Print Marketing Strategies to Attract New Personal Training Clients

Oct 5, 2019

By Tim Saye



Our series of offline marketing strategies that can help you grow your online client base is slowly arriving at its end. In today's article, we'll dig into print marketing strategies that can attract new clients to your fitness business. We'll also discuss how they can help you increase the size of your online audience.


Print marketing is certainly not dead yet. Many people, especially those that grew up before the internet became prominent like to flick through local papers, look around in the area and get recommendations in person. Not to mention that the available information on the Internet is overwhelming, which pushes many people to gather their information from people they trust. That's where print marketing can excel.


Strategy #1. Posters

Do you ever find yourself standing on an escalator checking out the signs around you? Chances are most people do the same. Just think of the London Underground and all that advertisement for local businesses.

Before plastering the walls, though, find out what the regulations are in your area. The last thing you want is a big fine for putting ads up where it's not permitted. You can also contact local advertising agencies to lean where they can offer a place or places and how much you'd need to invest.

The key with posters is to find a location or locations where your ideal clients, both in-person and online, hang out the most. Another aspect is the footfall in the area. If the place is in an alley nobody ever goes to; your ads ROI will be slim to none.


Strategy #2. Ads in Papers and Magazines

When you are trying to build trust, writing a guest article in a paper will bring better results than a paid advertisement. However, when you're trying to position your business in front of people that are ready to buy but may not have heard of you yet, a well-written and designed ad can do a much better job prompting them to jump on an offer.

The important things to identify before posting an ad: Who is the ad targeting? What action is the ad trying to encourage? How can the prospect get in touch the most comfortable way?

Based on the answers, you can choose the right paper or magazine, write the ad copy and design the call-to-action to get the best results. If sales marketing is not your strength, I highly recommend outsourcing this task to a professional or a company that has an excellent reputation in that area.


Strategy #3. Flyers and Business Cards

Now that half of the world is environment-conscious and more people are making informed decisions when it comes to money spending, printing flyers and business cards in excess may not be your best strategy. However, often, they still are the best medium to pass on a message to the masses.

Flyers are a great way to let locals know you are launching a new service, or you're hosting a workshop or a charity event.

Business cards will come in handy when you're attending networking events, walking around in your branded hoodie and get asked about your services, or if you'd like to be able to give something to people visiting your events quickly.

If you want to be environment-friendly, choose a company for the print that cares about the Earth and consider using recycled paper; also, only print what you need.


Strategy #4: Branded Workwear and Vehicles

I am adding the uniforms and vehicle print here, even though strictly speaking they may not belong to print marketing. However, they are a great way of letting people know who you are without being in their face all the time.

This strategy implies you've already created your brand; you do some work locally and own a vehicle that you use for commuting to work. This strategy could be particularly useful for mobile personal trainers who would like to run around less and build a reputation and online following.


Strategy #5: Direct Mail

With this idea, we're moving onto strategies that aim mainly at your ex and current clients and their circles. In our digital world, asking or providing postal address is not that common any more. Ensure you ask for consent before sending marketing letters to them. If you are in the EU, that's a legal requirement anyway, but you don't want to spam people who are not interested in what you have to say.

On the other hand, those that are interested will more likely be happy to read your brochures and letter in a hard copy than online. They will also quickly pass it on to a friend who they think may be interested if they can hand it over.

While Thank you and Greeting cards don't count as marketing, everybody is happy when they receive a postcard. So, if collecting the postal addresses of your clients is part of your onboarding process, use that opportunity to deepen the bond and trust.


Strategy #6: Referral Cards

Referral marketing in itself is worth a whole article. As most personal trainers report, most of their new clients come from referrals. If you have a system in place to encourage your clients to bring their friends and family to you, handing them a nicely designed card that has all the details they need to take the first step will make the process easier for all parties.


How can you get online clients from print marketing?

Online personal training clients don't just appear from nothing. People buy online from businesses they trust. Trust means they believe you can deliver what you say you can. Building that type of rapport, even if you never speak to someone, takes time. Providing value consistently and staying on top of mind of your ideal clients is the long-term game, and print marketing has its place in that strategy. Just make sure you broadcast your online contact details, including website, social media accounts, etc.

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