How to Adapt Your Gym for Social Distancing
Rather than meeting people in the gym, you can meet with them virtually, relaying video feeds and communicating in real-time with your clients.
Video conferencing - personal training
Alternatively, you can use video chatting to work with clients one-on-one. After setting up appointments on Skype, Zoom, or even Gmail, you can guide your clients through at-home workouts and coach them on their progress. You can also demonstrate new exercises and movements as needed.
Another option is live streaming your workouts, which you can do using a platform like Twitch. Here, you’ll be able to mass-broadcast your routines for many people at once and interact with them in the form of comments and responses. Again, you miss out on the personal interaction element, but it enables you to reach many people at once.
Note that it’s possible to use multiple methods simultaneously. It all depends on your goals.
Filmed video
Filmed videos, which you can publish on a website or on a channel like YouTube, have several advantages. You’ll have the ability to edit these videos before they’re released, so you can demonstrate a perfect performance while also adding extra effects and polishing the quality.
You can also build a permanent archive of videos, which can continue generating revenue indefinitely. However, filmed videos lack the personal engagement that’s available with other methods.
Social distancing for workouts
In most cases, this means developing routines that anyone can do with little to no equipment.
No matter which online approach you use, you’re going to be limited in terms of the range of exercises you can perform. You may have workout equipment in your home, like a treadmill or a cable machine, but you can’t guarantee that your clients will have this equipment available to them.
If and when you meet individually with clients, you can develop routines based on the equipment they have available, but if you’re targeting a broader audience, you’ll need to appeal to the most minimal possible setup.
Fitness possibilities for new audiences
One challenge you’ll encounter when trying to create a fitness business that accounts for social distancing is competition. There are many personal trainers transitioning online because of gym closures and health concerns.
How are you going to stand out from the rest?
Your best option is to target an audience that differs from your competitors’ audiences. These are just some ideas to get you started:
Newcomers. Can you build an exercise program that caters to total beginners, who have little to no experience working out?
Broad audiences or solo clients. You’ll also need to think about your audience segments and whether they differ between your broad streaming/filmed video audience and your individual clients.
Kids. Lots of parents are staying home with their kids and looking for new activities to keep them busy and healthy. Can you provide exercise routines that parents can do with their children?
Keeping in touch with your clients
If you want your business to succeed remotely, you’ll need some way to stay in contact with your current viewers and clients.
Blogging and new videos: You should also pick up blogging, which functions as a way to inform your clients, convert visitors, build your reputation, and market your website all at once. Depending on the nature of your website, you may also be able to upload videos directly here.
Website and announcements: First, you’ll need to create a website, which is easy if you use Appily App Builder’s Websites and built-in marketing tools. Once you establish your brand presence here, you can make announcements and advertise your services.
Email marketing: Similarly, you can make use of email marketing, keeping your subscribers up to date on the latest fitness social distancing news and advertising your latest content.
Social media: Social media is one of the best marketing platforms for personal trainers since it allows you to promote all your content and directly engage with your followers.
Plan ahead
You won’t be able to personally train clients the way you used to, or at least for the next several months and even longer. If you’re willing to adapt and restructure your business, you’ll have a good chance at generating revenue and building a new client base. Sooner or later, gyms will start to reopen and people will head back to fitness. There will be social distancing present, but eventually everything will turn back to normal.
