By Francesca Cadhit, HBSc.
Words change lives.
Even in the era of YouTube and TikTok, where it’s about capturing the audience’s attention with a video, the written (or spoken) word is still a powerful tool to stand out to your dream clients.
Before we discuss elevating your brand with your online presence, let’s clear something up. Maybe you’re afraid of sales. Or at least a little intimidated. But ‘selling’ is not a dirty word. It does not mean being dishonest or tricking someone into hiring you.
Without sales, what you have is a hobby. It wouldn’t be a job or career. You help people overcome challenges and get results. If they work with you, you can help them get stronger, feel better, get fitter, increase their longevity and quality of life, and gain confidence. So how is a professional, reputable, qualified trainer like you supposed to show people how they can feel stronger, get healthier, drop unwanted pounds, and generally live better if they invest in you?
Copywriting, also known as selling with your words, is one way.
No lying. No making false promises. It boils down to genuinely listening, understanding, and connecting with those you serve and then communicating your value. It’s about guiding your dream clients to get past their limiting beliefs to make a decision that can be life-changing. It’s as simple as that.
1) Know Your Platform
You can use copywriting for your:
- Website
- Social media
- Blog posts
- Association profile
- Emails to clients
- and more.
Is it about being as brief as possible? Will storytelling be more effective? How about getting personal versus keeping it professional?
Every platform is different. Understanding the nature of the platform and adapting to the audience will go a long way in crafting effective copywriting.
2) Who Is Your Dream Client?
Whether you train men in their 20s who want chiselled abs or busy moms who want to drop maternity weight, your language should reflect their desires and values to pique their interest in investing with you.
The best words to use aren’t the fancy, complicated terms from your textbooks or that your throw around with your colleagues. The best words are the ones that your dream clients already use to describe their problems, obstacles, and goals. If you want to know the right words to use, get to know your dream client:
- How old are they?
- Are they male, female, or identify otherwise?
- Where are they located?
- What is their level of education?
- What is their socioeconomic background?
- What are their biggest problems?
- What words and phrases do they use to describe themselves and their problems?
Knowing your dream client is one of the most critical steps before you write any content.
3) What Is Their Real “Why”?
Part of truly understanding your dream client and writing to spur action is understanding their “why.”
Cindy, the busy mom who wants to get toned, might reminisce about how she felt when her husband first saw her in her favourite black dress ten years ago. She hopes that hitting the gym will help her get her groove back.
Understanding the emotions of their struggle and the feeling that comes with being fit will help your online presence more than any buzzword-packed content.
Don’t be afraid to get emotional!
4) Offer Gifts or Freebies
Whether you want to turn fitness into your career or get a few more clients, it starts with offering value.
Offering gifts or freebies can provide value to your dream clients before you start working together; this can come in the form of free sessions, workout tips, recipes, and more.
By offering value upfront, you stand out as the helpful, trustworthy expert who can help solve their problems and not a pushy salesperson who’s just after their wallets.
5) Leverage Social Proof
Have you ever passed by a bakery with a line going out the door and been enticed to see what all the fuss is about?
That’s social proof at work.
Social proof, like client testimonials, is about showing how your coaching has changed someone’s life for the better.
When dream clients come across your page and see how you’ve helped people like them, it sets you apart as the expert who gets them and can guide them to the solution.
6) Write For Clients, Not Co-workers
It’s critical to have solid expertise about what assessments are relevant, which food choices are more beneficial under certain conditions, and which exercises are most effective. It puts you in a solid position to coach someone struggling in these areas.
However, it’s easy to forget that while we love getting technical (i.e. saying “glutes” instead of “butt”), our dream clients might not connect with or understand all that; this can cause a disconnect, confusion, or a general sense of “this person doesn’t get me.”
Your goal isn’t to impress other trainers. You want potential clients to understand your words and see the value of working with you. Thus, an invaluable skill to master is explaining what you’re doing and why you’re doing it at a level that a client can understand.
Focus on keeping your writing clear and easy to understand.
7) Tell A Story
The clients we serve are real people with real problems. People love stories. We are wired for them. One simple formula is the 3-Act Structure:
Start with the Setup: Set the scene (time, place, atmosphere) and introduce any important people.
Transition to the Rising Action: Introduce the problem and escalate the conflict or struggle; this can be an internal or external struggle.
Finally, end with the Resolution: Resolve the tension and explain what was learned or gained from the situation. Bonus points if you can squeeze in a takeaway point.
* * *
Communicating the right message at the right time so your audience takes the right action is an important skill that goes a long way in building your client base and elevating your brand.
About Francesca Cadhit, HBSc
Francesca Cadhit, is the of Founder of Top Class Edge Learning and creator of the Smart Growth Rocket Podcast. As a small business owner who understands the challenges of crafting an impactful brand, she helps entrepreneurs rise to the challenge of creating a web presence that aligns with their values and stands out to their dream clients.
Learn more about elevating your brand from Francesca at the 2023 CPTN Personal Trainer Online Summit https://cptn.com/
