How to get more clients as a personal trainer

To get more personal training clients, give people a clear reason to choose your service and an easy next step. That might be an introduction from an existing client, a useful local connection, or someone finding your profile and seeing a session that fits their needs.

You do not need to try every marketing channel at once. Start with a specific service you want to fill, choose a couple of ways to reach suitable people, and keep track of the enquiries and bookings they bring. Here is a practical way to do that.

Start with the places you actually want to fill

Be specific about what is available. Two weekday morning appointments need a different message from a beginner evening class or live online coaching. Think about who the service suits, where it happens, and the commitment involved.

For example, instead of a general “taking on clients” post, you could explain that you have space for beginners who want help getting comfortable with strength training. Add the location, available times, session length, price, and a link to the details.

Only describe expertise and outcomes you can support. You can explain what you help clients work towards without promising a particular weight change or transformation by a deadline.

Give every enquiry a useful place to land

A booking page or public profile gives people somewhere to check your services after hearing about you. Include clear prices and units: per person for a class, per session for one-to-one training, or the total cost and number of sessions in a pack.

Show your training format, qualifications, location, and what happens next. If a booking needs approval, explain that. Keep a contact option for people who want to discuss suitability first; a conversation can be a useful part of choosing a trainer.

MatchMyTrainer gives you a public profile to share with existing contacts and a presence in a trainer marketplace. You can list in-person and online services, manage group-class places, and offer session packs. Marketplace discovery is an additional route to enquiries, not a promise of new clients. There is no monthly platform fee; fees apply to bookings and products sold.

Our guide to showing your prices has examples you can use to make your offer clearer.

Make referrals easy and comfortable

Let current clients know what you have space for and give them a link they can pass on. Keep the request optional. There is no need to ask for their friends' phone numbers or put them in the position of selling on your behalf.

I have space for [service and times] at the moment. If you know someone who might find it useful, you are welcome to share my page: [link]. They can see the details and get in touch with any questions.

A referral offer is a business choice, not a requirement. If you use one, explain who receives it, when it applies, and what it costs you. Keep it separate from requests for Google reviews, where discounts or free sessions in exchange for a review are prohibited.

Build a few relevant local connections

Consider clubs, community venues, workplaces, or other businesses whose audiences fit your service. Start with a specific idea: a beginner strength session for a running club, for example, or a lunchtime class at a suitable workplace venue.

Explain what you can offer, who it suits, and what the organiser would need to provide. Agree the price, space, equipment, and booking arrangements before promoting it. Check that your qualifications and insurance cover the activity you propose.

This can be useful even without a formal partnership. A relevant venue may be happy to display your class details, while you can direct clients to its timetable. Ask permission and avoid implying endorsement or a professional relationship that has not been agreed.

Show what training with you is like

Choose content that answers a genuine question: where a class meets, how you introduce a beginner to a session, or what a live online appointment involves. Explain the service in plain language and give an appropriate next step.

A simple post might include a photo of the training space, a description of who the session suits, and the available booking options. If you show clients, get their permission for that use. Do not assume permission to take a photo also means permission to use it in advertising.

Use a posting routine you can maintain. Judge it by relevant enquiries and bookings as well as views. A popular post and a useful source of clients are not necessarily the same thing.

Use Google where it fits your business

If you work with clients in person and meet Google's eligibility rules, a Business Profile can give you a presence in Maps and local search. Online-only businesses are not eligible, although their websites can still appear in ordinary search results.

Use accurate service and location information and invite genuine feedback without incentives or selecting only clients you expect to leave positive reviews. There is no review count that guarantees a ranking. Our Google visibility guide covers eligibility, profiles, reviews, and what to measure.

Offer a first step that makes sense

You might offer a short introductory conversation, a paid first session, or a taster class. Choose something that helps a potential client understand your coaching and is worthwhile for you to deliver. It does not have to be free or a fixed length.

Say what is included, what it costs, and whether there is any ongoing commitment. Give the client room to decide after the introduction. If they want to continue, send the relevant service or pack details rather than assuming the most expensive option is right for them.

Choose a small plan and measure it

For an example first month, improve one service page, let existing clients know about your availability, and approach one suitable local organisation. Publish a few useful posts that support the same offer. This is a suggested starting plan, not a prediction of how quickly it will work.

Record where enquiries came from, how many led to a first booking, and the money and time you spent. Ask new clients how they heard about you, while recognising that they may have encountered you in more than one place.

If you try paid advertising, set a budget you are comfortable testing and track paid bookings, not just clicks. In a hypothetical example, £60 spent on promotion that brings three new paying clients is £20 per client before your other costs. That does not tell you the profit or how long they will stay.

Keep what is bringing suitable enquiries, adjust what is unclear, and avoid changing everything at once. Once someone books, a clear booking and confirmation process helps you carry that first impression through to the session.

About the Google advice

Checked on 21 September 2026 against Google's Business Profile eligibility rules and review policies. The marketing plan and examples above are suggestions to test with your own business, not research-backed promises of results.