How to Get More Personal Training Clients on Facebook

With more than 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the largest social network in the world — and your personal training clients are undoubtedly among those billions.

You probably already have a Facebook Page for your PT business, but have you joined a relevant Facebook Group or created one for current or potential PT clients? Are you posting the right kind of content or keeping up with messages sent to your Facebook page?

In this blog article, you’ll learn how to build your personal training business on social media and how to put Facebook to work for you.

Join Facebook Groups Focused on Fitness

To find clients on Facebook, you need to understand who they are and what they’re interested in. Think about it this way: A Facebook Page is best for broadcasting information, and a Facebook group is killer for creating conversations and nurturing client relationships.

Joining fitness-related Facebook groups like fans of CrossFit or Peloton is a great way to find potential clients already passionate about fitness. You can also look for Facebook Groups for people who are just getting started on their fitness journey.

Start by searching Facebook for groups in your location (e.g., groups in Des Moines for people who like fitness) and joining those. Then, pull up the list of people who like your Facebook Page and look through their profiles to see what fitness-related groups they’re in and join those.

Once you’re in those groups, however, don’t hard sell your training services. Instead, position yourself as an expert by providing tips and guidance, as well as plenty of support. Many Facebook groups have rules about posting spam or selling stuff, so focus on building relationships and support members and the clients will come to you.

Create Your Own Facebook Group

Fitness woman on her phone.

If finding and joining the right fitness-related groups seems like too much work, you can always create your own Facebook group. This not only gives you greater control over the conversation, but it also shows that you’re invested in your clients and building a fitness community.

You can get started by creating the Facebook group from your Facebook page and then following these instructions:

From your Facebook page, click the three-dot buttons below your header image and choose Create Group from the dropdown.

Then, share your new group’s info on your Facebook page and invite fans to join. Just be careful about adding people to your group and only add people who you’re 100% positive want to participate.

Remember: The goal of Facebook groups is to support your clients on their fitness journey, build a community around shared goals, put your expertise on display, and grow your personal training business.

Put Your Fitness Expertise on Display

Yes, you should use Facebook Ads to grow your reach and build your business, but there are lots of free and easy ways to use Facebook to your advantage, too. Here are some:

  • Ask thought-provoking questions about fitness, and be sure to respond to all the commenters.
  • Be the first to respond (as your Facebook Page) to new posts from popular fitness brands or influencers.
  • Share relevant, high-quality content (blog posts, e-books, how-to videos) in a group or on your page.
  • Connect people with resources, help them find solutions, and celebrate your fans’ and members’ fitness wins.
  • Go live on Facebook and help current and potential clients master their form or try out a new trending workout.

Never Lose a Lead with Facebook Messenger

Social media messenger and marketing notifications on phone.

The word “chatbot” may feel foreign, but Facebook Messenger makes it easy to automate conversations with your fans, followers, and potential clients. In the United States, Facebook Messenger is the No. 1 mobile messaging app in terms of users, and you can leverage that popularity.

You can set up your Facebook page to automatically respond — with personalization — to common questions and even get people to sign up for personal training sessions.

Keep Track on How Clients Are Finding You

As you become more active in Facebook groups and on Facebook in general, be sure to keep tabs on which clients are coming through Facebook and how they found your business (e.g., seeing you comment in a specific group or on a fitness influencer’s post). This information will help you understand the best way to reach the right kind of personal training clients.

Run a Better Personal Training Business

With these strategies, you’ll be ready to bring in more personal training clients than you know what to do with. With so many new clients, it will be more important than ever to have the right personal training software in tow.

My PT Hub lets personal trainers create customized training and nutrition programs, leverage 7,500+ workout videos, track client progress, celebrate achievements, and more. Get a free trial, and start delivering the best client experience possible.