6 tools for managing your personal training brand

There are SO many marketing tools for personal trainers and fitness coaches right now. The industry is flooded with CRM systems, lead gen formulas, and all sorts of other promotional solutions. Identifying the right ones for your PT business can increase revenue, save time, and improve your work-life balance. But which are the best for your needs? And how can you keep things simple?

#1 – Buffer Whether you’re an online trainer or work with clients in person, you probably use social media for marketing. It’s a great way to find new clients, demonstrate your expertise, and keep existing customers loyal. But it can also be time-consuming, which is where Buffer comes in. This handy tool helps you plan, schedule, and publish all of your social media content in advance. It allows you to batch your social efforts, so you don’t have to find the time daily. Instead, you can prepare everything 1-2 times per month, then let Buffer sort the rest. The tool maximises exposure by sharing your posts at the best possible times throughout the day. This ensures that your followers and fans see updates more often and helps you post consistently (which platforms reward with higher visibility). You can also schedule retweets, shares, or repins as you come across them in your own feed. There’s an app and browser extension so you can quickly add content from anywhere and at any time (yes even the 2min gap between client sessions!). Buffer works across all the major social media platforms, so you can post to all of them at once instead of doing it individually. Their free account lets you post to 3 platforms of your choice and schedule 10 posts in advance. If you want to connect more social profiles or schedule more posts than 10 at a time, you can upgrade for $15.

#2 – Canva Canva lets you create professional-looking marketing materials with zero design skills needed. If you need posters, pricelists, or leaflets, then it’s an ideal solution. The tool is pretty easy to use – just find a template you like and then edit the text, colours, and anything else to make it your own. It’s also a great place to find ideas and inspiration for your own business branding. Canva includes millions of images, icons, and fonts, many of which are totally free. Some cost $1 but you also have the option to upload your own fitness images too. #3 – Wix Website Builder As the saying goes, ‘never build your home on someone else’s land’. It might be tempting to base your PT business around your Instagram account, Facebook group, or YouTube channel, but they can be shut down at any time. This is why you need your own PT business website, even if it’s just a simple, one-page site. Wix makes it super easy to create one and gear it towards generating leads and sales. There are lots of templates built specifically for personal trainers that allow you to showcase your coaching services, take bookings, and process payments. Plus, a basic website is free!

#4 – MailChimp Email marketing is incredibly effective, yet often overlooked in favour of social. This is a strategic mistake – if your social account gets blocked then you’re no longer able to communicate with your audience. But if you’ve got their email addresses then this will never be a problem. MailChimp is a free email tool that’s really easy to use. We think it’s the easiest of any out there. Simply tweak one of their templates with your PT logo and email text, then you’re away! They also provide clear and easy-to-understand reporting, so you can see how your emails have performed and where to improve. It’s measurable in a way that many other forms of marketing aren’t, so is worth including in your promotional strategy.

#5 – SumoMe Whether you want to grow your email list or social media followers, SumoMe’s suite of tools can help. They have a nifty range of website plug-ins that’s turbo-boost your audience numbers. It offers intelligent pop-ups that link to your lead magnets, traffic generation tools, and tools that encourage social media shares. You’ll need to have the basics first – a website, some visitors, and an email list. But if you have these foundational elements, then Sumo can take you to the next level for free.

#6 – Google Ads <$10+> If you want to find new clients fast, then head straight to Google Ads. It’s hands-down the best option for generating quality leads with a small budget. By targeting people who are searching for personal training in your local area, it’s easy to convert interested strangers into paying clients. For example, you can create an online advert and then choose to show it when people search for fitness-related services in your town or city. Your ad will show at the top of the search results and likely be the first thing they click on. By linking your ad to a lead magnet or contact page, you can drive leads for just a few pennies per person!