In addition to recruiting new clients for group classes and private training sessions, many coaches have expanded their training options to serve their clients online.
Providing online fitness training and coaching opens up an entire world of possibilities. Suddenly you’re no longer limited by location – you can literally coach anyone in any country on earth!
But when faced with a whole planet filled with prospects, how do you narrow down your target market and connect with the people most likely to pay for your services?
Finding that target market online can seem intimidating. You may be wondering…
• Where do I start?
• How can I easily find prospective clients online?
• What is my target market searching for online?
• How can I show up in those searches?
Luckily, it’s not difficult to get more clients online when you follow these 7 simple strategies.
1. Comment on blog posts
A lot of great things happen when you start commenting on relevant blog posts in your niche.
Let’s say you’re a personal fitness trainer looking to get more clients online. You want to train via Skype or FaceTime from the comfort of your home, so you’re looking for tech-savvy, busy people interested in doing the same.
• Do some research on competitors in your niche, and start reading their blogs.
• Find out which blogs rank high in Google searches when you type in relevant keywords like “online personal trainer” or “virtual fitness trainer.”
• Comment on popular blog posts your target market is likely to read.
• Read the comments of others to make sure the people “hanging out” on the blog are, in fact, members of your target market.
• Respond to others comments and start conversations with prospects on the blog.
• Leave a link to your website so others can find out more about what you do.
By commenting on relevant industry-specific blog posts, you’ll start to develop relationships with prospective clients, drive traffic back to your website, and increase your visibility to those searching for the exact services you’re offering.
2. Join Facebook groups
Facebook is another great place to get more clients. Having a Facebook page is great, but it’s not much help unless your target market actually sees your posts.
In addition to building your page’s presence, join several industry-related Facebook groups so you can meet prospective clients, connect with colleagues (and competitors!), and become a trusted source as you answer other’s questions and solve problems.
• Join a few groups and become a regular, active member. It’s much more effective to be a daily participant in 2 groups than to join 20 groups and never use them.
• Like other people’s posts, respond to comments, and interact with other group members in order to build strong relationships.
• When a group member has a problem or question related to what you do, be the first to provide expert advice. Show yourself to be an expert in your field, and you’ll be top of mind when it comes time for that prospect to hire a coach!
3. Use Youtube
A Youtube channel is a fantastic way to get more clients online. By producing and posting your own fitness training videos, you’re providing incredible value while increasing your visibility as a sought-after trainer.
If prospects like the free videos you post on Youtube, they’re much more likely to seek you out for private personal training sessions online.
• Create your own Youtube channel, being sure to use the same branding you use on your website. This creates a seamless experience for the end user and makes you more recognizable across multiple channels online.
• Consistently upload new videos to your channel and share them with your email list and on social media.
• Track and analyze who’s subscribing to your channel, and reach out to them to offer a free one-on-one training session online.
• Move prospects through your sales funnel by showing them how easy it is to train with you online. Each video you post serves as an example of what it would be like to work with you, so make sure each one offers valuable tips, exercises, and recommendations.
4. Join Google+ communities
Participate in Google+ communities in the same way you participate in Facebook groups. Keep in mind that you’re likely to discover an entirely different market segment on G+, so it’s a great idea to be active on both social platforms.
• Search groups based on what your clients are interested in, not necessarily what you are interested in. For example, clients might search groups by the result they’re looking for, such as weight loss, healthy living, fitness tips for moms, and so on. “Online personal training” is simply one way you can deliver those results, so be sure to expand your search beyond those words.
• Take care to build real relationships and participate in groups in an authentic way. Many G+ groups frown upon perceived “selling” or “spamming” of members, so leave you agenda at the door and make an effort to really get to know and help the other members.
5. Optimize your website
One of the most effective ways to help your target market find you and to get more clients is to optimize your website for SEO.
An optimized site is more likely to rank higher in Google search results, which means prospects will see your website when searching for relevant keywords.
The more people that find you in searches, the more visits to your website. The more visits to your website, the more potential for conversion.
• Identify relevant keywords for your niche by asking “What is the client searching for?”
• Research keywords to see how many searches are being performed, how much competition there is for those keywords, and to get other ideas for additional keywords.
• Once you’ve found the keywords most likely to be used by your target market, integrate them throughout your website. Use them everywhere from the homepage copy to your blog posts.
• Use relevant keywords in your social media posts, especially when sharing on Google+. A lot of the time, Google will rank a G+ post higher than a regular website in its search results. Because prospects might see your G+ post before your website, make sure you always place a link back to your site in every post.
In order to get more clients, you first have to find those clients online. In order to find more clients, you have to think like a client.
Remember to…
• Identify the outcome the client is trying to achieve. Instead of searching for “online personal trainer,” which is a way to achieve an outcome, a client might search by the benefit they hope to receive, such as “weight loss” or “increased energy.”
• Think like a client when deciding which social media groups to join.
• Participate in groups and comment on blog posts in an authentic manner, without selling anything.
• Be the first to respond when prospects have a problem or question, increasing your authority and visibility online.
By anticipating the prospect’s perspective, you’ll be able to find your target market, build relationships with them, and get more clients online.
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