How to Discover Your Niche as a Personal Trainer
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Each year, thousands of new personal trainers enter the market, fresh off their qualification courses and ready to forge their way in the fitness industry. But with so many qualified PTs out there, how can you stand out from the crowd to build a customer base?
That’s where having a niche as a PT comes in.
Having a niche – or area of expertise – gives you a unique perspective and helps you stand out in a crowded market.
Your first thought may be that focusing on a single niche may narrow your options when it comes to finding clients. But if you choose the right niche for your personal skillset and life experiences, it can work to your advantage.
Here are just some of the advantages of focusing on a niche within your PT business:
- Establish authority as an expert in your area.
- Having a story behind your niche will help people relate to you.
- Master one or two areas and do those really well instead of trying to learn every possible area of fitness. Trying to be everything to everyone can prevent you from reaching your full potential as a PT!
So, you understand the benefits of focusing on a niche, but how do you go about choosing one that you’ll enjoy and that will connect you with your dream client base? Go through the prompts below to help determine what your area of expertise could be.
- 1. What’s the story behind your fitness journey?
When trying to choose your fitness niche, it helps to draw inspiration from your own personal experiences and what led you to become interested in fitness. Chances are there are other people who are at the same place you were when you started. If your story resonates with people, it could encourage them to work with you after seeing the great physical and mental benefits you’ve gained through fitness.
- 2. Have you gone through any personal struggles related to health or fitness?
Similar to the last point, sharing any personal struggles you’ve been through can help potential clients relate to you. They’re less likely to feel self-conscious when it comes to training if they know you’ve had similar life experiences or if you are close to someone who has had health struggles. For example, you may have struggled to get back to exercise after having a baby, you may have a chronic illness that can impact workouts, or you may have a close family member who’s disabled and who you help with their fitness.
- 3. Is there a gap in the market in your local area?
Do a Google search on personal trainers in your local area and see if they have any specialties listed. Are there any demographics of clients that are being left out? If you can fill that gap and promote yourself as the local expert in that area, you could have an influx of clients.
Explore our selection of PT courses here.
Need some inspiration? Here are some examples of niches within the fitness industry:
Pre- and post-natal fitness
Exercise for older adults
Clients living with or recovering from a health condition, such as a heart attack, back pain, or arthritis
Training for competitive athletes
Children’s fitness
Clients with physical disabilities, such as a wheelchair or prosthetic limb
Fitness for managing diabetes
Middle-aged or older clients who have never worked out before
Strength training and nutrition aimed at vegan clients
Women going through menopause
Strength training for long-distance runners
The options are endless! Some of these niche areas may overlap – for example older adults and people with health conditions. In these cases, it could be beneficial to focus on both.
And don’t be afraid to get too specific – modern-day technology means you aren’t just limited to people who live in your local area. You can schedule one-to-one Zoom sessions with clients all over the world and provide valuable information through monetized content on YouTube and TikTok. As you establish yourself as an authority in your chosen area, clients will refer you to people they know, helping your business grow through word-of-mouth.
Are you still feeling stuck? If you’re just starting out, you may not know which area of fitness you like best, and that’s ok. Give yourself a few months to work with all different types of clients to see if there’s a certain area that you’re passionate about before homing in on a specialty.
And remember that choosing a niche doesn’t mean that you’re stuck in that area forever. You can adapt or even completely change your niche over time to go along with the phase you’re at in life. Maybe you’ll develop a love for postnatal fitness after having a baby, or perhaps you’ll gain a passion for helping people with health conditions after seeing a loved one experience a health scare. Go with the flow and always stay true to what makes you happy!