting rules for who can access pre-recorded content.

Recorded one on one sessions

A personal trainer recording themself doing the workouts that they want their client to do. Trainers can then give this recording to the client to do at the most convenient time for them. 

This recording can be done by one trainer for one client (Steve the trainer making a recording for Tom, the client) or the trainer making a general video on one workout (Steve the trainer making a video about shoulder workouts to share with all his clients).

You can ask trainers to record videos en masse and share them with clients when necessary, while the client works out at their discretion.  

Such technology makes it easier for a facility owner to add value for trainers looking to attract more clients, or to add more value to their existing customer base. 

Recorded group sessions

Recorded group sessions are an interesting online fitness business concept to explore. 

A personal trainer can record a workout session and then share it with a group. The gym is closed for renovation, but your aerobic instructor has recorded an at-home workout for clients to do. You can distribute this video through PerfectGym TV .

But savvy gym owners can also leverage technology to scale this concept even more. 

Mobile fitness apps give paying members control over their membership and help them feel more engaged with a facility and the community around it. Being able to access recorded and streamed content, book classes, and track progress are features that are valuable to a paying member, and therefore a must for modern fitness facilities. 

Gym owners can use such technology to help clients stay paying customers without coming into a gym to use their services.

More than just ‘fitness’

The several ideas are merely common ways gym owners can engage their clientele without them being in the gym. As mentioned earlier, there’s much more to offer online than just ‘fitness.’

What services does your facility offer?

• Circuit classes
• Yoga & Pilates
• Guided meditation
• Wellness services
• Nutrition & meal planning

All of these services can be digitized and put into the online realm.

In other words, it’s not just a one-on-one fitness class that can be held online. 

Consider the following:

Virtual teachers and instructors

Yoga, pilates, and other similar forms of fitness can be pre-recorded and shared with people from all over the world or streamed live for people to interact with then and there. It’s important to note that with yoga, there are arguably equal parts teaching and doing. 

That’s where a convenient cloud-based system can help instructors and participants alike. Being able to stream directly from a mobile device means there’s no need to involve more technology. 

Digital consultation and workshops

This final concept is less practical and more theory-based. For those that want more control over the bigger picture of their health, fitness, and general wellbeing, your facility can offer live or recorded workshops on topics that suit the interest of your gym members.

Being able to tell your members about new consultation and workshop services is important, and email marketing is a great way to do that. PerfectGym’s automated marketing functionalities help gym owners and managers reach their paying customers en masse, and when they’re most likely to take action. 

All of the above are attractive concepts because they can be pre-recorded and shared at a given time. Whom they’re shared with can be a select few paying customers or a countless number of clients from all over the world. 

Simply put, if you want to start an online fitness business , there are very few limitations, thanks to the wide range of services that many gyms and health facilities offer. PerfectGym’s CRM is designed to complement savvy venue owners and managers, helping them leverage technology to market their facilities to clients and retain them for the long term. 

How to prepare for running a successful fitness business

Several critical factors will determine how well your online fitness model meets the needs of your online customers. 

Here’s what to consider before pulling the trigger on your digital venture:

Identify your niche

What are you good at? Is it powerlifting, long-distance running, CrossFit, or callisthenics? Niche marketing is the best way for businesses to start to get initial traction. But only if there’s demand. 91% of CMO s think that data-driven choices are one of the most significant factors in a brands’ success. So spend the time collecting data and looking at what niches are not being fulfilled. 

Find a niche in which you can offer something that no one else does, but in which there’s also demand, and then offer it. 

Pick your fitness model

Once you’ve got your niche , in what way will you deliver it? Is it going to be tailored and one on one for every client? Will you record a high volume of general videos and share them accordingly? What role will online marketing play in distributing that content? How will your online fitness business complement your gym or fitness facility?

The decision you make here should complement your niche. If many people want one-on-one videos tailored to their CrossFit needs, that’s your niche. 

In the short run, you may benefit from offering several options and then cutting out less popular options until the demand rises again .

Get the right equipment

Your brand is your image. Your logo, tone of voice, your attitude toward hard work helps you build a rapport with your clients. You don’t need entirely customized barbells for your one-on-one fitness sessions, but there are some basic gym equipment essentials that are must-haves. 

Use the equipment that your facility has. In other words, use the right tools for the job, as that reflects a lot on your image.  

Training space

Echoing the sentiments about the right equipment, the right space is essential, too, as it also shows your attitude toward your work. 

Yoga and meditation videos and content should ‘feel’ relaxing, calm, and tranquil. Hardbass isn’t needed to get the blood pumping in such a situation like it is in the squat rack. 

If you’re using your existing gym facilities, spend the time to clean the area up and pick camera angles that show off the workout clearly while the overall content looks professional . You may want other clients in the room as you’re recording your video to add to a sense of community; you may not.

Remember to have good lighting and use a tripod if necessary. 

Protip: No matter what kind of services you’re offering, try and get your logo or branding in the background. 

Don’t forget the tech.

Given the insane quality of mobile devices, you may not need to invest thousands of dollars into expensive video equipment. 

But capturing the content is only half of the equation. Getting it to customers is the other part. 

Tools like PerfectGym TV can help you live or pre-recorded content online or via a mobile app. This can be especially useful to gym owners who are looking to expand their offering to include online fitness classes.

Clients body metrics and valuable information

You don’t know what you don’t know. The weight, measurements, and general overall health of the clients you plan to help is somewhat pertinent information to help them get healthier. 

Luckily fit-tech is only getting more and more popular and your facility can integrate with a wide range of wearables using PerfectGym. The open API enables almost any form of fit-tech to integrate with your gym management software. 

For clients that are willing, you can use their fitness data to create a plan more tailored , and therefore more effective for them. 

Draft a business plan

At the very end of it all, it’s time to talk business. How does your online fitness business fit into your existing gym business plan ?

How will you monetize your new online fitness business? 

There are benefits to both per-class pricing and subscription-based pricing . At the end of the day, there’s a reason why so many software and digital products offer monthly or subscription-based pricing - it keeps more users incentivized to use the service. 

In terms of pricing, it’s up to you to do the groundwork, assess the market, and see what similar companies are asking for similar services. If you’re unable to find similar online-based services , look at physical services in your area (10x yoga sessions for $49), and work from there. You may drop your pricing as you’re offering an online service , meaning that you’ll be able to appeal more to price (and time) sensitive customers. 

Starting a business of any kind requires a lot of planning and research. Starting an online fitness business requires even more research. That’s because it’s an industry that’s grown a lot in the last several years and is predicted to grow by up to 20% by 2027. 

The above information isn’t exhaustive; there’s a lot more involved in starting a business than what’s here. But what is here should give you a brief idea of what’s needed and potentially spark a few ideas to help you start an online fitness business. 

Request a demo now to find out how PerfectGym can support you on your quest of starting an online fitness business.

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How To Run An Online Fitness Business in 6 Steps

Dec 12, 2022

✍️ Author: Sinead O'Connor

The fitness industry is booming, but to succeed in today’s market, you need to offer online classes. Get started on the path to success with these 6 steps on how to run an online fitness business.

Whether you’re a virtual fitness coach, yoga trainer, pilates instructor, or gym owner, you need to develop an online course to attract new members and grow your business. Online workouts are increasingly popular, and with today’s technology, it’s easier than ever to bridge the gap and reach your online audiences.

Take your fitness classes online with the  all-in-one software for personal trainers  from OfferingTree. 

Current Online Fitness Business Trends

Starting an online fitness business is a great way to make use of the fitness technology your members may already be using. Wearable fitness trackers have been trending upward and becoming increasingly advanced since step counters first came on the scene. You can easily incorporate this technology into your fitness tracking platform to provide an in-depth look at the health and wellness of your members.

The current trends we see in online personal training platforms make use of the abundance of tech around us to create tailored programs to match any training level and fitness goal. According to a  worldwide survey of fitness trends  by the American College of Sports Medicine, here are the top online fitness trends to consider when you’re starting an online personal training business.

• Online live and on-demand exercise classes: One of the direct results of COVID-19 was the closure of fitness clubs around the world, which forced trainers to adapt and move their courses to an online space. The adaption of group and individual courses into on-demand or live videos is a trend that won’t leave us anytime soon.
• Online personal training:  One-on-one fitness instruction is still in demand as much as it was before the move to online courses. Many still prefer the personalized fitness regimen they receive through prerecorded or live instruction.
• Mobile exercise apps:  Mobile apps can include audio and visual cues to tell users how to do an exercise and for how long. Many also have the ability to track progress over time, along with dozens of other useful functionalities.
• Wearable technology:  Wearable fitness tech has been a popular trend since the dawn of the step counters. Today’s tech can also track heart rate, body temperature, calories, and so much more. They can also be useful in studying your sleep, blood pressure, and oxygen levels for those looking to boost their overall health and wellness.

How To Start An Online Fitness Business

Starting a fitness business, whether online or in person, is no small feat, but if you have the passion and drive to see your goals through, there is nothing you can’t accomplish. Before you start researching how to start a fitness business, you need to know what kind of fitness business you want to start.

The journey begins with finding your passion. From there, you can build a business plan and marketing strategy around what you offer. Finding your fitness niche can be challenging, but once you have that, we make creating a website and  selling your courses  a breeze with our all-in-one online fitness software. Get started on your healthiest path with this 6-step guide on how to start a fitness business online.

Find Fitness Niche

Write a business plan, establish the format of fitness being sold, determine marketing strategies, create fitness website or social accounts.

Finding your fitness niche  is an important first step because learning how to run a fitness business will change depending on the type of classes you’re offering. Popular specialty areas are yoga, high-intensity training, weight lifting, dance, and pilates, but there is always room for something more unique.

In fact, the more specialized you can be, the better you’ll be able to target your specific audience. Take yoga, for instance. It can vary widely in difficulty and form, which leaves the door open for specialties like yoga for seniors or pre and postnatal yoga. Discover the fitness niche you’re most passionate about, and become the go-to expert trainer in your area for that fitness niche.

The foundation of any successful business is a  strong business plan.  The more detail and research you put into creating your business plan, the easier it will be to make tough decisions down the road. The only way to answer the question, “Can I run a personal training business from home?” is to create a business plan and determine the level of funding and equipment you need. When laying out your plan, be sure it covers these 6 key areas of your business.

• Personal goals and milestones
• A competitive analysis
• Unique selling points
• Marketing strategy
• Projected sales and growth
• Challenges and risk factors

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Online fitness classes come in all shapes and sizes, but before you set out to create your own, you need to know which format is best for your specific coaching style. You also need to know what people are looking for in online fitness classes . If you’re looking into how to start as an online personal trainer, you might focus on one-on-one sessions through video calls so you can provide personalized instruction and feedback.

Group classes can be conducted either through live streams or pre-recorded videos. Live streams are often more motivating for potential customers who have a hard time starting their workouts on their own. Pre-recorded classes offer clients the ability to pick and choose the time and intensity of their workouts to better fit their lifestyles. The format you choose can be a major factor for recruitment, so it’s often best to offer a mix of available options.

The best software for your personal training business is here:  Try it now for free.

Once you’ve found your niche, established your business plan, and determined how you will format your content, you should have a good idea of who your audience is and how you might reach them. Understanding your target audience is key to developing an effective marketing strategy.

When you know your audience, you should consider whether they are the type that finds their fitness inspiration through social media, written blogs, paid ads, or word of mouth. Use this information to build your online presence around to ensure your marketing efforts are not wasted on people who won’t engage with your content.

Creating a website for your fitness business is vital for recruitment, managing memberships, processing payments, setting schedules, and so much more. We know that web development may not be the forte of every yoga teacher or personal trainer. These days, establishing an online presence is just another part of becoming a successful yoga teacher . Luckily, there are lots of helpful tools out there to simplify the process.

That’s why we’ve created the simplest all-in-one software solution for your fitness business.

By now you know that learning how to start an online personal training business requires a great deal of work before you get to designing the website. Our goal is to make this last step the easiest, so you can put your plan into action and start virtual training today. Once your website is up and running, you can link it to your social accounts and start recruiting your very first class.

Discover  what people look for in online fitness classes  and how to reach them with OfferingTree. 

Setting prices can be one of the most difficult aspects of how to start an online fitness coaching business. Set the price too low, and you may lose members when you need to raise it. Set it too high, and you’ll struggle to gain members in the first place. The price of your classes should reflect your experience, credentials, and the type of service you provide.

It’s important to note that online trainers typically make less than in-person trainers, but with a bigger potential audience to reach, you could mitigate the difference. If you conduct in-person sessions as well as online classes, consider charging 20% less for your online courses. This can help you bring in new train clients and convert existing ones to a format that better fits both of your schedules.

How To Run An Online Fitness Business

Establishing your business online is the hard part, but now comes the big payoff where you can create lesson plans and improve the health and wellness of your members. Step one is  creating the best online studio space , whether that’s in your home or at your in-person fitness center.

Once you have your space, you can schedule classes, manage members, and promote your services all through OfferingTree’s unique software. Get your fitness business up and running with these 6 fundamental steps.

Plan And Create Fitness Content

Schedule classes, 1-on-1s, or content creation, manage member retention & experience, promote on social media, consider doing in-person events, account for taxes.

Whether your dream is to live stream fitness classes or pre-record content and add some additional graphics, both are going to require some creativity and video production skills. Video editing software can be found for free from quite a few companies, with premium services available for a small fee.

Live streaming requires less technical expertise, simply establishing a wide shot to cover all poses and marking off the edges of your frame on the floor. With either method of content delivery, you need to find a  quality microphone for your classes  so your members can hear your instruction loud and clear.

Creating a schedule that allows you to fill your day with one-on-one or live classes will take some time, as everybody’s allotted time window for workouts is different. You can use the downtime between classes to work on your future content or create videos for the on-demand portion of your online offerings.

The important thing is to keep creating, whether that’s by expanding your selection of fitness classes or introducing nutritional planning to your one-on-ones. If you keep expanding your services, you’ll soon find the perfect equilibrium between what you can offer and what your members need. Starting an online fitness business is not an exact science, so take some time to dial in your sessions based on client feedback and popular training hours.

Manage your schedules, memberships, live classes, and more, all within OfferingTree’s unique  online fitness software . 

Once you’ve gained a following, you want them to keep coming back and spreading the word about your fitness courses. Managing your memberships is about more than processing payments. You need to stay updated on their experience and listen to their feedback.

You can do this by following up each class with a brief survey asking how difficult or rewarding they felt the day’s workout went. You don’t need to change your whole approach to the course, but listening to clients and catering to their needs will go a long way in retaining members and building your base.

Social media marketing is a key asset in member recruitment and retention. You should use it to promote interesting content in your fitness niche, whether that’s clips of your class, client testimonials, or exercise tips and tricks. Encouraging your members to share their own experiences with your social pages is another great way to build a community around your fitness business.

Deciding where and how to promote yourself on social media will depend on what you have determined to be your target audience. If your audience is younger than 30, your best avenues may be Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. If you are trying to reach an older audience, it’s best to focus your efforts on Facebook and Twitter.

If you’re just starting out in the fitness business and only offering online classes, you may want to consider putting on a live in-person demo of your coursework. It’s a great way to spread the word about your classes and get engaged with the local fitness community.

If you’ve never done an in-person class, there is no need to be nervous, as many of the same  tips for teaching online  are true in a studio setting as well. Reach out to local fitness studios to discuss the possibility of collaborating on a class. If there’s a niche in the market that you’re able to fill in for them, it can be beneficial for both parties in attracting new members to the program.

Knowing how much to set aside for taxes is difficult for any new business, especially at-home start-ups. As a general rule for small businesses, it’s smart to set aside 30-40% of what you earn to cover both federal and state taxes. However, that amount can be halved for self-employed persons depending on where you live.

Take some of the stress out of doing your taxes with the comprehensive analytics tools available with OfferingTree. We help you track payments, membership revenue, and registration data so you know where your money is coming from and how much you need to save. If you have any questions come tax season, we have an experienced support team to help you pour through the data.

Run Your Online Fitness Business Using OfferingTree’s All-In-One Software

Whether you’re looking to grow your fitness empire or just looking to provide one-on-one physical therapy to your core group, OfferingTree has the power to get your fitness business up and running in no time. With  our comprehensive software , you don’t need to be a web wizard to take your business online. Simply create your site from one of our templates, set your schedule, and get the word out. Your fitness career is closer than it seems.  Start your free trial today  to see how quickly OfferingTree can put you in the driver’s seat of your future online fitness business.

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How to start an online fitness business.

In the fast-paced world we live in, fitness professionals like you have a unique chance to take your passion online. The fitness industry is a tough arena, no doubt about it. Competition is fierce, and standing out requires a fresh approach and strategic business planning. That’s where the digital landscape comes into play.

Starting an online fitness business isn’t just a trend; it’s a strategic move to broaden your horizons. Imagine the boundless connections you can forge as you reach individuals across continents, defying the physical constraints of your local gym. Your reach is no longer confined by geographical borders; instead, it spans cultures, time zones, and diverse walks of life. You become a beacon of inspiration and guidance, helping people achieve their fitness goals regardless of where they are in the world. It’s a chance to shape lives, not only within the four walls of a gym but across the vast expanse of the digital universe.

In this post, I’m going to walk you aspiring online personal trainers through the nitty-gritty of how to start an online coaching business . We’ll cover everything, from crafting compelling content to making the most of social media. If you’ve ever dreamt of taking your fitness expertise beyond your gym’s walls, reaching a global audience, and embracing the challenges of the online world, then you’re in the right place. Let’s roll up our sleeves and delve into the world of online fitness business models together. Your journey to building a thriving digital fitness empire starts now.

Embarking on the journey of how to become an online fitness coach opens up a world of opportunities to inspire, guide, and transform lives in the digital age. Here are all the steps you need for a seamless entry into the world of online fitness:

Step 1: Choose Your Niche

The foundation of any successful online fitness business model lies in finding your niche – that unique corner of the fitness world where your expertise shines brightest. Whether it’s yoga, high-intensity interval training programs, nutrition, or something entirely innovative, pinpointing your niche as an online personal trainer is crucial. It sets the tone for your entire venture and helps you stand out in the crowded digital space.

Tip: Don’t rush this step. Reflect on your passions and strengths. Consider what resonates with you and aligns with your target audience’s needs.

Step 2: Determine Your Target Audience

Your online personal training program needs a North Star – a specific audience you want to serve. Are you catering to busy professionals seeking quick workouts? Or perhaps moms looking for prenatal exercises? Defining your ideal clients sharpens your messaging for your potential customers and ensures your content speaks directly to those who matter most.

Tip: It’s a good idea to conduct thorough research to understand your potential customers’ pain points, preferences, and goals. This insight will shape your content and marketing strategy.

Step 3: Craft a Business Plan

Before you dive headfirst, crafting a solid business plan is essential. Outline your goals, revenue streams, expenses, and marketing tactics. Having a roadmap not only keeps you on track but also demonstrates your commitment to potential investors or collaborators.

Tip: Be realistic in your projections and leave room for adjustments as you navigate the dynamic online fitness landscape.

Step 4: Build a Website for Your Training Services

As an online fitness professional, your digital storefront is your website. It’s where your audience gets a good idea about you and your training services, accesses your content, and potentially becomes paying clients. A user-friendly, visually appealing website is a non-negotiable. Include clear navigation, engaging visuals, and a seamless user experience.

Tip: Consider platforms like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace for easy website creation. Don’t forget to optimize for mobile users – they’re a significant portion of your audience.

Step 5: Dynamic Online Fitness Classes

Craft engaging classes—live or recorded—tailored to various fitness levels and goals. Ensure clear video and audio quality, give concise instructions, offer modifications, and use motivating music. Build a diverse library, encourage interaction with participants, and seek feedback for continuous improvement. Your online fitness classes will be the core of your business, attracting and retaining clients while showcasing your expertise in the digital fitness landscape.

Step 6: Source Equipment and Tools

Depending on your fitness niche, you might need specific equipment or tools for your online workouts or tutorials. Research, compare prices, and invest in high-quality items that enhance your content and ensure a professional experience for your online clients.

Tip: Start small and expand as your business grows. Don’t let equipment costs become a barrier to entry.

Step 7: Establish Pricing and Payment Methods

Determining how you’ll charge for your services and products is a critical step. Research competitors’ pricing and consider your value proposition. Set clear pricing tiers for different offerings, whether it’s monthly subscriptions, one-time purchases, or bundled packages. Additionally, set up secure and convenient payment methods for your clients.

Tip: Offer flexible payment options and clearly communicate the value your clients will receive from each pricing tier.

Step 8: Create Compelling Content

Content is king in the online realm. Regularly produce high-quality videos, articles, or tutorials that resonate with your target audience. These videos should shouwcase your expertise while letting your personality shine through.  The goal is to build a genuine connection with your ideal clients through any content you create. .

Tip: Consistency is key. Develop a content calendar and stick to it.  Each piece of content you create should focus on one of your audience’s pain points and show how your program or service can provide the solution.

Step 9: Marketing Your Business

Even the best content needs a marketing push. Utilize social media marketing, digital marketing, and search engine optimization to increase your online visibility. Social media marketing is a powerful tools for connecting with your audience and spreading the word about your online fitness business. Engage with your audience, respond to comments, and create shareable content. Optimize your website and content for search engines to improve your online visibility. Keyword research can help to identify relevant terms your target audience is searching for. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your website content, blog posts, and workout video descriptions to improve your digital marketing efforts.

Tip: Experiment with different marketing channels to find what works best for your audience. Don’t underestimate the power of storytelling in your marketing your business.

Step 10: Build Relationships and Community

Foster a sense of community around your online fitness business. Engage with your audience, host live Q&A sessions, and encourage discussions. A strong community not only enhances you online client loyalty but can also serve as a valuable feedback source.

Tip: Be authentic in your interactions. Show your personality and genuinely care about your audience’s progress and well-being.

Step 11: Monitor Analytics and Adjust

Once your online fitness business is up and running, it’s crucial to continuously monitor your analytics. Keep an eye on website traffic, social media engagement, conversion rates, and more. Use these insights to make data-driven decisions and adjust your strategies as needed to optimize your business’s performance.

Tip: Set up Google Analytics or other tracking tools to gather comprehensive data about your audience’s behavior and preferences.

Step 12: Stay Updated and Innovate

The digital landscape is ever-changing, especially in the fitness industry. Stay updated on industry trends, new technologies, and emerging platforms. Embrace innovation and be willing to adapt your business model as the online fitness space evolves.

Tip: Attend webinars, conferences, and workshops to stay informed about the latest advancements in online fitness and entrepreneurship.

Step 13: Offer Exceptional Customer Support

Excellent customer support can set you apart from the competition. Provide timely and helpful responses to customer inquiries and feedback. Building a reputation for exceptional service can lead to loyal clients who spread the word about your online fitness business.

Tip: Consider using customer relationship management (CRM) tools to manage interactions and maintain strong relationships with your clients.

Embarking on your journey into the world of online fitness requires dedication and strategic business planning. Remember, it’s a dynamic process – stay adaptable and open to learning as you navigate this exciting digital landscape. Your commitment, combined with these actionable steps, will propel you toward success in the online fitness industry.

As you venture into the realm of becoming an online fitness coach, remember that the path you’re on is not only about workouts and wellness—it’s about building a thriving online community, fostering connections, and making a lasting impact. While the road ahead may present its challenges, your dedication and passion will fuel your success. And speaking of a strong foundation, don’t forget to grab a seat for my free legal webinar where we’ll delve into essential legal aspects for entrepreneurs like you. So, are you ready to take the plunge and carve your unique space in the digital fitness arena? What innovative twist will you bring to the world of online fitness coaching?

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How to Start a Virtual Fitness Business

Tips for Running a Successful Online Fitness Company

FG Trade / Getty Images

• Small Business
• Online Business
• Home Business
• Entrepreneurship
• Operations & Success

Decide on Your Virtual Fitness Model

Get the right fitness equipment and tech, set up your training space, protect your clients and your business, prepare to run your business.

Ella Ames is a freelance writer and editor with a focus on personal finance and small business topics such startups, business financing, and entrepreneurship. She has a background in business journalism and her work has appeared not only on The Balance, but LendingTree, ValuePenguin, EE Times, PolicyMe, AllBusiness.com, and more.

As awareness of the importance of health and wellness increases, the fitness industry continues to grow and gain popularity. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook anticipates 15% job growth by 2029 for fitness trainers and instructors—much faster than the average occupational growth rate.

The pandemic has disrupted much of the traditional fitness industry, causing personal trainers and owners of fitness-related businesses to start offering many of their services virtually.

Running a fitness business remotely offers many advantages: You’ll have access to a broader potential customer base, clients won’t have to pay a gym membership for your services, and there are plenty of passive income opportunities.

In this article we’ll provide tips on how to start a fitness business online or pivot an existing business to work with clients remotely. 

The virtual fitness realm offers a wide range of opportunities in a variety of formats. You can pick the method that suits your business model, or combine a few different setups to allow clients to choose the style and price point that works best for them.

Potential ways to structure your virtual fitness business include:

• Offer one-on-one personal training, where you coach a client as they work out, often through a video call. The sessions are typically personalized to help the client work toward their goals.
• Lead livestream “group” classes, where multiple clients can follow along at once. 
• Create a workout routine (often as a PDF) that customers can access after purchasing. These programs are usually non-personalized, and are often written for a target audience such as pregnant women or older adults.
• Offer pre-recorded workout videos that clients can watch and follow by paying a regular membership fee.  
• Combine any of the above training methods. Maybe offer a package of livestream group classes with access to your video library of pre-recorded workout videos, or bundle a PDF of workout routines with a monthly personal training session.

When deciding on the ideal structure for your business, consider your goals and the scalability of your model. Some formats will lead to more passive income than others, but they may require a larger or more regular time commitment. For example, creating a PDF template of workouts requires no client interaction, but it will take lots of online marketing to get customers to purchase the product. 

Be creative with the variations you offer, and find ways to get the most out of your efforts—maybe record your livestream classes and upload them on your platform for access with a membership fee. Depending on your qualifications and interests, consider providing additional coaching services such as nutritional programs, online assessments, healthy lifestyle education, and accountability check-ins via phone, email, or text.

If parts of your program don’t involve direct supervision, it can be helpful to give clients access to videos explaining proper form and technique, so they can learn how to perform the exercises safely.

You don’t need to invest too much money to start. As long as you have the basic equipment, you can upgrade your tools as needed along the way.

A fast, reliable internet connection is one of the most important things you need for a virtual fitness coaching business. A WiFi booster can help ensure a good experience. 

You’ll need a camera to record yourself while demonstrating exercises and watching clients —this may be as simple as using a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. You’ll also want to have a second device to help you time and keep track of a client’s workout details, like how many reps they complete. 

You don’t need to use sophisticated software for your fitness business—email and tools like Google Drive are free and effective. If you decide to use software, choose options that will save you time and can accommodate your future needs as you grow your business. Many companies offer free trials so you can test out different products to find the best fit. 

Your clients will have access to different types and amounts of workout equipment, so take this into consideration when designing workouts. If you’re making a general workout template, keep the necessary equipment relatively simple. It’s a good idea for clients have a set of light, medium, and heavy dumbbells. The National Academy of Sports Medicine also recommends other basic equipment for personal trainers, including:  

• A large exercise ball
• A BOSU ball
• A slam ball
• A medicine ball
• Resistance bands
• Kettlebells

Using brightly colored equipment during training sessions can make it easier for clients to see your movements and follow along over video.  

Having a designated training area will help you to feel and look more professional. When choosing your workout space, ask yourself: 

• Is there room to easily demonstrate the exercises, and enough space between you and the camera for clients to see your movements?
• How is the lighting in your space? Good lighting is important so clients can see you performing the workout and can help you look more professional. If you’re relying on natural lighting, make sure the light is bright enough at different times of day.
• What does your background look like? Clients will see this when they’re watching you on the screen.
• Is there enough space to store your workout equipment? You don’t want to have to leave the space to get something during a session. 
• Will you be interrupted? Kids, pets, and other distractions can seem unprofessional if they interrupt your client’s time.
• Is it quiet, or are there outside noises? If you’re playing music during your sessions, remember that it could come across as choppy for a client, make it hard for them to hear your instructions, or clash with their own music. 

After you set up your training space, host a remote trial class with a friend or family member to iron out any potential issues. Familiarize yourself with what things look like from your client’s point of view.

Keeping accurate and updated information about your clients and their progress helps protect them as well as your business.

Keep a file on each client with relevant personal information such as their contact info, their address (in case you have to call 911 for them during a session), and an emergency contact. It can also be helpful to keep a list of what fitness equipment they own so you can plan your workouts accordingly.

Necessary legal forms include a liability release, a safety waiver, and a contractual agreement that explains your policies (cancellation policy, late fees, etc.). It’s also a good idea to have clients fill out a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) to identify possible exercise-related risks based on their health history. 

When setting up your remote fitness business, you’ll want to make sure you have a detailed business plan, organized bookkeeping and accounting systems, effective marketing strategies, and access to small business resources.

Curious about setting your rates for virtual coaching sessions? How much to charge depends on your level of experience, your clientele, and the value that you create for them.

Typical pricing for one-on-one virtual training can range from $100 to $500 a month.   PayScale lists average personal trainer pay at $19.35 hourly, with rates varying from $11 to $51 an hour.   Virtual coaching sessions usually cost 20% to 25% less than an in-person training session.   

Whatever pricing you choose, be consistent with your rates, charge all your clients the same amount across the board, and don’t undervalue your worth and skills.

A Fit Pro’s Guide: How to Start a Fitness Business

James Breese

Welcome to my in-depth guide on how to start a fitness business. This is where theory meets practicality amidst the chaotic journey of building a fitness business. 

This guide is the companion I wish I had during my initial days as a personal trainer—revealing insights that personal training courses just don’t cover, and often miss.

If you’ve read the previous chapter,  “The Five Stages of Fitness Business Growth” , you’ll recall the five stages of fitness business growth that compartmentalized our journey into five pivotal stages:

• Stage I:  White Belt < $2,500/month
• Stage II:  Blue Belt < $5,000/month
• Stage III:  Purple Belt < $15,000/month
• Stage IV:  Brown Belt < $25,000/month
• Stage V:  Black Belt < $50,000/month

In this chapter, I’ll dive deep into actionable steps suitable for White Belts, and more advanced businesses who haven’t got the basics in place setting them up to scale.

At  Stage I: White Belt , we’re embracing a world of possibilities, it’s a blank canvas. However, we need to lay some groundwork to set us up for the choppy waters ahead.  

From initial training, online launch, client management, and key marketing activities, I’ll explore every facet, enabling you to consistently earn over $2,500/month, propelling you out of White Belt and into Blue Belt as fast as possible.

Prioritizing practicality, I want to help you survive the early challenges of growing a fitness business and prepare you for the wild rapids you’ll encounter later in your journey. 

This guide is not just about keeping your fitness business afloat; it’s about teaching you to navigate these wild waters of fitness business ownership skillfully, ensuring a successful career and a profound impact on your clients.

Table of Contents

Training and qualifications: expertise without breaking the bank.

Starting a fitness business shouldn’t immediately plunge you into debt. While the fitness industry opens its doors wide for newcomers, strategically choosing where and how to invest in your training and qualifications becomes pivotal.

The allure of achieving advanced certifications, like a Level 4, might look appealing, promising a perceived level of expertise in the industry. But your clients, those individuals whose lives you’ll be transforming, will rarely, if ever, inquire about your certifications. 

It’s not about collecting accolades for display, but about equipping yourself with practical skills and knowledge that directly impact your clients and business.

What genuinely matters – practical training that’s going to directly influence your day-to-day interactions with clients and steer your business forward. 

So, after achieving your very first personal training qualification I’d recommend the following three courses that cover most areas trainers need help with; Practical training advice, movement assessments, and nutrition.

I’d suggest:

• Mike Boyle’s Certified Functional Strength Coach Certification
• FMS Level 1, by the team at Functional Movement Systems
• Precision Nutrition’s Level 1 Nutrition Certification.

These courses are not just badges of honor but are practical toolkits that arm you with tangible skills and applicable knowledge, propelling you to deliver results that matter to your clientele and consequently, your growing business.

I’d also recommend our Hybrid Coaching Program to put it all together, but I’ll save that for another time.

Channel Your Energy Towards Actions that Generate Revenue

I get it, at the start of your career, you’re excited. You want to learn about everything and you feel the allure of collecting certifications, thinking they’ll be a magnet for clients.

However, this common misstep not only drains your resources but also diverts your focus from a paramount initial target:  acquiring your first 10 clients.

While continual learning remains integral to your development as a fitness professional, it’s essential to judiciously manage your investments in further education. 

Initially, let the courses you’ve taken and the knowledge you’ve amassed fuel your first interactions with clients.

Drive your business forward by pivoting your focus towards actions that generate revenue and lay a robust financial foundation for your fitness business.

The key? Balance. 

Once you’ve established a steady stream of income and have maneuvered through the initial challenges of client acquisition and retention, then – and only then – should you contemplate furthering your education. 

This ensures that your pursuit of additional certifications or courses is a strategic investment, not a financial strain or a premature quest for industry recognition.

In the White Belt phase, the focus isn’t on parading numerous certifications, but rather on strategically amassing and applying practical knowledge, establishing a stable financial footing, and directing your initial investments toward actions that directly grow your client base and revenue.

Remember, as you acquire your first 10 clients, it’s not the quantity of your certifications, but the quality and applicability of your knowledge and skills that position your business.

Start a Fitness Business by Creating a Professional Framework

With your training and certifications now under your belt, it’s time to pivot from acquiring knowledge to applying it, transitioning from theoretical frameworks to the tangible, practical building of your fitness business. 

Laying a strong, strategic foundation in this White Belt stage is absolutely pivotal to long-term survival. Your business acumen and strategic planning will become the sturdy ground upon which your practical knowledge will shine, lighting a path not just for your business, but for every life you’ll touch and transform through your knowledge.

Step 1: Build a Website

Your website stands for your digital handshake—a pivotal, yet often underestimated, first encounter with prospective clients.

Strangely enough, fitness professionals either neglect this aspect or execute it terribly. This oversight signals that, while the competition may be abundant, the website space for personal trainers and fit pros is not, meaning it’s ripe for you to take advantage.

Creating a compelling, professional website gives you a significant advantage, and you gain a definitive edge. Your website isn’t merely a platform—it’s the embodiment of your ethos, reflecting your expertise and the transformative experiences you offer to your clientele. 

It’s the first place clients will go to learn more about you after a recommendation, or something they’ve seen on social media.

Get a Professional Email Address

You must establish your unique digital identity with a clear domain name, a professional email (avoid generic domains like @gmail), and efficient communication tools like MailChimp.

But it’s more than just owning an aesthetically pleasing website. By building your website as soon as possible, you magnify your domain authority from the onset, becoming a key player in Google’s coveted ranking algorithm.

It’s a strategy that certifies your digital space as a position of reliability, professionalism, and ease of interaction, mirroring the qualities of your physical services.

When meticulously crafted and thoughtfully created, your website transforms from a simple presentation to a potent magnet, continuously attracting clients and ensuring you aren’t chasing after them; they find you, trust you, and amidst the bustling, chaotic digital fitness arena, choose you.

Your website needs to be that firm, unyielding handshake that doesn’t merely greet but beckons prospective clients, positioning you as their chosen fitness professional on their fitness journey.

Key Takeaways:

• Invest in a Professional Website:  Make a memorable first impression. 
• Secure a Memorable Domain Name:  Stand out from the crowd. 
• Adopt a Professional Email Address:  Enhance your credibility. 
• Choose a Robust Email Service:  Efficiently communicate with clients and prospects.

Step 2: Smart Social Media Use

The secret to social media isn’t to cast a wide, random net but to create a path of impactful, laser-focused visibility. 

While the urge to post everywhere on social media might compel you, consider this: What value is visibility if it doesn’t translate into connection, community, and ultimately, clientele?

Start with one Social Media Channel

So, how do you navigate these digital waters without becoming lost in the vast ocean of online noise?

Choose Your Social Platform

Identify and focus on the platform most frequented by your target audience. It’s not about your message but also about who is tuning in. Understand their challenges and aspirations to craft content that truly resonates with their needs. This shapes a content strategy that doesn’t just speak to them but echoes their inner narratives.

Weave a Narrative

Your content needs to be more than information; it becomes a narrative where their goals and your expertise come together. Here, you transition from a service to a journey companion, guiding, motivating, and cheering every step along their path.

Cultivate a Community

Within this digital platform, it isn’t only about fitness. It should never be. It’s about nurturing a community, a sanctuary where expertise and support intertwin. It’s not just about likes and followers, but creating loyal, passionate followers for your brand and services.

Engage and Evolve

Engage deeply with your audience. Hear their stories, understand their problems, and celebrate their wins. Just bear in mind that your social media transcends a marketing tool. It becomes a realm of connection, shared journeys, and conveying your professional persona. 

• Secure Your Brand:  Consistency is key; ensure your brand is represented uniformly.
• Choose Wisely:  Prioritize platforms that align with your audience’s preferences.
• Craft Your Story:  Connect deeply by creating relatable and inspiring content.
• Build a Community:  Engage actively to transform followers into active community members.
• Professional Persona : Always prioritize your expertise and credibility over mere popularity.

Through these strategies, your social media becomes not just into a tool but a refuge, a space where professional expertise and personal journeys interweave, crafting not merely a clientele but a community, steadfastly rooted in shared aspirations, tales, and triumphs. 

Step 3: Create Your Client Avatar 

If you want to start a fitness business, knowing your client is paramount. A ‘client avatar’ isn’t just a business term; it’s a comprehensive representation of your ideal client. Specificity will become your strongest ally. 

The oft-repeated adage, “If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one,” underscores a pivotal truth in the need for client avatars.

Crafting your client avatar isn’t a mere administrative step; it’s an empathetic journey into the hearts and lives of those you aim to serve, ensuring your services are not merely seen but deeply felt and embraced.

The allure to appeal to everyone, to cast a wide net in hopes of capturing a wider clientele, seems intuitively beneficial. But alas, this strategy dilutes your message and expertise. 

Consider our coaching client,  Simon Bradbrook, who crystallized his focus on busy parents aged 40 and above.

This specificity doesn’t just define his target; it intricately weaves his services, and his personality into the very fabric of their daily lives, challenges, and aspirations, making his offerings not just suitable but deeply resonant.

When trying to build out your client avatar, here’s a few things you need to consider when doing so:

Authentic Messaging

  Your avatar should genuinely represent real individuals with dreams, struggles, and aspirations.   Dive deep into their worlds, ensuring your services become a beacon of change and positivity in their tangible realities.

Embrace Their Challenges

  Understand their daily responsibilities, professional struggles, and self-care needs. Your services and communication should embrace and provide solutions for the unique challenges your avatar faces.

Mirroring Their World in Yours

 Share your story, who you are, what you do, what you like doing, and the things you love to do away from the gym. If you’re a Star Wars geek, show it. Like, attract like. Make sure this comes across.

Relatability

 In a sea of generic fitness offerings, your deeply rooted understanding of your client avatar allows your business to shine as a beacon of relatability, authenticity, and tailored solutions.

Key Takeaways 

• Intimate Understanding:  Know your clients beyond the surface level, embracing their worlds, dreams, and challenges in your offerings.
• Personalized Strategy:  Ensure every business move, communication, and offering echoes the unique needs and aspirations of your client avatar.
• Empathy Meets Business:  Transition your empathetic understanding into tangible, intelligent, and emotionally resonant strategies and offerings.
• Make It Front and Center:  Call out your client avatar, front and center of everything that you do, and most importantly the hero section of your website’s main page.
• Operational Strategy:  A clear client avatar helps streamline your marketing efforts, content creation, and service customization, ensuring your business moves align perfectly with your target audience’s preferences and needs.

Your client avatar needs to be at the heart of your business, pumping life, relevance, and resonance into everything that you do.

It ensures that you’re not like any other business but one that thrives, touches lives, fosters real change, and carves out a space where your expertise meets and changes the lives of your clientele. 

Client avatars will change over time, and that’s okay, however, if you want to stand out, actively attract the people you want to work with, become a magnet to them, and repel the ones you don’t.

Step 4: Pricing and Packaging 

Most personal trainers don’t have a system of pricing and packaging when they start a fitness business. They simply copy what the trainer next to them charges and hope for the best. That is a recipe for disaster on so many different levels.

Your pricing must reflect the tangible and intrinsic value you extend to your clients, and your prices need to transparently communicate your brand’s perceived value in the market.

Cheap attracts cheap. If that’s you, then that’s okay, but if you offer a premium service for a discounted price, this will never work. You need to adopt a stance of clear and honest pricing that is targeted at the right clientele. 

This will play a pivotal role in safeguarding trust and facilitating a smooth decision-making journey for your clients. This clarity enables them to seamlessly discern, relate to, and opt for your offerings without a moment of hesitancy or confusion. 

A Framework to Price and Package Your Services

Pricing and packaging is a hot topic, and confusing for most people starting out in fitness industry. It can often present a winding path of complexities. So, let’s explore the exact pricing structure we use currently at Strength Matters and save you all the time mistakes we made along the way getting here.

We believe in Hybrid Training. This is our exact pricing model.

When it comes to pricing, we recommend having two fees:

• A monthly rate for the coaching program
• A separate fee for each in-person session

Always think of the in-person sessions as an upsell. It’s like the McDonald’s “Would you like fries with that?”

You start by determining your monthly pricing rate for online coaching. I recommend combining training, lifestyle, and nutrition in one package. 

If clients choose not to take you up on all the options, the onus is on them. We find not everyone wants nutrition coaching, but it’s on offer for when they’re ready or willing to take it on board.

Pricing varies here, but what we see is that the  most successful coaches charge between $199 and $499 per month  for this option. 

At Strength Matters,  we have found $299 to be our optimal spot in terms of client longevity and lifetime value , but only you can decide what works best for you as it depends on the market you’re going after.

Just remember, there’s no money in being the cheapest trainer in town, and it’s a race to the bottom if you go below these suggested prices.

In terms of your in-person sessions, this is your bolt-on package if people decide they want to work in person with you. The best way to think of this is in monthly offerings. The way we find works best at Strength Matters are the following three options:

• Once per week
• Twice per week
• Three times per week

Most people choose the once-per-week option when they opt for hybrid coaching, with the rest going them going for the twice –per week alternative.

Rarely do we get people choosing three times a week because time doesn’t allow for it. What it does do is offset the pricing of the other two options making them highly attractive offerings.

To determine the monthly rate, start with the number you charge for each in-person session. Let’s just say it’s $100, to make things simple. Once per week equates to four sessions a month; twice per week, eight sessions; and thrice per week, 12 sessions.

The once-per-week option is easy to calculate: We don’t discount and each session costs $100. As they move up in options, it works out that we provide “free” sessions. 

We never discount. The incentive is to get x number of free sessions so, for twice per week, they get two free sessions on us per month, and, for three times per week, that’s three free sessions a month.

Based on a $100 hourly rate for a session, it would look like this:

• Once per week = 4 sessions @ $400/month
• Twice per week = 8 sessions @ $800/month – 2 sessions = $600/month
• Three per week = 12 sessions @ $1200/month – 3 sessions = $900/month

Therefore, the formula for pricing and the formula we use at Strength Matters is:

Online Base Cost + In-Person Cost = Monthly Client Total

This also comes with a minimum three-month commitment and a full 30-day money-back guarantee for the online coaching component (not the in-person delivery). We back the quality of our training and services and put our money where our mouths are.

Assuming a new client decides to work with us both in person and online and chooses the twice-per-week in-person hybrid coaching option, it would look like this:

$299 + $600 = $899/month

There is one other option we provide, but we do try to avoid it unless it becomes appropriate, and that is block session bookings. Sometimes people just need 1 to 5 sessions to help with form or technique.

In these circumstances, we offer 5, 10, and 20-session packages in addition to the online coaching. We build these out in a similar fashion to the monthly in-person pricing options, which looks like this (assuming you charge $100 per session):

• 5 sessions @ $100 = $500
• 10 sessions @$100 – 2 sessions = $800
• 20 sessions @100 – 4 sessions = $1600

This is another great option to help with cash flow but, overall, the key is to be flexible and adjust your pricing strategy based on the individual needs and demands of your clients. Just some food for thought and an insight into how we deliver our training and package our services at Strength Matters.

• Your pricing model should be a delicate blend of reflecting the tangible and intrinsic value you deliver and maintaining an appeal that attracts potential clients without deterring them due to cost.
• Your pricing strategy should also serve as a transparent messenger of your brand’s perceived value in the market.
• Combining various aspects of your service (training, lifestyle, and nutrition) into one comprehensive package allows clients the autonomy to engage with the aspects that resonate with them, with a pricing sweet spot often found around $299 per month.
• Offering structured options for in-person sessions and providing incentives, such as “free” sessions in higher-tier packages, can enhance perceived value and allure.
• The formula for structuring pricing can be visualized as Online Base Cost + In-Person Cost = Monthly Client Total, which allows for transparent and straightforward understanding for the client.
• Providing alternative options, such as block session bookings, caters to those clients who seek flexibility or sporadic assistance.
• It’s crucial to be adaptable and mold your pricing strategy to the nuanced needs and demands of your clients.

Striking a balance by integrating various service components into one package and enabling clients to engage per their comfort and need fortifies a client-centric approach. 

Furthermore, structuring in-person sessions, offering value-added incentives, and maintaining a stance of flexible adaptability assures that your service remains inclusive, accessible, and notably client-aligned. 

Thus, through strategic simplicity, a well-structured and thoughtful pricing strategy unfolds, underpinning not just the economic health of your business but also establishing a sturdy, value-driven relationship with your clientele. 

This, in the realms of hybrid personal training, translates into a sustainable business model where value-driven client relationships thrive amid well-structured economic viability.

Marketing Techniques for for Starting a Fitness Business

Starting your fitness marketing journey as a White Belt demands wise choices, especially when it comes to laying the bedrock for your marketing strategies. With a plethora of advice available, many experts may push expensive Facebook campaigns on you. That to us is advanced marketing techniques.

We believe that before advancing to “purple belt” techniques, it’s vital to grasp the “white belt” basics.

We believe it’s about laying a path that requires minimal financial investment, yet yields considerable results, akin to laying a strong foundation for a building. Like a skyscraper’s need for a solid foundation to withstand storms, your business demands a sturdy marketing base to outshine the competition.

By focusing on organic, almost cost-free strategies, you ensure that this foundation is not just sturdy, but also sustainable. Remember, in the world of marketing, it’s not always about how much you spend, but rather how wisely you invest.

Your primary focus? Google. Harness its immense power through organic growth and dominate the Google Map Pack.

Step 1: Leveraging Organic Growth, Google Maps and SEO:

The organic approach, though gradual, ensures resilience and longevity. This strategic approach to growth cultivates an authentic brand presence, establishing a foundation of genuine value, and trustworthiness, and in the long run will guarantee you an extra one to five clients each month like clockwork.

Here’s what you need to do:

Prerequisite: The Website:

Before diving deep into the nuances of organic growth and SEO, it’s imperative to highlight the cornerstone of your online presence: your website. As discussed earlier, a well-structured website serves as your digital storefront. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s the primary platform where potential clients learn about your services, ethos, and brand voice.

(If you want help with this, please contact us here)

Setting Up a Google Business Page:

Being locally visible starts with having a Google Business Page. This free tool allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. 

By verifying and editing your business information, you help customers find you and tell them your business story. The Google Business Page is the stepping stone to the Google Map Pack—the coveted trio of local businesses spotlighted on Google Maps. And here’s where reviews come into play.

The Power of Google Reviews

Google Reviews are the currency of credibility in today’s digital age. A positive review amplifies your brand’s reliability manifold. By fostering an environment where satisfied clients are encouraged to share their experiences, you’re building an online vault of authentic testimonials. 

But there’s another layer of potency to these reviews—they directly influence your SEO. Reviews bolster your website’s search engine ranking, making it more likely for potential clients to find you. 

The magic numbers to aim for? Initially, it’s about hitting that first landmark of 25 reviews as swiftly as possible. But don’t stop there. The goal is to gather 100 reviews, amplifying your credibility and boosting your SEO metrics. 

It’s these markers that signify intent to Google telling them that you’re a legitimate business to push your rankings higher.

Mastering Local SEO and Google Map Pack Appearance

Remember, when someone in your vicinity searches for the services you offer, your goal is to ensure your business stands front and center. Achieving a spot in the Google Map Pack ensures this heightened visibility.

Understanding Differentiating Search Intent

The visibility on Google cannot be stressed enough. Here’s why: Different digital platforms cater to various user intentions. When individuals use search engines, they’re usually on a mission – they have specific needs, like searching for “personal training near me.”

In contrast, social media primarily serves as a platform for leisure and entertainment. The key difference? On Google, you’re reaching users who aren’t just casually browsing – they have a clear, actionable intent. 

Thus, by optimizing your visibility on Google, you’re tapping into a demographic that’s not merely curious but is genuinely primed to engage.

Step 2: Harnessing Referrals

This is all about trust through association. The weight of a personal recommendation, especially in local businesses, is gold. When services are recommended by a known and trusted individual, their credibility and trust quotient automatically skyrocket.

Engaging Personal Networks

Every individual in your circle, whether family, friends, or acquaintances, can be a potential advocate for your business. Their personal relationship with you not only helps spread the word but also adds authenticity and trust to their recommendations. It’s not just about spreading the word, but having that word carry genuine weight because of their trust in you.

Building Relationships with Health Practitioners:

Another strategic avenue is to foster ties with fellow health practitioners nearby, such as physical therapists and chiropractors. Authentic engagement is key.

Instead of a simple introduction, consider experiencing their services first-hand. Booking a session, even without an immediate need, is a gesture of respect and acknowledgment. Such initiatives pave the way for genuine collaboration and trust-building.

It’s a gesture that speaks volumes about your integrity and genuine interest in collaborative growth. Over time, this can evolve into a mutually beneficial referral system. Yet, it’s crucial to approach this with patience. 

Building trust is a journey, not a one-off event. It’s about fostering a relationship where they not only understand what you offer but feel confident in recommending their patients to you.

Establishing a Rewarding Referral Program

While organic word-of-mouth has its charm, spicing it up with incentives can turbocharge your referrals. Design a program where both the person referring and the one being referred feel the added value. This dual-benefit system enhances your brand’s reach while recognizing and celebrating loyalty.

It’s not merely about offering a discount or a freebie; it’s about creating a system where both parties—the referrer and the referee—experience added value. It’s a symbiotic approach that amplifies the spread of your brand while rewarding loyalty and advocacy.

For instance, at Strength Matters, our referral program has a tiered reward system. The first referral earns a handwritten thank-you note coupled with a local coffee shop voucher. A second referral? They get a limited-edition Strength Matters mug. Of course, the reward should align with the client’s preferences; it’s a simple gesture but one that speaks volumes.

Step 3: Authentic Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

Strengthening your brand and expanding its influence often lies in the genuine relationships you build and the communities you become part of. True authenticity and the bond of shared values can work wonders for a business.

Strategic Collaborations:

By allying with businesses or individuals whose services complement yours, you open doors to mutual growth and benefits. For example, a personal trainer could join forces with a nearby nutritionist. Instead of just offering package deals, they could collaborate to host wellness seminars, blending both fitness and nutrition advice, and drawing in clientele from both fields.

Immersion in the Community:

Genuine immersion in a particular community can redefine your business approach. Take, for instance, my involvement with “Cricket Matters.” Here, I’m not merely a service provider but an integral member of the Welsh cricket community — from my roles in coaching at Cardiff to my contributions to the Wales Over 40’s and 50’s teams. 

This genuine involvement sparks organic discussions, establishes my authority, and bolsters my connection with fellow members. It’s not just about the services you offer; it’s about truly understanding, sharing, and being a part of their journey.

Actionable Insight:

Choose a community or niche where your passion and expertise align. Engage deeply, be active, and position yourself as a trusted figure. Being a genuine part of a community can lead to organic referrals, as members naturally gravitate towards those they trust and relate to.

Active Participation in Local Initiatives:

Engaging in local events or supporting causes dear to the community’s heart can significantly boost your brand’s resonance. Whether it’s organizing a charity fitness event, volunteering at local sports events, or contributing to community welfare activities, such initiatives do more than just promote your brand. They showcase your commitment and genuine care for the community you’re part of.

The overarching theme? Cultivate real connections, share mutual experiences, and emphasize mutual growth. These elements, combined, can foster trust, leading to a flourishing business.

This foundation of your marketing, though seemingly basic, is essential. These strategies provide the bedrock upon which all subsequent marketing tactics can be built. They create a resilient, evergreen approach that continues to prove its efficacy, even when combined with paid advertising down the line.

Laying the Evergreen Foundation for Marketing

The key lies in patience and vision. The immediate effects of organic growth may appear subtle compared to flashy paid promotions. However, their enduring benefits — from fostering brand loyalty and trust to heightening brand awareness — are second to none.

Think of it as planting a tree. Once its roots are firmly established, it remains steadfast and flourishes for years. Similarly, by laying a robust marketing foundation, you’re ensuring your business not only stands out but also prospers amid the ever-evolving marketplace.

As the saying goes, the optimal time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best? Today. In the same vein, there’s no moment more opportune than the present to embark on these foundational marketing strategies.

Starting a Fitness Business: Final Thoughts

If you want to start a fitness business, professionalism isn’t an option—it’s a mandate at every stage. It’s one of the most important lessons i’ve learned along my own fitness business journey. Each stage, from your website to pricing, isn’t merely a task to check off but a crucial step in professionalizing your fitness business. 

Your aim should be to seamlessly integrate your expertise with every client’s unique experience, going beyond mere functionality, and ensuring that every interaction, digital or personal, is steeped in professionalism, respect, and a clear understanding of their fitness aspirations.

When starting a fitness business, or being a White Belt, as we call it, is about solidifying a framework that not only supports your current operations but is robust enough to facilitate future growth, ensuring that your fitness business isn’t merely surviving but is strategically, empathetically, and professionally thriving.

Embrace professionalism as your guiding principle. It’s the biggest piece of advice I can give you. This commitment ensures your fitness business stands as a beacon of expertise, empathy, and impact in an ever-evolving industry.

And as you master these White Belt techniques, remember that they serve as your compass, directing your brand voice amidst the industry noise, and paving the way for organic growth and trust. 

It’s this meticulous synthesis of expertise, structure, and outreach that will ensure your fitness business isn’t merely a fleeting passion but a legacy of wellness, impact, and enduring success.

This is how I would start a fitness business today. I hope it helps you with yours.

Leave a comment down below if you have any other insights you’d like to share.

What Are the Initial Stages of Fitness Business Growth?

The fitness business growth journey can be compartmentalized into five pivotal stages:

Stage I: White Belt (< $2,500/month) Stage II: Blue Belt (< $5,000/month) Stage III: Purple Belt (< $15,000/month) Stage IV: Brown Belt (< $25,000/month) Stage V: Black Belt (< $50,000/month)

Each stage represents varying levels of business growth, with Stage I being the initial phase, focused on foundational steps and generating up to $2,500/month.

Why Are Training and Qualifications Important When Starting a Fitness Business?

Training and qualifications ensure that you are not only competent but also distinguished in the fitness field. It equips you with the necessary knowledge and expertise to offer valuable services to your clients. Moreover, with the right training, you can craft your expertise without undergoing significant financial burdens.

How Do Business Systems Contribute to a Successful Fitness Business?

Robust business systems foster operational excellence, enhancing the client experience. They provide a framework for streamlined processes, efficient client management, and scalability. Establishing solid business systems ensures that your fitness business operates smoothly, allowing you to focus on growth and client relationships.

What Are the Foundational Marketing Techniques for Someone at the White Belt Stage?

Foundational marketing techniques for White Belts focus on laying an evergreen strategy for brand visibility and organic growth. These techniques include leveraging organic growth via tools like Google Maps and SEO, harnessing the power of referrals, building partnerships within the community, and prioritizing local engagement. While these methods may not produce instant flashy results, they cultivate long-term brand loyalty, trust, and recognition.

Is a Fitness Business Profitable?

Yes, a fitness business can be profitable, especially with the growing emphasis on health and wellness in contemporary society. However, profitability often depends on factors such as the specific niche, target audience, geographical location, quality of service, and effective marketing strategies. A well-run fitness business that adapts to market demands and provides exceptional value to clients has a significant potential for lucrative returns.

How Do I Start a Fitness Business from Scratch?

Launching a fitness business from the ground up necessitates a thoughtful blend of preparation, passion, and practicality. Essential steps include:

Training and Qualifications: Pursue comprehensive fitness training without overspending. Equip yourself with recognized certifications and continual learning.

Business Systems: Construct a robust framework that encompasses client management, digital systems, and operational processes. Solidifying your professional foundation is pivotal to streamlining your offerings and maintaining consistency.

Marketing Techniques: Implement foundational marketing strategies tailored for early-stage growth. Focus on organic growth by differentiating search intent, harnessing referrals, building community relationships, and forging partnerships.

Lay an Evergreen Foundation: Embrace patience and foresight. While organic growth might not yield immediate results, its long-term value in fostering brand loyalty and recognition is monumental. Remember, your initial phase, the White Belt, sets the tone for future stages. Prioritizing utility, strategy, and authenticity at this stage paves the way for swift progression to subsequent stages like the Blue Belt.

How to Start a Fitness Business in the UK?

While our guide focuses on the universal principles of establishing a fitness business, adapting it to the UK context entails the following steps:

Certifications: Ensure you obtain qualifications recognized in the UK fitness industry.

Local Community Engagement: Immerse yourself in UK-specific communities. For instance, if you’re targeting cricket enthusiasts, engage deeply with the cricket community in regions like Wales or Cardiff, as exemplified in “Cricket Matters.”

Regulations and Compliance: Familiarize yourself with the UK’s health and safety regulations, business registration requirements, and any specific licenses needed for fitness businesses.

Local Marketing Strategies: Adapt your marketing techniques to resonate with the UK audience. Understand the dynamics of search intent in the UK market, optimize for local search, and build partnerships with UK-based health practitioners and businesses.

Stay Updated: The UK fitness industry, like others, evolves. Regularly review and adapt your services, marketing strategies, and community engagements to meet the unique needs and preferences of the UK market.

Everyday Athlete. Founder of @strengthmatters. Love snowboarding, cricket, Manchester United, the mountains, coffee and trail running.

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70+ Online Fitness Business Ideas in 2024

Read our huge list of the best online fitness business ideas: from launching a subscription-based workout platform, to developing a fitness app, and much more.

Learning how to start an online fitness business from scratch isn’t as hard as it sounds, and it offers a wealth of opportunities for engaging with clients and creating diverse revenue streams. There are tons of fitness business ideas we will cover below, from offering virtual personal training sessions and nutrition coaching to selling branded fitness merchandise and hosting wellness retreats, the digital landscape allows for creativity and scalability.

With Exercise.com, you can make money from fitness in various ways: fitness professionals can manage their business, accept payments, do online booking, host exercise videos, and sell workout plans online , all through a custom-branded fitness app , making these ideas not only viable but also professionally executable. With the best white label fitness app software and the best apps for online fitness coaches , you can put your very own fitness brand front and center.

The fitness industry has experienced a major shift in recent years, with more and more people turning to online platforms to meet their fitness goals. This rise in online fitness has created a lucrative business opportunity for those who are passionate about health and wellness and have the drive to succeed in the digital world. In this article, we will explore the world of online fitness and discuss various fitness business ideas online that can help you tap into this booming industry, and get started finding the most profitable fitness business models .

Discover the top online fitness business ideas to start your own successful venture. Then be sure to check out the best software for gyms , the best software for personal trainers , and the best software for fitness influencers so you can get to work growing your fitness business!

Here are just some of the ways you can learn how to start an online fitness business :

Sell workout plans online or sell personal training online .

Run online fitness challenges .

Create and sell fitness memberships, products, and digital offers. Find or make the best fitness products to sell online and monetize by directly engaging your fitness followers.

Manage, message, and market to your leads and followers.

All from your very own custom branded fitness apps .

Get a demo now!

Best Online Fitness Business Ideas: Top 10

Here are the top 10 best online fitness business ideas you can start today! And, we’ve got plenty more down below, so keep reading!

• Virtual Personal Training : Provide one-on-one fitness coaching through video conferencing. Exercise.com’s platform allows for personalized client management and training session scheduling.
• Online Group Fitness Classes : Host live group workouts for activities like yoga or HIIT. Exercise.com supports live streaming and on-demand video content.
• Fitness Webinars and Workshops : Educate clients on various health and fitness topics. Exercise.com can be used to schedule and promote these educational sessions.
• Subscription Workout Plans : Offer monthly workout plans with different focus areas. Exercise.com’s software enables trainers to sell and distribute these plans easily.
• Nutrition Coaching Services : Create diet plans and offer guidance on healthy eating. Exercise.com allows integration of nutrition guidance as part of client tracking.
• Online Fitness Challenges : Run challenges that encourage participants to achieve specific fitness goals. Exercise.com’s platform can start a fitness challenge online , track progress, and manage competitions.
• Fitness E-books and Guides : Write and sell informational products on fitness and health. Exercise.com can be used to sell these digital products directly.
• Exercise Equipment Sales : Retail fitness equipment that clients can use at home. Exercise.com’s e-commerce capabilities facilitate the sale of physical goods.
• Health and Wellness Podcast : Start a podcast discussing fitness trends, tips, and interviews with experts. Exercise.com can help promote this content across your client base.
• Branded Fitness Apparel : Sell clothing and accessories with your fitness brand’s logo. Exercise.com’s platform can host an online store for your branded merchandise.

These ideas leverage the power of digital technology to reach clients in various ways, providing flexibility and innovation in the fitness industry. Exercise.com’s comprehensive suite of tools can help fitness professionals execute these ideas effectively, offering a seamless experience for both the business owner and the clients.

• How to Run a Fitness Challenge
• How to Run a Fitness Challenge Online
• Virtual Fitness Challenge Ideas
• Best Fitness Challenge Software
• Fitness Challenge Ideas for a Gym
• Best Personal Trainer Challenge Ideas for Clients
• Fitness Challenge Template

Online Fitness Business Ideas Leveraging Technology

• Wearable Fitness Tech Integration : Offer services that integrate with clients’ wearable technology to track and improve their workouts.
• AI-Powered Fitness Coaching : Use artificial intelligence to create personalized training programs and provide real-time feedback.
• Mobile Fitness App Development : Develop a niche fitness app for specific workout styles or demographics.
• Online Fitness Gamification : Create a platform that uses game design elements to motivate and engage users in physical activity.
• Virtual Fitness Progress Tracking : Develop a system for clients to visually track their fitness progress online.
• Fitness Augmented Reality Experiences : Create AR workouts where users can exercise in various virtual settings.
• Telefitness Health Consultations : Provide health and fitness consultations through telehealth services.
• Online Fitness Equipment Setup Consultation : Assist clients in setting up their home gym with the right equipment through virtual consultations.
• Fitness App for Specialized Diets : Create an app that offers workout routines tailored to specific dietary needs.
• Online Streaming Fitness Tech Support : Offer technical support services for clients setting up their home workout streaming setups.
• How to Make a Fitness App
• Fitness App Name Ideas
• What makes a fitness app successful?
• Fitness App Statistics

Want your own fitness app?

Online Fitness Business Ideas for Community Building

• Virtual Fitness Clubs : Create online clubs for specific fitness interests, facilitating community and regular virtual meetups.
• Fitness Challenge Apps : Develop an app that hosts regular fitness challenges to foster a sense of community and friendly competition.
• Online Support Groups for Fitness Goals : Offer moderated online support groups for people with specific fitness goals.
• Fitness Pen Pals : Pair up individuals who can motivate each other and share experiences through their fitness journey.
• Virtual Fitness Buddy Matching Service : A service that matches individuals with workout partners or accountability buddies.
• Online Fitness Mastermind Groups : Organize paid mastermind groups for fitness professionals to share strategies and support.
• Fitness Community Event Planning : Plan and host virtual fitness events and expos with guest speakers and fitness brand showcases.
• Online Fitness Book Clubs : Start book clubs that focus on fitness and wellness literature, with virtual meetups to discuss each read.
• Fitness Mentorship Programs : Connect experienced fitness professionals with newcomers for mentorship opportunities.
• Virtual Fitness Retreats : Host online retreats with a mix of live workouts, workshops, and community-building activities.

Low Cost Online Fitness Business Ideas

• Outdoor Virtual Bootcamps : Stream outdoor bootcamp sessions that clients can follow from their own outdoor spaces.
• Home-Based Fitness Challenges : Design challenges that require minimal to no equipment, focusing on bodyweight exercises.
• Virtual Race Coordination : Organize virtual races where participants can run in their location and report results online.
• Fitness Accountability E-Coaching : Offer email-based coaching for accountability and motivation at a lower cost than full coaching services.
• Fitness Freelance Writing : Write articles, blog posts, and content for fitness websites and magazines.
• Online Fitness Consulting : Provide consulting services for individuals or gyms looking to improve their fitness offerings.
• DIY Fitness Crafting and Selling : Create and sell digital guides on making homemade fitness equipment.
• Fitness Video Editing Services : Offer video editing for fitness professionals who need polished content for their online platforms.
• Virtual Fitness Class Choreography : Sell choreographed routines to fitness instructors teaching dance or aerobic classes.
• Fitness Newsletter Publishing : Start a newsletter that delivers weekly fitness tips, recipes, and workouts to subscribers.

These categories tap into the growing intersection of fitness, technology, and community, reflecting the evolving landscape of the fitness industry. They cater to a wide audience, from tech enthusiasts and community-focused individuals to those seeking budget-friendly fitness solutions. Each idea has the potential to be enhanced by the features offered on the Exercise.com platform, particularly when it comes to tracking progress, managing communities, and delivering content.

Starting a small business in the online fitness industry can be both exciting and rewarding. Here are several ideas tailored for small business ventures that can be managed online, with a focus on niches that have a strong potential for growth and customer engagement.

Online Fitness Small Business Ideas

• Personalized Yoga Instruction : Offer one-on-one yoga sessions tailored to individual needs and live-streamed to clients.
• Fitness Accountability Coaching : Provide a service that pairs clients with a coach to keep them accountable for their fitness goals.
• Online Martial Arts Academy : Teach martial arts techniques and forms through live classes or a subscription-based content library.
• Virtual Pilates Studio : Run Pilates classes for various skill levels, utilizing minimal equipment for home workouts.
• Online Dance Fitness : Create a series of dance workout videos that customers can follow from the comfort of their homes.
• Strength Training for Beginners : Offer a program specifically designed for those new to strength training, focusing on form and safety.
• Post-Rehab Exercise Programs : Develop exercise programs for clients who are transitioning from physical therapy to regular fitness routines.
• Fitness Program for Busy Professionals : Tailor short, high-intensity workouts for professionals with limited time.
• Virtual Triathlon Training : Provide coaching for triathlon participants, including schedules, nutrition advice, and virtual check-ins.
• Mindfulness and Movement Classes : Combine mindfulness meditation practices with gentle movement exercises.
• Cycling Coach Services : Offer virtual cycling coaching and training programs for cycling enthusiasts of all levels.
• Online Kettlebell Workshops : Teach kettlebell techniques and workouts through a series of online workshops.
• Fitness Video Production Consulting : Help fitness professionals produce high-quality workout videos for their clients.
• Virtual Group Fitness for Corporates : Provide group fitness sessions as part of corporate wellness programs.
• Online Fitness for Special Populations : Specialize in fitness programs for groups with specific needs, such as seniors or prenatal clients.
• Digital Fitness Product Reviews : Start a blog or YouTube channel focused on reviewing fitness products and supplements.
• Mobile App for Outdoor Workouts : Develop an app that guides users through outdoor workouts in parks or urban areas.
• Virtual Reality Fitness Classes : Create immersive fitness classes that can be accessed through VR headsets.
• Online Health and Fitness Magazine : Publish a digital magazine with articles, interviews, and workout routines.
• Fitness Challenge App Development : Build an app that hosts monthly fitness challenges with leaderboards and rewards.
• Nutrition Plan Generator : Develop software that creates personalized nutrition plans based on user input.
• Home Gym Design Service : Offer virtual consultations to help clients design and equip their home gyms.
• Fitness Equipment Repair Tutorials : Provide online guides and tutorials for repairing common fitness equipment.
• Online Wellness Coaching Certification : Create a certification program for wellness coaching, including course materials and exams.
• Virtual Obstacle Course Race Training : Coach clients on how to prepare for obstacle course races with tailored workout plans.

These small business ideas are designed to leverage the power of the internet to reach a broad audience and can be operated from home with minimal overhead costs. They cater to various interests within the fitness realm, from traditional workouts to the latest trends like VR fitness classes. For entrepreneurs in the fitness industry, platforms like Exercise.com can be instrumental in bringing these ideas to life by providing the necessary tools to manage clients, host classes, track progress, and process payments, all within a custom-branded app.

The Rise of Online Fitness: Why It’s a Lucrative Business Opportunity

Traditional brick-and-mortar gyms and fitness studios have their limitations. They require a physical location, which comes with hefty rent and overhead costs. Online fitness, on the other hand, allows you to reach a global audience without the need for a physical space. With the advent of high-speed internet and the proliferation of smartphones, people now have access to fitness programs, workout routines, and personal trainers right at their fingertips.

This convenience factor, coupled with the growing popularity of health and fitness, has made online fitness a highly lucrative business opportunity. By offering your expertise and services online, you can reach a wider audience, cater to people with different fitness goals and preferences, and generate a substantial income.

One of the key advantages of online fitness is the ability to provide personalized and tailored workout plans. With the use of technology, fitness professionals can gather data and information about their clients’ goals, preferences, and fitness levels. This allows them to create customized workout routines that are specifically designed to help individuals achieve their desired results. Personalization is a major selling point for online fitness programs, as it provides a more individualized approach compared to traditional gym settings.

In addition to personalized workout plans, online fitness platforms also offer a wide range of resources and tools to support individuals on their fitness journey. These resources can include instructional videos, nutritional guidance, progress tracking, and community support. By providing comprehensive support and guidance, online fitness programs create a holistic approach to health and wellness, which is highly appealing to individuals looking for a convenient and all-encompassing fitness solution.

Starting an Online Fitness Business: Step-by-Step Guide

If you’re ready to jump into the world of online fitness, there are several steps you need to take to set up a successful business. First and foremost, you need to identify your target audience and determine the niche you want to focus on. Do you want to cater to beginners looking to lose weight? Or perhaps you prefer to work with athletes and fitness enthusiasts who want to take their training to the next level. Knowing your target audience will help you tailor your programs and marketing efforts accordingly.

Next, you need to create a brand that resonates with your target market. This involves choosing a catchy and memorable name, creating a visually appealing logo, and developing a strong brand identity that sets you apart from your competitors. Remember, in the crowded space of online fitness, a strong brand can make all the difference.

Once you have identified your target audience and created a strong brand, it’s time to develop your online presence. This includes building a professional website that showcases your services, programs, and testimonials from satisfied clients. Make sure your website is user-friendly and optimized for mobile devices, as many people access fitness content on their smartphones or tablets.

In addition to your website, you should also establish a presence on social media platforms that are popular among your target audience. This will allow you to engage with potential clients, share valuable content, and promote your services. Consider creating a content strategy that includes regular blog posts, videos, and live workouts to keep your audience engaged and interested in what you have to offer.

Choosing the Right Niche for Your Online Fitness Business

Choosing the right niche is crucial for the success of your online fitness business. While it may be tempting to try to cater to a broad audience, it’s often more effective to specialize and focus on a specific niche. This allows you to position yourself as an expert in that area and attract a dedicated following. Consider your own passions, expertise, and the needs of your target audience when deciding on a niche. Are you an expert in yoga, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or functional fitness? Find your niche and become the go-to authority in that area.

Leveraging Social Media Platforms to Grow Your Online Fitness Business

Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, and it can also be a powerful tool for growing your online fitness business. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube provide you with the opportunity to showcase your expertise, connect with your audience, and promote your programs and services.

To effectively leverage social media, you need to develop a strong social media strategy. This involves creating engaging and informative content, utilizing relevant hashtags to increase your reach, and engaging with your followers through comments, likes, and shares. Building a community around your brand is essential for long-term success in the online fitness industry.

Creating Engaging and Effective Online Fitness Programs

At the core of any successful online fitness business are engaging and effective programs. Your goal is to provide value to your clients and help them achieve their fitness goals. This requires careful planning and attention to detail.

When creating your online fitness programs, consider the specific needs and goals of your target audience. Develop workouts that are challenging yet achievable, provide clear explanations and demonstrations, and incorporate elements of variety and progression. Additionally, consider offering additional resources such as meal plans, educational materials, and regular check-ins to keep your clients motivated and engaged.

Building Your Brand: How to Establish Credibility in the Online Fitness Industry

Establishing credibility is crucial in the online fitness industry. With competition growing exponentially, it’s essential to differentiate yourself and build trust with your audience. One of the best ways to do this is by positioning yourself as an authority in your field.

You can establish credibility by sharing your knowledge and expertise through blog posts, articles, and videos. Offer valuable insights, tips, and advice that demonstrate your expertise and show that you genuinely care about helping others achieve their fitness goals. Additionally, consider obtaining certifications and credentials that further validate your expertise and differentiate you from others in the industry.

Monetizing Your Online Fitness Business: Strategies for Success

While helping others should be your primary motivation, monetizing your online fitness business is essential for its sustainability. There are several strategies you can employ to generate income from your online fitness programs:

1. One-on-One Coaching: Offer personalized training and coaching sessions to clients who prefer individual attention and guidance.

2. Subscription-Based Model: Create a monthly or yearly membership that provides access to exclusive content, workouts, and resources.

3. E-Books and Digital Products: Develop and sell e-books, workout guides, meal plans, and other digital products that provide value to your audience.

4. Affiliate Marketing: Partner up with other fitness brands and promote their products and services to earn a commission on each referral.

5. Online Courses and Workshops: Create in-depth online courses and workshops that dive deeper into specific fitness topics and charge a fee for access.

The Importance of Quality Content in Growing Your Online Fitness Business

Quality content is the backbone of any successful online fitness business. Whether it’s blog posts, videos, or social media posts, consistently delivering valuable and engaging content is key to attracting and retaining an audience.

Investing time and effort into creating high-quality content will establish your credibility, attract a loyal following, and ultimately boost your business growth. Remember to focus on providing practical tips, sharing success stories, and addressing the common challenges your target audience faces in their fitness journey.

Utilizing Email Marketing to Drive Sales and Engagement in Your Online Fitness Business

Email marketing is a powerful tool for driving sales and engagement in your online fitness business. It allows you to directly communicate with your audience and nurture relationships with potential clients.

To effectively utilize email marketing, start by building an email list capturing leads through your website, social media platforms, and opt-in forms. Once you have an email list, segment your audience based on their interests and preferences, and send targeted emails with personalized content and offers. This approach ensures that you are delivering relevant content to your subscribers, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

Incorporating Virtual Personal Training into Your Online Fitness Business Model

Virtual personal training is gaining popularity as more people look for individualized workout programs and coaching from the comfort of their homes. Incorporating virtual personal training into your online fitness business model can be an excellent way to cater to those clients who prefer one-on-one attention.

Through video conferencing platforms, you can provide personalized training sessions, conduct assessments, and offer real-time guidance and motivation. Make sure to invest in good-quality recording and communication equipment to ensure a smooth and professional experience for your clients.

Harnessing the Power of Influencer Marketing in the Online Fitness Industry

Influencer marketing has taken the digital world by storm and can be an effective strategy for growing your online fitness business. Collaborating with fitness influencers who have a large and engaged following can expose your brand to a broader audience and help you gain credibility in the industry.

When selecting influencers to partner with, make sure they align with your brand values and target audience. Reach out to them with a well-crafted proposal, outlining how your collaboration can benefit both parties. This could involve offering free access to your programs or services, sponsoring their content, or creating joint ventures that mutually benefit both businesses.

Developing a Strong Customer Acquisition Strategy for Your Online Fitness Business

Acquiring and retaining customers is a vital component of any successful business. In the online fitness industry, developing an effective customer acquisition strategy is crucial to stand out from the competition and ensure the growth of your business.

Start by defining your target audience and understanding their needs and pain points. Tailor your marketing efforts to address these specific needs and position your programs or services as the solution. Utilize a mix of content marketing, social media advertising, and partnerships to increase your brand visibility and attract your ideal customers.

Scaling Your Online Fitness Business: Tips for Expansion and Growth

Once you have established a solid foundation and achieved initial success, it may be time to think about scaling your online fitness business. Scaling allows you to reach a larger audience, increase revenue, and make a more significant impact on people’s lives.

To scale your business successfully, consider the following tips:

1. Automate Processes: Invest in technology and systems that automate time-consuming tasks, such as scheduling, payment processing, and content delivery.

2. Delegate and Outsource: Identify tasks that can be delegated or outsourced to free up your time to focus on high-value activities.

3. Continuously Innovate: Stay updated with the latest trends and industry developments to ensure your programs and services remain relevant and stay ahead of the competition.

4. Collaboration and Partnerships: Form alliances with complementary businesses in the fitness industry to expand your reach and offer more comprehensive solutions to your clients.

Staying Ahead of the Competition in the Competitive World of Online Fitness

The online fitness industry is becoming increasingly competitive, and staying ahead of the competition is crucial for long-term success. Here are a few strategies to help you maintain a competitive edge:

1. Stay Updated: Continuously educate yourself on the latest fitness trends, research, and technology to ensure you are offering cutting-edge programs and services.

2. Maintain Excellent Customer Service: Provide exceptional customer service by promptly responding to inquiries, addressing concerns, and going above and beyond for your clients.

3. Foster a Community: Create an engaged and supportive community around your brand by actively interacting with your audience, facilitating discussions, and providing valuable resources.

4. Monitor Competitors: Keep a close eye on your competitors’ offerings, pricing strategies, and marketing efforts. Use this information to differentiate yourself and fill any gaps in the market.

The world of online fitness offers a plethora of opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. By following these tips and strategies, you can establish a successful online fitness business that not only helps people achieve their fitness goals but also allows you to live a life of passion and purpose. So, dive in, be persistent, and embrace the limitless potential of the online fitness industry!

How do you start an online fitness business?

To start an online fitness business, identify your niche, create a business plan, obtain necessary certifications, and establish an online presence through a website and social media. Utilizing a platform like Exercise.com can be invaluable, as it offers a comprehensive solution to manage your business, accept payments, host exercise videos, sell workout plans, and conduct online fitness coaching, all through a custom-branded app.

Read More: How to Start a Fitness Business from Home

How can I make money in online fitness?

You can make money in online fitness by offering virtual personal training, selling workout plans, hosting online fitness classes, offering nutrition coaching, and creating fitness-related content for platforms like YouTube or a blog. Exercise.com’s software solution can streamline these services, allowing for efficient management, payment processing, and online booking.

Read More: How to Make Money in Fitness

What kind of fitness business should I start?

The kind of fitness business you should start depends on your expertise and market demand. Options include online personal training, fitness coaching for specific demographics, nutritional consulting, or creating and selling fitness content. Exercise.com can support various business models with features like workout plan sales, video hosting, and client management tools.

Read More: Fitness Business Ideas

How do I make my fitness website successful?

To make your fitness website successful, ensure it is user-friendly, provides valuable content, integrates with social media, and offers online booking and payment options. Utilizing a platform like Exercise.com can enhance your website’s effectiveness by offering a custom-branded app and tools for managing your fitness business and engaging clients.

How do I get online fitness clients?

To get online fitness clients, leverage social media marketing, create engaging online content, offer free trials or workshops, and network within fitness communities. Platforms like Exercise.com can aid in client acquisition through its marketing tools and ability to provide a professional, branded online presence.

Read More: How do I get online fitness clients?

Are online fitness businesses profitable?

Online fitness businesses can be profitable, especially with low overhead costs and the ability to reach a global audience. Success depends on effective marketing, quality services, and client retention. Exercise.com’s all-in-one software solution can help maximize profitability by streamlining business operations and enhancing client engagement.

Read More: How profitable is online fitness coaching?

What are passive income ideas for fitness?

Passive income ideas for fitness include selling pre-recorded workout videos, online courses, e-books, workout plans, and affiliate marketing for fitness products. Exercise.com can facilitate these passive income streams by providing a platform to host and sell digital content and integrate with e-commerce solutions.

Read More: Fitness Passive Income

How much do online fitness influencers make?

The income of online fitness influencers varies widely based on their following, engagement rates, and monetization strategies, such as sponsorships, merchandise sales, and paid content. Some can make from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars per month.

• Fitness Influencer Typical Income
• How much do fitness influencers make with 100k followers?
• Richest Fitness Influencers

How profitable are fitness apps?

Fitness apps can be quite profitable, especially those with unique offerings, strong branding, and effective monetization strategies like subscriptions, in-app purchases, and advertising. Profitability depends on user acquisition, retention, and ongoing development.

Read More: How profitable are fitness apps?

What is the most profitable fitness niche?

The most profitable fitness niche can vary, but areas like personalized online coaching, specialized fitness programs (e.g., for seniors, prenatal, weight loss), and wellness coaching are often lucrative due to their targeted approach and client demand.

Read More: Most Profitable Fitness Business Models

How do I create an online fitness business plan?

Creating an online fitness business plan involves several key steps to ensure a structured approach to launching and growing your venture. First, clearly define your target market and the unique value proposition your online fitness service will offer. This could range from personalized training plans to interactive fitness classes. Incorporate fitness business online strategies by identifying the platforms where you’ll host services, such as a dedicated website or through apps, and plan how you’ll engage with clients digitally.

Next, detail your service offerings, pricing models, and how you will market them. Utilize business ideas for fitness industry like offering virtual wellness workshops or online fitness challenges to differentiate your services. Outline your marketing strategies, focusing on digital marketing tactics such as SEO, content marketing, and social media advertising, which are crucial for an online fitness business.

Finally, consider the financial aspects, including startup costs, revenue projections, and a break-even analysis. Incorporate fitness industry business ideas into your financial plan by exploring additional revenue streams such as selling branded fitness apparel or dietary supplements online. A well-rounded business plan will not only guide your initial setup but also help attract investors or partners by clearly communicating your business vision and operational strategy.

Is it hard to start an online fitness company?

Starting an online fitness company can be challenging but is highly feasible with the right approach and resources. The key is to understand the market demands and how to effectively deliver your services digitally. You’ll need to leverage fitness entrepreneur ideas, such as offering unique online training programs or wellness coaching that distinguishes you from competitors. Additionally, establishing a robust online presence through effective digital marketing strategies is essential for fitness business online success. This includes SEO, content marketing, and strategic use of social media to engage potential clients. Utilizing technology to streamline operations, such as scheduling tools and client management systems, can also mitigate some of the complexities involved in starting an online fitness business.

What are some online sports business ideas?

Exploring business ideas in fitness industry that focus on the online sports sector can be highly lucrative. One innovative idea is to create a virtual sports coaching platform where users can receive personalized training from professional athletes or coaches in various sports. Another idea is to develop an online marketplace for sports equipment that also offers virtual tutorials on how to use the equipment effectively. Additionally, launching a sports analytics service that provides detailed statistics and performance tracking for amateur and professional athletes can be a unique niche within the health and fitness business ideas category. These ideas leverage technology to meet the increasing demand for personalized and accessible sports training and equipment.

What are some characteristics of the best fitness business?

The best fitness businesses often share key characteristics that contribute to their success and sustainability. They typically have a clear and compelling value proposition that meets the specific needs of their target audience. Innovation is also a core characteristic, where the business continuously evolves its services and adopts new gym business ideas to stay relevant and competitive. Strong customer engagement strategies, such as interactive online communities and regular feedback mechanisms, are crucial. Moreover, successful fitness businesses often implement effective marketing strategies that emphasize their unique selling points and utilize fitness startup ideas to capture and retain interest. These businesses also prioritize high-quality customer service, ensuring clients receive personalized attention and support that fosters loyalty and satisfaction.

How do I know what are the best fitness business ideas for me to start or if there is a better fitness business idea I should pursue?

Determining the best fitness business ideas to start involves assessing your passions, skills, and the market demand. Research current trends in the fitness industry business ideas to identify niches that are underserved or rising in popularity. Consider fitness related business ideas that align with your expertise—whether it’s a particular type of exercise you are passionate about or a demographic with specific needs. For example, if you have a background in yoga, developing an online platform that offers live streaming yoga classes could be advantageous. Analyze competitor offerings and customer feedback to refine your idea further. Utilizing gym ideas for business that incorporate innovative technology or unique customer engagement strategies can also set your venture apart from the competition.

What kind of business for fitness professionals is the ideal business for fitness pros?

For fitness professionals, the ideal business is one that not only aligns with their expertise and passion but also meets a clear market need. Fitness startup ideas that focus on niche markets, such as senior fitness or post-rehabilitation exercises, can offer unique opportunities. Additionally, leveraging digital platforms to create a fitness business online can significantly expand your reach and flexibility. For instance, starting an online coaching business or developing a fitness app that offers customized training plans can be ideal for professionals looking to utilize their expertise in a scalable way. Businesses that prioritize customer engagement and offer high-quality, personalized experiences typically see greater client retention and satisfaction.

How do I spot ideal business partners and fitness business opportunities in fitness industry networking events?

Spotting ideal business partners and opportunities at fitness industry networking events involves preparation and a strategic approach. First, be clear about what you’re looking for—whether it’s a partner with specific skills or opportunities to expand your fitness business online. Attend events that attract professionals in your niche area of the fitness industry, and use these gatherings to learn about fitness idea trends and potential gaps in the market. When interacting with potential partners, discuss fitness entrepreneur ideas and explore shared values and visions for future business endeavors. Be ready to present your own business ideas succinctly and professionally, demonstrating your expertise and readiness to collaborate. Networking successfully in these settings often requires follow-up; make sure to collect contact information and reach out post-event to continue conversations that could lead to fruitful partnerships.

How do I ideate on more fitness ideas for business?

Ideating on more fitness ideas for business requires creativity, market awareness, and a clear understanding of your target audience. Start by exploring fitness industry business ideas that cater to emerging trends, such as virtual reality fitness classes or wellness programs that integrate mental health practices. Engaging in brainstorming sessions with peers or mentors can also yield fresh perspectives and innovative fitness entrepreneur ideas. Consider attending industry workshops or conferences where you can gain insights into new technologies and methods that could inspire unique business models. Regularly collecting and analyzing feedback from your current clients can also guide you toward new services or products that meet the evolving needs of your market.

How do I grow an online fitness community?

Growing an online fitness community involves creating engaging, valuable content and fostering interactive communication among its members. Start by consistently sharing high-quality content that resonates with your audience’s interests and goals, such as workout tutorials, nutritional advice, and motivational posts. Utilizing fitness hashtags for Instagram and other social media platforms can help increase your content’s reach. Engage actively with your followers by responding to comments, asking for feedback, and encouraging community interaction through challenges or group discussions. Additionally, offering exclusive content or memberships can further enhance community loyalty and growth. Using platforms like Exercise.com can be especially effective, as they provide tools to manage memberships, schedule classes, and track progress, all of which can contribute to a thriving fitness business online.

What are some gym related business ideas that don’t involve directly starting a gym?

Exploring gym business ideas that don’t involve starting a traditional gym can include launching a mobile gym service that brings fitness equipment and personal training to clients’ homes or designated outdoor areas. Another idea is to create a fitness equipment rental service, which allows customers to rent high-quality equipment for home use. Additionally, consider developing a virtual reality fitness program, where users can experience immersive workouts from the comfort of their homes. This taps into the growing interest in tech-driven fitness solutions. Offering specialized fitness consultation services online, focusing on niche areas such as athletic training, bodybuilding, or wellness coaching, is another excellent fitness business idea. These services can be marketed to specific demographic groups, enhancing their appeal and effectiveness.

Alternatively, you might explore creating a fitness retreat business , organizing weekend or week-long fitness retreats in scenic locations. This business model combines travel and fitness, appealing to those looking for a fitness experience that also serves as a getaway. Lastly, starting a fitness apparel line that promotes and sells fitness-related clothing and accessories can be a lucrative venture. This aligns well with the health and fitness business ideas where branding and lifestyle play a significant role in attracting customers. Each of these ideas allows you to be involved in the fitness industry without the overhead and logistical challenges of managing a physical gym facility.

What are the best fitness niche ideas?

Identifying the best fitness niche ideas involves considering underserved markets or specialized interests that align with your expertise and passions. One promising niche is online fitness coaching for specific demographics, such as seniors or individuals with chronic conditions, which requires specialized knowledge and can build a loyal client base. Another growing niche is corporate wellness programs that offer businesses tailored fitness and wellness plans to improve employee health and productivity.

Additionally, focusing on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) programs that can be delivered online or in small group settings can cater to busy professionals looking for efficient workouts. You could also consider specializing in recovery and mobility, providing content and services that help people improve flexibility, prevent injuries, and enhance overall physical health.

Eco-fitness is another innovative niche, combining environmental consciousness with fitness activities, like outdoor eco-challenges or workouts that promote sustainability. Lastly, the digital fitness app market continues to expand, offering opportunities for developing apps focused on specific types of workouts, wellness tracking, or virtual reality fitness experiences. Each of these fitness niche ideas presents unique opportunities to carve out a specialized market within the broader fitness industry, allowing for targeted marketing and potentially higher engagement rates.

Read More: Fitness Niche Ideas

How do I start a fitness startup?

To start a fitness startup, identify a unique value proposition, conduct market research, develop a business plan, secure funding if necessary, and build a strong online presence. Utilize platforms like Exercise.com for their comprehensive tools in managing and scaling your business.

Read More: How to Start a Fitness Business

What type of gym is more profitable?

The most profitable type of gym often focuses on a specific niche or offers specialized services such as boutique fitness studios, CrossFit boxes, or gyms with high-end amenities and personalized coaching. Profitability is enhanced by strong community engagement and high-value offerings.

Read More: How profitable is owning a gym?

• How profitable is online fitness coaching?

Online fitness coaching can be very profitable due to low overhead costs and the ability to reach a wide audience. Profit depends on the coach’s expertise, marketing skills, and ability to retain clients. Platforms like Exercise.com can increase profitability by streamlining client management and service delivery.

How do I start an online fitness app?

To start an online fitness app, define your target audience, decide on the app’s features and content, choose a development approach (custom or platform-based), and plan your marketing and monetization strategy. Utilizing a platform like Exercise.com can simplify this process by providing a customizable app tailored to your business needs.

Read More: How to Make a Fitness App

How do online fitness coaches get clients?

Online fitness coaches get clients by building a strong online presence, leveraging social media, offering free content or trials, networking, and gathering client testimonials. Exercise.com can aid in client acquisition through its marketing and client management tools, making it easier to attract and retain clients.

Read More: How do online fitness coaches get clients?

How do I start a fitness app business?

To start a fitness app business, research the market, define your niche, plan your app’s features, develop the app (either custom or through a platform), and execute a strategic marketing plan. Exercise.com can provide a solid foundation with its customizable app platform, facilitating business operations and client engagement.

How can Exercise.com help me with my online fitness business?

Exercise.com is an ideal solution for fitness professionals looking to run their entire business online. It offers tools for business management, online booking, payment processing, hosting exercise videos, and selling workout plans. Its custom-branded fitness app facilitates running online fitness coaching, making it a comprehensive, professional solution for your fitness business needs. Booking a demo with Exercise.com is a great way to explore how it can specifically benefit your business.

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How to Start an Online Fitness Business: A Detailed Guide to Success

Starting an online fitness business needs to be well-crafted and executed perfectly. Therefore, I’ll highlight all the important steps related to researching, preparing, and launching an online fitness business. I’ll walk you through every aspect of your successful journey as an online fitness entrepreneur.

Our product review team dedicates hours of meticulous research, fact-checking, and testing to recommend the best solutions to business owners. We earn from qualifying purchases through our links, but this does not influence our evaluations. Why trust our reviews?

More people than ever are interested in learning how to start an online fitness business, and nobody could blame them. This is a rapidly growing industry that poses a lot of opportunities, not to mention how profitable it could be ( the average revenue in the digital fitness and well-being industry per user in the U.S. is expected to come close to $250 this year ). 

Millions of clients all over the world realize the convenience of online health, strength, and fitness coaching. However, they often skip important steps of the process, thinking that they can fast-forward it and propel themselves to massive success. This is a mistake, as starting an online fitness business is impossible without a solid foundation. Therefore, most efforts fail. 

You don’t need to go that route.

In this article, I’ll go through all the important aspects of such an endeavor. You’ll learn how to run an online fitness business and understand the importance of proper research. Starting a fitness coaching business online can seem too easy, but it’s not. The good news is that it’s perfectly doable if you play your cards right. I’ll do my best to help you with that.

Summary: Your Online Fitness Business Launch Guide 

• Reasons to start an online fitness business
• The Ultimate Checklist: How to prepare for your online fitness business launch
• 10 steps to start a successful fitness business
• Important aspects to pay attention to
• A couple of VERY inspiring success stories 

Why Start an Online Fitness Business?

We all have Jane Fonda to thank for setting the home workout training trends. Her 1982 tutorial was a massive hit , and the VHS tape she released was top-selling for years. Long before the internet entered our lives, she more or less laid the foundations of what is today a billion-dollar industry. And this is why starting your own project and becoming part of it is well worth the effort. 

Before starting any type of business, you need to ask yourself many questions. Their answer may change the course of action ahead of you, and they can even make you reconsider everything you thought about initially. I’ve listed and addressed some of the important questions below.

What Are the Advantages of Starting an Online Fitness Business?

Online fitness coaching has a lot of perks: it allows you to reach a potentially endless audience. Being able to be someone’s fitness trainer regardless of where you’re located around the world is an amazing opportunity. Plus, you can generate income in more than a few ways doing this: product positioning, affiliate links, and other forms of collaboration.

How Hard Would It Be to Find Clients as an Online Fitness Trainer?

Finding clients for your online fitness coaching business will never be hard if you know what you’re doing. This is where I come in. I’ve created this guide intending to show you how to start your online fitness business from scratch. Additionally, I need to mention that some forecasts suggest that the online fitness industry will be worth ten times more in 2027 compared to 2019 . This is a whopping statistic, to say the least. It also goes to show that more clients than ever before would be interested in online fitness services and products. 

Is It the Right Time to Start a Fitness Business Online?

Truth be told, now is the best time to start an online fitness business. The second best time to do it is tomorrow. The rapid growth of this industry started three years ago. When the COVID pandemic shook the world, we all had to introduce changes to our lives, whether we liked it or not. This is how the online fitness industry literally skyrocketed. As I mentioned above, there are no signs of stopping. Some estimates suggest that the online fitness industry will be worth approximately $80 billion in 2026.

What Makes People Prefer Virtual Fitness Training Over Traditional Gyms?

More people than ever before are hiring online fitness coaches, yoga trainers, and other specialists in the fitness industry. There are plenty of good reasons for that: no expensive gym memberships, less time spent training, and, above all, comfort. Being able to train under professional guidance from the comfort of their homes is a key perk clients love about online fitness classes.

The rest of the important benefits your future clients will demand when paying for the fitness services you offer online include personal approach and guidance, scaled training and nutrition courses and programs, day-to-day and week-to-week check-ins, and so forth. Hiring a personal trainer in a brick-and-mortar fitness club would be very expensive, but the same approach would cost a lot less online while providing identical value to the client. 

The Essential Checklist for Starting an Online Fitness Business 

I’ll guide you through 10 steps to take when starting an online fitness business, but there are numerous things to check before you initiate the process. I’ve narrowed down this checklist to the most important aspects.

Item 1: Check the Competition

As a wildly growing industry, the online fitness business world is VERY competitive. As soon as you scroll through Instagram or you open a random app you downloaded on your mobile device, you’re likely to see yet another ad that promises to help you shed some extra weight or build the V-taper back you’ve always wanted. This is a good thing, I believe. The more competition you have, the wider your initial research should be. Plus, building your online fitness coaching business the right way from the ground up will help you stand out from the rest by steering away from potential issues. By taking the time to conduct proper research, you will spot the mistakes that stop the growth of your competitors’ businesses. 

Studying the competition is by far the most important step in starting an online fitness business. It will give you most of the answers you need and, once you gather enough information and process it, it will pinpoint what to do and what NOT to do to be a successful online fitness trainer. 

Item 2: Conduct a Proof-of-Concept Study

The previous step will have mostly covered this item in your checklist, but I still need to mention it because this is a MUST. Even if you think that you have a radical idea that would quickly become successful in the online fitness niche, it could always prove to be a mistake. Seeing what works with others will most probably reveal if your idea has potential.

Item 3: Check the Current Trends

Things never stay the same for too long, especially in a challenging and fast-paced environment, such as the world of online workout programs and virtual trainers. There are constantly new training and dieting methods emerging, as well as different new forms of interaction. The pandemic taught many among us to use Zoom for numerous purposes, and it’s one of the ways to lead a Zumba class today, for example. Roughly 20 years ago, Greg Glassman invented CrossFit , which became a worldwide phenomenon. Ten years ago, almost nobody would take the time to create a meal plan designed especially for you, based on your particular needs, preferences, and goals. Today, you can get detailed and highly customized training and meal plans based on numerous factors you never knew existed. This all goes to show that you need to either find a new trend or study the current ones thoroughly. 

Item 4: Find Your Niche

Most people who plan on becoming a part of the online fitness industry know exactly what they want to become, which is a decision mostly based on their experience. You can do the same and become a fitness coach/virtual trainer, a yoga instructor, a weight loss consultant, or any other role you feel comfortable with. But given the constant shift in trends, you might be able to blend in a few of these roles. Studying different niches and being able to compare your skills and experience to what it takes to become part of them will show you the right path to follow. 

Item 5: Build Your Personal Background 

Becoming an online fitness coach can only be done if you have the knowledge, qualification, and experience needed. You need to understand the specifics of the products or services you intend to offer, but you also need to prove that you do. Highlighting your career is a must, but you may need to take different courses or acquire certifications. This is a vital part of the research process. For example, if you’re planning on designing meal plans for your clients, you need to be a certified nutritionist if you want them to trust you, or you should at least have a proven track record of success stories with happy clients that would showcase your knowledge.

10 Steps to Start a Successful Fitness Business

Once you’re done with researching this vast industry and, particularly, the niche you’d like a piece of, the time to leap into action will come. 

I took my time to dwell deeply on this matter and came up with 10 pivotal steps that will shape your business and determine if it would be successful or not. I don’t advise you to skip any of these steps, as they all matter a lot.

1. Create Your Initial Business Concept

This is the initial blueprint you must create before shaping your final business plan. The concept needs to cover all the basic aspects of your online fitness endeavor: the niche, the scope, the specific products or services you intend to offer, the platforms and sales channels you will use, and so forth. 

2. Find Your Audience

Questions to ask yourself when you want to be sure you’re targeting the right clients:

• What type of people would buy your services or products?
• Why would your clients buy your services or products?
• Would your projected target audience require personalized services?
• What limitations and restrictions are there to consider (related to age, location, service affordability, and so forth)?
• Can you cover your target audience’s needs by offering something new to them?

There are more questions to add to this list. The more you ask yourself, the better the result will be.

The Facebook IQ Audience Insights is an amazing tool to use when you need to identify your target audience.

3. Create a Business Plan  

Once you have a concept to work on and you’ve determined your niche and clientele, you should create a detailed business plan. It must comprise everything: the social media platforms and other sales channels you intend to use, the time frame you set to make it all happen, the budget you’ll need for creating a website, video content, social media advertising, hiring subcontractors, assistants, or consultants, and plenty more aspects. The initially set budget should be well-thought and it should include every tiny expense you can think of, including fees for consultancy services, certificates, permits, courses, and even the monthly internet bill.

4. Check for Required Certifications and Registrations  

Since I mentioned permits, you need to be absolutely sure that you have what it takes to run an online fitness business in terms of legislation. Some regions or countries require permits, licenses, or certifications. Being a licensed physician, nutritionist, or fitness coach may not be a must, but it would create the credibility you need as a competitive advantage.

5. Fund Your Fitness Business 

Funding your business is sometimes harder than it seems initially. If you don’t have money to start your new online fitness project, you’ll need to source capital. There are plenty of ways to do it: a loan from a bank or a relative, finding a business partner or an investor, or a small business support program (there are both government and privately funded ones). If you already have a good reputation in the fitness world, it would be easy to attract a sponsor or an angel investor to fund your business project. 

6. Create a Brand That’s Recognizable

In the world of retail and service-based businesses, branding and PR can come a long way. It’s best to leave this part of launching your business to professionals. Hiring a PR and/or marketing consultant usually pays off sooner than later. You simply must build a brand to be successful. There’s no other way. Every aspect matters: the business name, the logo, the color scheme, the font, the slogan, the message the brand sends, and the vibe it sends (it’s mostly based on your target audience).

7. Shape Your Marketing Strategy and Pick the Fitting Sales Channels

You should have a clear idea of the sales channels you will be using. The careful positioning and marketing of whatever your service portfolio might be will determine your success. The strategy you craft needs to include social media platforms and sales channels, advertising options, affiliate channels, SEO, and so forth. Targeting the right groups and using the appropriate sales platforms will guarantee a faster and better result. Plus, you won’t waste money on ads that will not generate any revenue. 

Even if you have the ultimate action plan to take over the most fitting sales platforms, you will still need quality content that will help you market your new online fitness business. Being able to generate and optimize sales letters, landing pages, email campaigns, and social media posts and ads is the key to success. 

Social media platforms and messenger apps, such as Instagram , TikTok , Facebook , and Messenger , among other similar solutions, are often the perfect way to promote your online fitness coaching business and find clients.

Here’s an example of how just a couple of the popular social media platforms can skyrocket your profit:

8. Create a Website 

This should be on your agenda! Even if you’re relying mostly on social media to run your fitness business online, you should have a well-designed, informative, and interactive website. Knowing how to build an online fitness business means that you must know how to create an appealing website. It’s not that hard to do it, and it can be very affordable, too. There are website builders that could do the job. Don’t worry about personalization – these platforms have what it takes to create a stunning website fast.

• Squarespace  

9. Build an App 

This might not be part of your entrepreneurial journey across the world of online fitness coaching and training, but if you’re planning on offering personalized services and solutions, you’d need to have an app. It should be exactly what your clients would look for in terms of added value, usability, ease of access, and rewards. For example, clients who purchase a custom nutrition plan or a 12-week bulking course would be able to confirm their progress by filling in data or completing different tasks. This is a great way to monitor and guide them. Again, building an app is not a must; it depends on your business model.

10. Interact with Clients Using Social Media

If you’re a virtual trainer or a fitness coach online, your clients are likely to be mostly on social media. This is why your focus and effort should be all about engaging your target audience and interacting with as many individuals as possible. One of the best ways to do this is to promote your online fitness business by giving free advice and tips. Providing value for free will only cost you creating the content for ads and paying to run them, but it will result in a stronger brand. Your future clients need to know you’re reliable and knowledgeable before they trust you enough to hire you.

Important Aspects of Online Fitness Business to Pay Attention To

Starting an online fitness business should follow the process I described above (in most cases, at least), but it needs to continue with additional steps aimed at perfecting it and adding value to your peers. I’ll highlight some important aspects to consider once the wheel starts turning.

Offer Online Classes and Sessions

Most of your clients would probably prefer to join an online class or meeting, or even a private session. This means that you need to offer such services, as well as provide the means for a stable connection and quality streaming. The more value you provide during these sessions and virtual meets, the faster your business will grow.

Create Quality Content in Exchange for Nothing 

I already mentioned the crucial importance of quality content. You should be prepared to offer the most informative lessons, advice, tutorials, and other forms of content, alongside videos on important topics your clients would be interested in. I can’t stress this enough: provide free advice and guidance. This doesn’t mean you’ll be losing money by doing something and not getting paid for it. Quite the contrary: doing so will attract more potential clients and help you reach the revenue goals you’ve set initially.

Set Up an Easy Onboarding Process

Going for lengthy onboarding and the sign-up process is never a good choice. Your clients should not waste their time until the moment you provide value for them comes. Let the content you create work its magic and provide your audience with easy sign-up and booking options. They would gladly get on board and hire you if they are able to see you’re worth it, and becoming part of your clientele only takes minutes.

Implement an Easy Payment Process and Offer a Lot of Payment Methods

In today’s world, people demand to pay online using the method they prefer. Not providing them with such a possibility would result in losing clients. This is why I strongly suggest that you offer a plethora of payment methods: credit and debit cards ( VISA , MasterCard ), digital wallets and online payment platforms ( Apple Pay , Google Pay , Venmo , Cash App , PayPal ), and even cryptocurrencies. Having the widest possible variety of options to offer your clients is how you’ll make sure you’d never lose a client due to not supporting the payment method they prefer. 

Another important note I should make is the importance of an online POS system. Unlike the brick-and-mortar fitness center point-of-sale solutions you could opt for, your online fitness business would need a solution that’s compatible with online stores, eCommerce platforms, and other sales channels. It should also be integrable with third-party software. 

Use an Appointment Calendar

To organize and plan your business, as well as to allow your clients to book meetings, you’ll need to introduce a bulletproof schedule to your workflow. This could be a specific software solution, such as HubSpot Sales Hub or Calendly . It’s an absolute must to use such planners to prevent causing a mess when working with dozens or even hundreds of clients at once. This type of software can usually be paired with Google Calendar (in case you use it).

Analyze Your Performance  

Once you kick it off, it will not be long until you have results to process and analyze. Through various tools like Google Analytics, you could gather data related to the performance of your ads, and you can also see which parts of your service portfolio are the most preferred ones. This way, you’ll rethink some aspects of your online fitness business and introduce changes to what you’re offering and the way you offer it. 

Online Fitness Business Ideas 

Deciding to join the online fitness industry is one thing, but choosing what to offer in particular is another story. I went through the important process of finding your niche, but I felt I must suggest some of the best niche services and activities you should consider.

Start Working as an Online Fitness Instructor 

To learn how to start an online fitness training business, you need to know how to become a trainer first. There are courses to take and tutorials to follow on the matter. If you’re already a fitness coach and you plan on creating your own online fitness gig, you’ll be on a faster track.

Home fitness and online workout programs are becoming more popular by the minute, despite being available for years. Becoming a fitness coach able to design workout programs and weight loss plans is bound to be successful, as long as you pay attention to the important details and play your cards right.

Organize Fitness Workshops and Become a Group Training Fitness Coach

There are hundreds of fitness and wellness workshops and online training courses you could lead. Becoming a virtual trainer who guides groups is a trendy activity to engage in, not to mention that you could link various other income sources, such as webinars, personalized meal plans, suggested shopping lists based on meal prep requirements (bulking, keto, etc.), tutorials, and so forth.

Teach Yoga Online 

Yoga has been popular for quite some time, but many people have yet to discover that they can receive the best training and guidance online. This gives you a massive opportunity to teach yoga online, using a live-streaming service, a group chat, or a specific app.

Create a Virtual Gym

You can start a virtual gym by suggesting different training programs and methods based on the equipment people have at home. You can also create an entire portfolio of substitute exercises people can perform at home without weights.

Become a Weight Loss Consultant 

Weight loss will always be a niche that millions of people are interested in as clients. You are guaranteed to have a long waitlist if you prove that you can deliver results. This is the reason why becoming a weight loss consultant must be preceded with relevant experience that can be proven.

Starting an Online Fitness Business From Ground Zero: The Success Stories

There’s nothing more motivating than seeing someone successful in the field you’re about to conquer. This is why I love sharing success stories. They can be very inspirational, but you can also use these stories to learn from people’s mistakes or literally steal their ideas. It’s perfectly fine to do so, and you can always tweak the ideas you find to be awesome before applying them while chasing your own goals.

The success story I want to share is truly inspiring and also a textbook example of how to get things done. Jay Dang’s journey shows how being passionate and harnessing the power of social media platforms is more than enough to create a profitable business. When his NFL dream was shattered, he didn’t give up. He used his passion for fitness and bodybuilding and started posting content on social media. Once he learned how to manage ad campaigns, he took his business to five-figure monthly sales.

Another great example is Joe Logalbo’s story. Check out the video below to see the incredible story of how Joe went from rags to riches. This is inspiration in its purest form.

In Conclusion

There never was a better time to start an online fitness business than today. This is a vast industry offering endless possibilities, waiting for you to grab them. To do it, you must build the foundation of what has the potential to become a sustainable online fitness training or coaching business or a similar project.

If you take the steps necessary to research the field and prepare for your launch, you should be able to enjoy rapid growth. Being careful along the way and not allowing compromises will propel you to success. Hopefully, the steps I suggested and the additional tips will help you achieve your goals faster.

How to Start an Online Fitness Business: FAQs

How do i get online fitness clients.

To attract more clients for your online fitness business, you must engage a local or specific community group and build on top of. You should also allow clients to schedule appointments and buy your services directly using social media. Don’t forget to offer free advice and learn from those who are ahead of you in this game.

How do I become an online trainer?

To become a fitness trainer online, you need to choose a niche and perfect your skills. Next, you’ll need to create a brand and a business framework, alongside a budget, social media accounts, and a marketing strategy. 

Is online fitness coaching worth it?

This is a niche that’s well worth the effort . It will allow you to help hundreds of clients and build a successful brand while enjoying being an entrepreneur and making a good living out of it. It all comes down to planning and skills. 

How much do online fitness coaches make?

Online personal trainers can earn six or even seven figures per year. It depends on the growth of their popularity and their success rate. Still, the majority of personal trainers earn roughly $50 per hour. This is also a competitive income to have. 

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Gym business plan: a checklist with templates & examples

In this article, you'll find a checklist of everything you need to know to create a business plan for your gym or fitness business.

If you've recently discovered an ambition to start a gym , or this has been your dream for years, we've got you covered!

The first step in your journey is to create a gym business plan. This will include understanding your business's structure, determining your target market and what sets you apart from other gyms (your unique selling point), forecasting future finances, and any further details about your venture.

Your gym business plan is the key to your success. It will help you make better decisions and attract potential investors. Creating a business plan is ongoing; it's not something you do once and then forget about. Your business plan should be flexible and adapt as you move forward. 

You have to consider many elements to ensure your gym will succeed. All stages of your business plan are critical. In this article, we'll be doing a deep dive into understanding the core essentials of creating a fitness business plan.

What is a gym business plan? 

A gym business plan is a document that informs the reader about your company and where it's headed. In other words, it answers essential questions such as:

• How does your business work?
• How are you going to succeed?
• What steps do you need to take to succeed?

According to research, entrepreneurs who write formal business plans are more likely to be successful . 

This is especially true for business owners seeking external financial support. A formal business plan can help new businesses by providing a clear focus for their ideas.

Why it’s important to have a business plan for your gym? 

Simply put, your gym business plan is an organized and detailed process that provides a roadmap for your business. If someone reads it – like a potential investor, for example – they should be able to understand how you expect the gym to progress and succeed over time.

Plus, putting together a business plan with detailed description forces you to take a critical look at your operation as it currently stands and identify room for improvement or new areas of opportunity altogether.

Depending on where your business is located, a well-crafted business plan can serve multiple purposes.

Keep reading for even more reasons you need a business plan from day one!

Taking advantage of a steadily growing industry

The gym industry is booming, allowing gyms to capitalize on this growth. In the US alone, over 87 million people regularly attend the gym and spend billions of dollars annually on membership fees.

And according to projections, the global gym market is expected to reach 434 billion USD by 2028 – a 171% increase from 2021! This steady growth provides room for gym owners to get in on the action and reap the benefits.

By having a gym business plan that considers the health & fitness industry as a whole, you'll be able to capitalize on this growth.

Ensures your business idea is feasible 

If you're considering starting a fitness business, know it will be complex. You have a fantastic idea and think it could take off--but how can you test that theory without launching the business? 

This is where a business plan comes in handy. By working through your concept and creating a well-rounded plan of action, you'll be able to figure out key details like numbers, market trends, and what your competition is doing and save yourself loads of time down the line.

It helps to bring in investors and secure funding 

To secure funding for your gym business from investors, you need a comprehensive business plan. This document helps startup businesses obtain the initial capital they need and provides established companies with funds for expansion.

Would-be contributors usually request substantiated data— such as numbers backed up by facts and figures—before deciding whether or not to invest in a project.

If you don't have a business plan, chances are slim that you'll receive money from sources like investors, banks, or other financial organizations outside your company.

Set and reach goals, both big and small 

Having long-term and short-term goals is a great start, but it's time to take the next step. A successful business plan will contain specific tactics on how you plan to achieve your objectives. 

This might be through your business model, acquiring equipment, hiring new talent, or marketing campaigns.

A successful business needs a clear plan to achieve its goals. Breaking down important goals into smaller, more manageable pieces would be best. 

And remember-- as your business changes and grows over time, so should your plan. Keep it updated regularly. 

Business planning is no longer a daunting task

A business plan is a vital tool for new and established businesses. It provides direction and helps to set the foundation for a successful start. 

By budgeting, analyzing your market, and setting out your goals and strategies, you can make more informed decisions about how to proceed. This process also makes it easier to track your progress over time and assess whether or not you are on track.

Something to consider before creating a gym business plan

Consider the cost of starting a gym. There are many potential expenses, such as equipment, personal trainers, class instructors, insurance policies, property fees, etc.

Also, consider how much time you are willing to invest in this venture – especially during the beginning stages when there is likely to be a lot of work involved in getting everything up and running smoothly.

It can be challenging to maintain a good work/life balance when starting any business; it will probably require working additional hours outside of your usual schedule.

Money and time are essential, but there are other things you need to be successful. 

People skills, marketing know-how, and financial smarts are essential if you want to succeed in the gym business world. It's not going to be easy, but it will be worth it if this is your passion. A solid plan is the first step toward making your dream a reality.

The 11 key elements of a detailed gym business plan

Before you develop your business plan, think about where you are and where you want to see yourself. Keep this vision in mind, as it will help guide you through writing your business plan. There will be countless opportunities wherein consulting your business plan will assist you in making a decision.

To create an effective health club business plan, you will need extensive research on your fitness industry, competitors, and future finances. 

Following these 11 steps, you can build an excellent gym business plan that covers all aspects of your health club.

Step 1: Executive summary

Your executive summary needs to be clear and concise while also grabbing attention. What you want readers to know is:

• Your mission/purpose
• How you'll achieve success (What will make you a success story?)

And finally, your vision for the future. Though it may seem tempting to hurry through this section because it is shorter than other parts of the business plan, don't rush! 

This is your chance to shine and explain what makes your company special. Don't worry if you feel like you have more to say about your goals and vision. You can expand on these topics in your company overview.

Step 2: Company overview

Your company overview is where you get to sell your gym and its potential. Build on your executive summary's vision and mission statement, delving deeper into what makes your gym unique. 

Think of your vision statement as a tagline for your future website. When outlining the purpose of your gym, which audience it will cater to, and how you plan to achieve business goals, also consider including the following: 

Your personal mission statement for the business- i.e., what outcome do you hope to see?

Then, give your readers some information on your background:

• What have you done in the past?
• Have you had any other businesses?
• What is your current status?

This is helpful for investors and partners to know so they can understand where you've been and where you're going. The more they know about you, the more trust they'll have in you.

Step 3: Services and amenities

Outline your strategy in detail: what services you'll offer and how you will develop new offerings. This includes if you need to hire someone or build a facility, such as a spa or a studio. 

This information will help you realize when or where your business requires more funding and extra staff.

By describing your products and services, you can gain valuable insights into your gym's size. Test your vision to determine if you have the necessary funding for these assets. If not, consider how you might acquire the required financing.

Some potential products you could invest in are: 

• Gym equipment like treadmills and rowing machines 
• Specialist equipment to cater to different types of gym-goers, such as bodybuilders 
• Food and drinks like energy drinks or healthy foods 

And services like: 

• Personal training sessions 
• Group classes like yoga, spinning, or body pump 
• Lockers for storing belongings while working out 
• Spa amenities like saunas or massages 
• A swimming pool 
• Physiotherapy

Furthermore, thinking about increasing your market share is a significant next step. You could start by offering pro bono services at local workplaces and schools, eventually introducing a fee.

This way, you can attract larger customers while still providing value.

When creating a business plan - be it for a gym or something else entirely - remember that its purpose is to lay out your objectives easily for potential bankers, partners, employees, and investors.

Step 4: Management team

It is essential to consider the positions you'll need to fill and how these people can help your gym succeed. 

You should write a summary emphasizing their skills and management experience while incorporating what they will be responsible for and any incentives you plan on offering.

Furthermore, creating an employee ladder is vital to establish who or what each new hire will report to so your business can secure its success.

Step 5: Market research and marketing strategy

Marketing is a field where creativity can shine. It's all about identifying different groups of people who would buy your product, coming up with reasons why they should choose you over others, and figuring out ways to get more sales.

Learn more:

Gym marketing strategy

Gym promotion ideas

Gym membership pricing

Best gym features

Even if marketing your fitness business isn't your favorite thing, remember that your marketing strategy will help you lay out a plan for expansion if you do it right. Your first target should be to summarise what you found in your market research. Are you still stuck? 

Consider where you are situated, similar businesses nearby, and who makes up the community around you.

Define your target market here. It could be

• Working professionals
• Senior executives

Or a particular group, like cyclists. After that, try to understand why this specific demographic would join a gym – for example, are they looking for cardio?

After you have completed your market research, take some time to understand your target audience. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How can I make this customer base loyal?
• What makes my company unique?
• What's the best membership package I can offer?
• Is there a need for special equipment or offerings?

In your plan, identify and communicate what makes your business valuable and unique. 

This is called a Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and it will help instill confidence in potential investors that they are making a wise choice by investing in your company. 

Furthermore, detailing marketing strategies in this document provides peace of mind that future income streams are lined up and secure.

There are many marketing strategies you can use to grow your business, including:

• Improving your services
• Advertising and sponsorship
• Loyalty plans and website promotions
• Email marketing campaigns
• Investing in new equipment or technology

Step 6: Competitor analysis - Understanding direct and indirect competitors

To do a competitor analysis, research businesses in your field that offer similar services. These are your direct competitors. 

You can mention indirect competitors, but this section is mainly for an in-depth look at businesses like yours. Depending on your business type, you could have brick-and-mortar and online rivals.

When investigating a competitor, these are some critical areas you'll want to focus on: 

• Services and products they offer 
• Target audience 
• Pricing and business model 
• Strengths and weaknesses

Step 7: Create comprehensive financial projections

Starting a gym requires careful budgeting. Make sure you consider every possible purchase and estimate the cost of each item.

The following are key areas to cover when starting your business:

• Lawyer fees
• Recruiting expenses
• Constructional endeavors
• Exercise equipment for the workplace
• Three months' worth of bills and other operational costs
• An accounting software

It's time to be practical and ascertain how much money you will need to open your gym and make it thrive. This way, you'll get a better understanding of what falls within your budget and what will require additional funding.

Next, you need to prove to investors, stakeholders, and employees that you have a feasible plan for attaining ROI. 

Consider revenue streams such as classes, services provided, and product sales- anything that brings in money. Set down an estimate here based on research and expert opinion.

If you're looking for ways to make money, selling healthy food could be a great option. You could create your protein shakes or energy bars, for example. 

If you plan to sell food, ensure you stay up-to-date with food hygiene standards.

Step 8: Financial forecasting

Your sales forecast for your business's first, second, and third years should be detailed. Specifying the number of active members, you estimate for your first year would also be beneficial. Estimate using:

• Unit sales per month
• Any relevant past data
• How purchases will be broken down (as specified in financial projections)

Step 9: Financial strategy

How can you use your fees in a way that will increase customer registration? For example, if all the other gyms in your area charge higher prices than average, this could be an opportunity to set your business apart by being financially conscious (lowering membership fees or having better offers than competitors).

Consider ways to show your appreciation for loyal customers, such as discounts or complimentary services.

Furthermore, if you're in the process of creating a gym and spa business plan, consider adding discounts for those who use both facilities. For example, many people would love to take advantage of the jacuzzi after working out.

Writing your pricing strategy down will help give you peace of mind about what's to come for your gym.

Step 10: Payment option

An easy and accessible payment system is crucial for any business, let alone a gym. To retain customers , ensure your payment processing is up-to-date and user-friendly. 

Let potential investors know what platform you're using or planning to use, so they can see that you're taking customer experience seriously. A positive buyer experience will encourage loyalty among your clientele.

Step 11: Funding

Make it clear where your business will obtain the extra startup capital it needs. 

This is a chance to be practical about your company. Can you realistically obtain the funding required to reach your targets? Or do you need to readjust your plan?

Below are some vital external resources that might provide the necessary funding:

• Loans from friends or family members
• Crowdfunding campaigns
• Business partners or sponsors

If you are looking to gain investors, be sure to detail where the funding for your project will come from and how much of a return they can expect. You should also include any previous loan applications related to this venture here.

You're almost there!

Now it's time to put all the elements outlined above into a gym business plan. This plan will be a reference point when you need to make tough decisions, help secure investment, and show direction to new employees or partners.

Your next steps to successfully run your gym

Here's a personal checklist to help you ensure that you have everything covered before you open your gym. Use it as a reference point throughout the development process to ensure nothing is overlooked.

• Write a business plan
• Register business
• Apply for a business license and permit
• Open business bank accounts
• Select an online payment platform
• Obtain taxpayer's ID
• Purchase insurance
• Rent/purchase facility
• Purchase/rent equipment
• Secure funding
• Recruit employees
• Drafting contract documents along with any other legal documents required
• Design company logo
• Develop website
• Write website content
• Create social media accounts
• Design leaflets & brochures
• Organize branded uniforms
• Launch party

Any business, no matter how big or small, comes with its fair share of challenges. However, the payoffs in the end always make it worth your while

Starting a gym can be an exciting and rewarding venture. However, it is important to ensure that you are well-prepared with all the necessary information before you open your gym. 

A comprehensive Gym Business Plan detailing the market research, financial projections and strategy, services and amenities, management team, and more should be developed to ensure success. 

Additionally, obtaining the necessary licenses, finding and hiring trainers, investing in the right equipment , and appealing to members with friendly incentives are all important steps.

Gym business plan template & examples

In addition, we've gathered a few of the gym business plan templates and examples below. These samples will provide you with suggested language for your own document as well as guidance on what to include.

Adam Fitness Centre

Grow think's template

PAWSitively Fit Club

Ecogym business plan

Capital Health and Fitness Club

Frequently asked questions on good gym business plan

How can i start my own gym business.

Follow these steps and understand gym business plans:

• Choose your area/location
• Develop a comprehensive business plan
• Apply and obtain all necessary licenses
• Find and hire certified trainers
• Invest in the right equipment for your business
• Appeal to members with friendly incentives

How do I write a business plan for a gym?

To write a gym business plan, you can implement the steps below:

• Executive summary
• Company overview
• Services and amenities
• Management team
• Market research and marketing
• Competitor analysis 
• Financial projections
• Financial forecasting
• Financial strategy
• Payment option

What type of gym is the most profitable?

Out of the gyms surveyed in November 2020, 69 percent of CrossFit gyms were profitable, while half of martial arts gyms reported being in the black.

Is owning a gym a good business?

Owning a gym can be profitable, but you will need more time to make yourself rich. To succeed in this industry, you must put in the effort.

Do gym owners make money?

According to ZipRecruiter, an American jobs marketplace, gym owners in the United States will earn an average of $69,472 annually as of June 2022.

Do gyms make a lot of money?

A gym that is managed efficiently and has a good mixture of members can generate quite a bit of money. For example, if a gym has 1,000 people paying $50 monthly, the gym could bring in $50,000 each month. And if the monthly expenses for the gym are $20,000 per month, the profit would be $30,000 per month.

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Business Plan 101: How to Develop a Business Plan for Your Fitness Business

About the course.

The process of constructing a business plan is a necessary reality check for fitness professionals wanting to go into business for themselves. Among other things, the completed business plan provides the necessary foundation for obtaining financing. By taking an objective look at your business plans, identifying areas of weakness and strength become much clearer and easier to acknowledge. You will realize critical components that may have been overlooked, realize problems and establish plans to meet business objectives. Ninety percent of new businesses fail in the first two years. Failure is often attributed to a lack of planning and objective review. To enhance your success, it is important that you utilize your business plan. A well-constructed business plan can turn a failing operation into a success. "The business plan is a necessity. If a Fitness Professional cannot outline the objectives clearly enough to organize a business plan, he or she is already behind when getting started." -Samuel F. Hirschberg, Director of Business Development International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) Despite the critical importance of a business plan, many fitness professionals drag their feet when it comes to preparing one. They argue that they just don't have enough time. But just as a builder won't begin construction without a blueprint, an eager fitness professional with a great business idea shouldn't rush into new ventures without a business plan. Before you begin writing your business plan, consider four important core questions:

What service or product does your business provide and what needs does it fill?

Who are the potential customers for your product or service and why will they purchase it from you?

How will you reach your potential customers?

Where will you get the financial resources to start your business?

This course includes: Chapter 1: Why Write a Business Plan? Chapter 2: Business Plan Basics Chapter 3: Writing the Plan Chapter 4: Sample Business Plan Chapter 5: Using and Implementing the Business Plan Additional Resources Final Examination Bonus: QuickStart Checklist for Launching Your Fitness Business 13-page text in digital PDF format. Includes sample business plan titled: Corporate Fitness: Health/Fitness Program Business Plan . Features online enrollment, online exam and instant grading as well as automatic certificate generation upon completion of course. Please note: This CEU course is online only. There is no curriculum material shipped.

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"I always dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur, and ISSA helped me make that dream a reality. After becoming a certified Personal Trainer with their Kickstarter program, I found my first 5 clients within a month and now own a booming business!”

ISSA Health Coach

"I have so much passion for fitness and I love going to work every day! The material I learned in my course helps me make sure my clients are trained properly and are happy with their results. I am so proud to be part of the ISSA family."

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How To Become A Freelance Personal Trainer

Personal Trainer Software

You have a passion for fitness and a mastery for helping others work out better. But how can you turn this into a profitable career?

Becoming a freelance trainer might be the perfect career choice. It offers you the freedom to maintain your current lifestyle and earn extra income, all while guiding others towards healthier lives on your terms. 

This article will outline the crucial steps you must take, from obtaining the proper certification to launching your business and everything in between. Read on and get started today!

What Is a Freelance Personal Trainer?

A freelance personal trainer is a self-employed fitness professional who provides personalized coaching to clients.

Unlike trainers employed by gyms, freelance personal trainers have the flexibility to operate across various locations, such as multiple gyms, clients' homes, public parks, or even online.

No wonder that according to the latest statistics by FutureFit, 80% of the personal trainers are freelancers in the UK.

• ‍ Flexibility: As a freelance trainer, you have the ultimate say in when and where you work. Once certified and licensed, you can create a training schedule that adapts to your lifestyle. You can use the best scheduling software to balance your time.
• You choose your clients: Freelancing means you can select whom to work with. So, you can focus on clients who best fit your training style and avoid those who don't align with your approach.
• Higher earning potential: One significant advantage of freelancing is the potential to earn more. Without a gym taking a cut, your income is directly proportional to the effort you put in, not just as a trainer but also as a business owner, marketer, and salesperson. Your earning potential is in your hands with the correct rates and strategies.
• Career fulfillment: Helping clients achieve their fitness goals brings a deep sense of satisfaction. Plus, every day presents new challenges and learning opportunities, keeping your job exciting.
• You'll enjoy diverse working environments: Become a freelance trainer, and one day, you might be training someone in a park or, the next, in a private studio. This variety will ensure your working days stay dynamic - something to look forward to.
• With freelancing, you have the reins of your professional growth. You can invest in continuous development, pursue specialties that interest you, and enhance your marketability and expertise. The possibilities for growth are limitless.
• Financial uncertainty: Income can fluctuate based on client retention and acquisition, which might not always be stable, especially during the initial stages or slower seasons.
• Responsibility for business operations: You're in charge of every aspect of your business, from marketing to financial planning and client scheduling. This can be overwhelming if you prefer to focus solely on training clients but overcome by outsourcing or employing systems.
• Marketing and client acquisition: Building a client base from scratch demands considerable effort in marketing and networking. You must continually promote your services to maintain and grow your client base.

How to Become a Freelance Personal Trainer in 7 Steps

Here are the steps to becoming a certified, licensed, and renowned freelance trainer.

Step 1. Get Certified

As a personal trainer, you'll be working with individuals who need assistance with their fitness and lifestyles. This requires a deep understanding of what you'll be training them, which extends far beyond simple workouts.

To gain this knowledge, you'll need to undergo thorough training and acquire the necessary skills. 

You must be at least 18 years old and a high school graduate. An Emergency Cardiac Care (CPR) certificate or an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) certificate would help you enroll faster.

The good thing is that you can learn entirely online, although it's good to have physical classes.

Start with an online personal trainer course such as the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) course. It's a globally recognized organization that offers fitness and nutrition certifications to individuals worldwide.

A career in personal training is broad, so we recommend picking a niche to target a specific demographic. To narrow things down, you can become a nutritionist, a nutrition coach , a yoga instructor, or a geriatrics professional, among other niches.

You can also train for different specializations. Just consider how long each course takes and how expensive it is first. 

You will need to take and pass an exam at the end of each course to get your certificate. 

The only thing remaining is to get licensed—this differs by region and, in some cases, is optional. But please check with your area to understand the requirements.

Finally, to freelance legally, ensure you get federal licensing and an Employer Identification Number (EIN) in the US, register as a sole trader with HMRC in the UK, or take the required steps to be able to conduct freelance business according to the laws in your country.

Step 2. Gain Experience and Specialize

To carve out a successful path as a freelance trainer immediately, gain as much hands-on experience as you can. 

You can intern at local gyms or wellness centers to understand diverse client needs and gain exposure to different fitness environments.

It's practical knowledge that's so crucial when you're ready to fly solo.

Also, think about honing a particular skill set to set yourself apart - especially if you didn't do so in training. For example, you can focus on youth fitness, weight loss, or strength training.

Get enough mentorship and practice to make you the go-to trainer in that niche, and continuously update your skills and knowledge. 

You can even attend regular workshops to keep your methods fresh and your advice sound so that you can devise the most effective training strategies to see your clients progress and achieve their desired results.

Step 3. Develop a Business Plan

Ready to set up your freelance trainer business? You need to develop a personal trainer business plan .

• Start by defining your goals - outline what you want to achieve in the short term and beyond, from client numbers to financial targets.
• Specify your services - one-on-one sessions, group classes, or online programs - and where they'll be delivered.
• Perform a comprehensive market analysis to understand your competition and identify your target clientele. Focus on their needs and how you stand out​ as a freelance trainer.
• Devise a strategic marketing program to attract and retain clients. Incorporate both digital and community-based approaches.
• Set competitive pricing that reflects the value you offer.
• Finally, manage your finances by projecting initial costs, operational expenses, and potential income—prepare for both best- and worst-case scenarios.

Step 4. Create a Strong Brand and Online Presence

Creating a strong personal trainer brand and online presence as a freelance trainer involves several vital strategies to distinguish yourself in a competitive market. 

First, identify your unique value proposition - what makes you different from other trainers? It could be a particular training specialty, your approach to fitness, or a unique combination of skills related to your background and interests​.

Next, develop a professional website as the central hub for your brand - it should clearly communicate your services, experience, and the unique aspects of your training style.

Also, keep it visually appealing using consistent colors, fonts, and a logo that resonates with your target audience.

Finally, stay active on social media to connect with potential clients. Share valuable content , workout tips, success stories, and personalized health advice regularly.

Step 5. Set Up Your Business

Now that you already have a business plan, website, and social media presence, setting up a successful personal trainer business is easier. 

To continue, consider your business's legal structure. Most freelance personal trainers choose a sole proprietorship because it's simple to set up and run.

However, this doesn't provide personal liability protection, so securing appropriate business insurance is important.

Next, investing in the right equipment is essential, especially if you plan to conduct sessions in clients' homes or public spaces like parks.

Ensure you have portable, versatile equipment that can be easily transported to various locations​.

Step 6. Market Your Services

You're all set up now, but you need to market your freelance trainer business to attract clients . Here are some marketing tips you can leverage:

• To connect with potential clients, regularly post relatable fitness content on your social media channels, including live exercise demos. Also, post regular blog articles!
• Collect and display client testimonials and reviews to enhance your credibility and offer prospective clients social proof of your training programs' effectiveness​.
• Create exclusive promotions or fitness challenges that encourage engagement and participation. These could include anything from a weight loss challenge to fitness bingo that includes a variety of workout tasks.
• Utilize email marketing . Send out regular newsletters that include workout tips, nutritional advice, and exclusive offers to maintain ongoing engagement with your clients.
• Use paid ads on platforms like Google and Facebook to target potential customers. Ensure your ads lead to a well-crafted landing page that captures leads effectively​.
• Leverage networking to attract more clients . Build relationships within your community by networking with local health clubs, yoga studios, and other businesses. Partnerships will provide a mutual referral system and increase your visibility in the local market​.

Step 7. Build and Maintain Client Relationships

Building and maintaining good client relationships as a freelance personal trainer hinges on trust, effective communication, and personalization. Here are some key strategies to help you out:

• Show consistency in your sessions, deliver on your promises, and showcase your expertise and credentials.
• Adapt your communication style to different clients. Some prefer direct communication, while others prefer a more supportive and empathetic approach.
• Tailor your freelance training programs to each client's specific goals, preferences, and fitness levels.
• Keep the lines of communication open between sessions. A simple check-in via text or email can show your clients you're invested in their progress.
• Recognize and celebrate your clients' milestones and progress. For example, acknowledge their effort during a session or celebrate a new personal best. Recognition goes a long way in motivating clients and building a positive trainer-client relationship​.
• Regularly seek feedback to understand your client's satisfaction and areas for improvement. It's an excellent way to make your freelance trainer business customer-centered and ensure your clients feel valued.

Nothing is holding you back now. Using the strategies and information above, you can set up and run a successful freelance trainer business in a gym, outdoors, or as a mobile trainer, or launch an online fitness business. 

Whichever setup you go for, ensure you have the best personal trainer software .

Not sure which one? Sign up for a free 1-Month Pt Distinction trial and simplify your client management, program design, and administrative tasks!

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Introducing Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that puts powerful generative models at the core of iPhone, iPad, and Mac

New Capabilities for Understanding and Creating Language

Image Playground Makes Communication and Self‑Expression Even More Fun

Genmoji Creation to Fit Any Moment

New Features in Photos Give Users More Control

Siri Enters a New Era

A New Standard for Privacy in AI

ChatGPT Gets Integrated Across Apple Platforms

Text of this article

June 10, 2024

PRESS RELEASE

Setting a new standard for privacy in AI, Apple Intelligence understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced Apple Intelligence , the personal intelligence system for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that combines the power of generative models with personal context to deliver intelligence that’s incredibly useful and relevant. Apple Intelligence is deeply integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. It harnesses the power of Apple silicon to understand and create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. With Private Cloud Compute, Apple sets a new standard for privacy in AI, with the ability to flex and scale computational capacity between on-device processing and larger, server-based models that run on dedicated Apple silicon servers.

“We’re thrilled to introduce a new chapter in Apple innovation. Apple Intelligence will transform what users can do with our products — and what our products can do for our users,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Our unique approach combines generative AI with a user’s personal context to deliver truly helpful intelligence. And it can access that information in a completely private and secure way to help users do the things that matter most to them. This is AI as only Apple can deliver it, and we can’t wait for users to experience what it can do.”

Apple Intelligence unlocks new ways for users to enhance their writing and communicate more effectively. With brand-new systemwide Writing Tools built into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps.

Whether tidying up class notes, ensuring a blog post reads just right, or making sure an email is perfectly crafted, Writing Tools help users feel more confident in their writing. With Rewrite, Apple Intelligence allows users to choose from different versions of what they have written, adjusting the tone to suit the audience and task at hand. From finessing a cover letter, to adding humor and creativity to a party invitation, Rewrite helps deliver the right words to meet the occasion. Proofread checks grammar, word choice, and sentence structure while also suggesting edits — along with explanations of the edits — that users can review or quickly accept. With Summarize, users can select text and have it recapped in the form of a digestible paragraph, bulleted key points, a table, or a list.

In Mail, staying on top of emails has never been easier. With Priority Messages, a new section at the top of the inbox shows the most urgent emails, like a same-day dinner invitation or boarding pass. Across a user’s inbox, instead of previewing the first few lines of each email, they can see summaries without needing to open a message. For long threads, users can view pertinent details with just a tap. Smart Reply provides suggestions for a quick response, and will identify questions in an email to ensure everything is answered.

Deep understanding of language also extends to Notifications. Priority Notifications appear at the top of the stack to surface what’s most important, and summaries help users scan long or stacked notifications to show key details right on the Lock Screen, such as when a group chat is particularly active. And to help users stay present in what they’re doing, Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that surfaces only the notifications that might need immediate attention, like a text about an early pickup from daycare.

In the Notes and Phone apps, users can now record, transcribe, and summarize audio. When a recording is initiated while on a call, participants are automatically notified, and once the call ends, Apple Intelligence generates a summary to help recall key points.

Apple Intelligence powers exciting image creation capabilities to help users communicate and express themselves in new ways. With Image Playground, users can create fun images in seconds, choosing from three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Image Playground is easy to use and built right into apps including Messages. It’s also available in a dedicated app, perfect for experimenting with different concepts and styles. All images are created on device, giving users the freedom to experiment with as many images as they want.

With Image Playground, users can choose from a range of concepts from categories like themes, costumes, accessories, and places; type a description to define an image; choose someone from their personal photo library to include in their image; and pick their favorite style.

With the Image Playground experience in Messages, users can quickly create fun images for their friends, and even see personalized suggested concepts related to their conversations. For example, if a user is messaging a group about going hiking, they’ll see suggested concepts related to their friends, their destination, and their activity, making image creation even faster and more relevant.

In Notes, users can access Image Playground through the new Image Wand in the Apple Pencil tool palette, making notes more visually engaging. Rough sketches can be turned into delightful images, and users can even select empty space to create an image using context from the surrounding area. Image Playground is also available in apps like Keynote, Freeform, and Pages, as well as in third-party apps that adopt the new Image Playground API.

Taking emoji to an entirely new level, users can create an original Genmoji to express themselves. By simply typing a description, their Genmoji appears, along with additional options. Users can even create Genmoji of friends and family based on their photos. Just like emoji, Genmoji can be added inline to messages, or shared as a sticker or reaction in a Tapback.

Searching for photos and videos becomes even more convenient with Apple Intelligence. Natural language can be used to search for specific photos, such as “Maya skateboarding in a tie-dye shirt,” or “Katie with stickers on her face.” Search in videos also becomes more powerful with the ability to find specific moments in clips so users can go right to the relevant segment. Additionally, the new Clean Up tool can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo — without accidentally altering the subject.

With Memories, users can create the story they want to see by simply typing a description. Using language and image understanding, Apple Intelligence will pick out the best photos and videos based on the description, craft a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arrange them into a movie with its own narrative arc. Users will even get song suggestions to match their memory from Apple Music. As with all Apple Intelligence features, user photos and videos are kept private on device and are not shared with Apple or anyone else.

Powered by Apple Intelligence, Siri becomes more deeply integrated into the system experience. With richer language-understanding capabilities, Siri is more natural, more contextually relevant, and more personal, with the ability to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. It can follow along if users stumble over words and maintain context from one request to the next. Additionally, users can type to Siri, and switch between text and voice to communicate with Siri in whatever way feels right for the moment. Siri also has a brand-new design with an elegant glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when Siri is active.

Siri can now give users device support everywhere they go, and answer thousands of questions about how to do something on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Users can learn everything from how to schedule an email in the Mail app, to how to switch from Light to Dark Mode.

With onscreen awareness, Siri will be able to understand and take action with users’ content in more apps over time. For example, if a friend texts a user their new address in Messages, the receiver can say, “Add this address to his contact card.”

With Apple Intelligence, Siri will be able to take hundreds of new actions in and across Apple and third-party apps. For example, a user could say, “Bring up that article about cicadas from my Reading List,” or “Send the photos from the barbecue on Saturday to Malia,” and Siri will take care of it.

Siri will be able to deliver intelligence that’s tailored to the user and their on-device information. For example, a user can say, “Play that podcast that Jamie recommended,” and Siri will locate and play the episode, without the user having to remember whether it was mentioned in a text or an email. Or they could ask, “When is Mom’s flight landing?” and Siri will find the flight details and cross-reference them with real-time flight tracking to give an arrival time.

To be truly helpful, Apple Intelligence relies on understanding deep personal context while also protecting user privacy. A cornerstone of Apple Intelligence is on-device processing, and many of the models that power it run entirely on device. To run more complex requests that require more processing power, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of Apple devices into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence.

With Private Cloud Compute, Apple Intelligence can flex and scale its computational capacity and draw on larger, server-based models for more complex requests. These models run on servers powered by Apple silicon, providing a foundation that allows Apple to ensure that data is never retained or exposed.

Independent experts can inspect the code that runs on Apple silicon servers to verify privacy, and Private Cloud Compute cryptographically ensures that iPhone, iPad, and Mac do not talk to a server unless its software has been publicly logged for inspection. Apple Intelligence with Private Cloud Compute sets a new standard for privacy in AI, unlocking intelligence users can trust.

Apple is integrating ChatGPT access into experiences within iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, allowing users to access its expertise — as well as its image- and document-understanding capabilities — without needing to jump between tools.

Siri can tap into ChatGPT’s expertise when helpful. Users are asked before any questions are sent to ChatGPT, along with any documents or photos, and Siri then presents the answer directly.

Additionally, ChatGPT will be available in Apple’s systemwide Writing Tools, which help users generate content for anything they are writing about. With Compose, users can also access ChatGPT image tools to generate images in a wide variety of styles to complement what they are writing.

Privacy protections are built in for users who access ChatGPT — their IP addresses are obscured, and OpenAI won’t store requests. ChatGPT’s data-use policies apply for users who choose to connect their account.

ChatGPT will come to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year, powered by GPT-4o. Users can access it for free without creating an account, and ChatGPT subscribers can connect their accounts and access paid features right from these experiences.

Availability

Apple Intelligence is free for users, and will be available in beta as part of iOS 18 , iPadOS 18 , and macOS Sequoia  this fall in U.S. English. Some features, software platforms, and additional languages will come over the course of the next year. Apple Intelligence will be available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with M1 and later, with Siri and device language set to U.S. English. For more information, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence .

Press Contacts

Cat Franklin

[email protected]

Jacqueline Roy

[email protected]

Apple Media Helpline

[email protected]

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