When you’re just getting started as a personal trainer your blog might have fairly generic beginnings. That’s because at first you’re just trying to get some solid, useful content into your site: stuff that targets the right keywords while demonstrating your training “chops.”
But as you progress in your career the generic content approach simply isn’t going to get the job done. You’ll start to sound like the thousands of other personal trainer blogs out there. You need a way to inject a little personality into your blog. And you need a way to make that blog super-relevant to your current clients and people who are enough like your current clients to become your future clients.
Fortunately there is a very easy way to do this.
You need to talk to your current clients. You need to ask them about their challenges, questions, and triumphs. You need to ask probing questions: questions that help you uncover the things that are holding them back.
There are other reasons for doing this, of course. You can’t motivate your clients if you don’t know what’s holding them back. You can’t counsel them, coach them, or guide them.
However, these conversations are also a goldmine for truly relevant, personalized, and insightful blog content.
I don’t mean that you’re going to break your client’s confidences or publically embarrass them by exposing their specific issues to the internet at large. I just mean that they’re going to all have some common issues and they’re going to reveal those issues to you as you work together.
For example, if you’re using TrainerFu to keep track of your client’s progress when you’re not there then you might notice that your client missed some days or exercises. Next time you see him or her you might say, “Hey, I noticed you weren’t able to complete the program a few times last week. How can I help?”
Your client might say, “I really wanted to. But I had this huge long stressful day at work that day, and I just felt so exhausted when I got home. All I wanted to do was watch television.”
Give your client some support and understanding on the spot, but hold on to that statement. Why? Because it makes a great blog post. “How to stick to your training plan when you’re stressed and exhausted.”
If one client has trouble keeping up when she is stressed and exhausted you can bet that other clients will have exactly the same issue. This is the kind of information that’s relevant to all of them. Another client might say, “I just didn’t have time those days.”
Great! The blog post that follows might be, “A 15 Minute Workout for Busy Days.” Maybe there are some core, quick exercises that people can tackle when they just have got too much to do that day. Maybe you can focus on exercises that can be done at a desk, or maybe you just figure out what would benefit your clients the most if they can’t do much more than set a 15 minute timer before getting on with their day.
You should also take note every time your client asks you a question. Those questions contain useful, helpful blog posts. The answers may seem obvious to you, but if they were obvious to your clients they wouldn’t be asking.
This technique is very powerful because it means that you no longer have to make guesses about the kinds of content that matters to your clients and readers. You will know exactly what to do, exactly what matters. And you won’t have to work nearly as hard at figuring out what you should be writing about each week. And because your answers will be as unique as you are you can guarantee that you’re not going to create a blog that sounds redundant.
This doesn’t mean that you’ll neglect some of the other content types we’ve talked about. It just means that you’re never going to run out of content, because you’re going to use your blog to “talk” to your clients. And it means that you’re never going to miss the mark by talking about things that are important to you instead of things that are important to them.
Try it. What have your clients been talking about today?
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I gather blog ideas without breaching client confidentiality?
While it’s essential to respect client privacy, you can discuss general themes without revealing personal details. For example, instead of naming a client, you might write about “A Common Hurdle Many Face: Overcoming Gym Anxiety.”
2. How do I approach clients to discuss their experiences for blog content?
Engage clients in conversations about their fitness journeys, asking open-ended questions about their motivations, challenges, and progress. Ensure you have their consent before sharing any specific stories, even anonymously.
3. How can I ensure the blog topics remain relevant to potential clients?
By addressing issues that your current clients face, you’re likely touching on concerns of potential clients as well. This approach makes your blog a relatable and valuable resource for a wider audience.
4. Should I involve clients in the blogging process?
If clients are comfortable, consider featuring their stories or even inviting them to contribute guest posts about their fitness journeys. This adds authenticity and varied perspectives to your blog.
By actively listening to your clients and understanding their experiences, you can create compelling and relevant blog content that attracts and engages both current and prospective clients.