Copywriting for your fitness website is the skill of writing persuasive words which sell a product or service. It’s different from content marketing which is writing with clarity with the goal of explaining an idea.
However, often all forms of online communication - fitness writing, as well as the scripts used in video sales letters, or even blogs, are referred to as copywriting. The words themselves are known as “copy”, and they can be used to get leads from interested clients about working with you.
1. Understand Why Copywriting Works
Copywriting is thought to be the single most important skill you can learn as a personal trainer because so much of our communication is done in written form - whether that’s putting together an about page for your fitness website, or even something as simple as writing an instagram caption.
We’re writing content constantly - so being able to communicate clearly, with personality, is essential to having your voice truly heard by your audience.
The good news is that you don’t have to be an exceptionally talented writer in order to use the skill of copywriting effectively as a personal trainer. The practice of writing well is rooted in something that we see every day on the gym floor: the emotions attached to storytelling.
We’re writing content constantly - so being able to communicate clearly, with personality, is essential to having your voice truly heard by your audience.
The good news is that you don’t have to be an exceptionally talented writer in order to use the skill of copywriting effectively as a personal trainer. The practice of writing well is rooted in something that we see every day on the gym floor: the emotions attached to storytelling.
2. To Write Better, Read More
In order to write more effectively for your personal training clients, make sure that you’re reading. Consuming content is an essential first step in finding a style of writing that you enjoy. That could be books or even just noticing which captions on social media posts keep your interest all the way to the end.
But how do you read more? The same way you get your clients to train more. Set goals until they become habits. A study of more than 4.2 million students found that students with personalized goals set as part of a research-based reading practice program read 35 percent more minutes per day, read more difficult books, and had 4% higher literal comprehension scores than students who used the same program but without set goals.
But how do you read more? The same way you get your clients to train more. Set goals until they become habits. A study of more than 4.2 million students found that students with personalized goals set as part of a research-based reading practice program read 35 percent more minutes per day, read more difficult books, and had 4% higher literal comprehension scores than students who used the same program but without set goals.
The next time you find yourself engaging with a piece of written content - whether it’s about fitness or not - stop and consider what it is about it that you find engaging.
3. Know Your Audience
Knowing who you’re writing for is a powerful tool in knowing how you should write your content for your fitness website. If you mostly train young men aged between 18-25, you may benefit from adjusting your language to reflect the values and drives which motivate them to get in the gym and get working out.
Highlighting these values in your copy will help them to really connect with your writing. Your reader should be sat at home thinking “this is the personal trainer who really gets me”.
That's what we did when writing the copy for Healthy Superheros, a personal training service for busy moms. The website copy addresses the issues moms have and positions the service as a way to help them overcome those problems.
Highlighting these values in your copy will help them to really connect with your writing. Your reader should be sat at home thinking “this is the personal trainer who really gets me”.
That's what we did when writing the copy for Healthy Superheros, a personal training service for busy moms. The website copy addresses the issues moms have and positions the service as a way to help them overcome those problems.
When you think about your personal training clients and how to write for them, consider their:
- Age
- Sex
- Location
- Level of education
- Socioeconomic background
- Problems they face
Think about the words and phrases they use. Consider what’s important to them and why they might want to be getting into shape to start with.
You could do this formally, by conducting polls with your audience, checking in regularly in Facebook groups or tracking feedback given. Or you could do this more instinctively, using empathy and conversation to get deeper with those things which they feel are important.
4. Practice, Practice, Practice
To develop your own writing voice, practice makes perfect. You often hear the phrase “write like you talk” but this is probably an oversimplification. Write like you talk on a good day (without the umms and ahhs) on a topic that you’re very well informed about using language which your audience understands and connects with - might be a better, more accurate instruction.
Writing every day is an excellent way to practice developing your voice. Writing a variety of things too, Instagram captions, longer Facebook posts, emails to your list, formally constructed articles on your website - these are all of varying length and varying degrees of formality.
5. Write for Clients, Not Colleagues
Understanding your service inside and out is another thing to be clear on. If you’ve got a client who wants to know why you perform this assessment, or you’re instructing them on making one food choice over another, being really well informed about the advice you’re giving will put you in a strong position to explain it to them.
However, this is the curse of knowledge; sometimes we forget that clients might not understand what we’re asking of them, and may not offer the explanation.
An invaluable skill is the ability to explain what you do and why you're doing it simply. To be able to explain your process to someone who doesn’t work in the fitness industry and write down the questions they ask.
Most trainers write about their service as if they're trying to impress another personal trainer when they should be writing to help the client understand.
However, this is the curse of knowledge; sometimes we forget that clients might not understand what we’re asking of them, and may not offer the explanation.
An invaluable skill is the ability to explain what you do and why you're doing it simply. To be able to explain your process to someone who doesn’t work in the fitness industry and write down the questions they ask.
Most trainers write about their service as if they're trying to impress another personal trainer when they should be writing to help the client understand.
6. Create An Elevator Pitch
Keeping an elevator pitch in mind when you write helps to make sure your content stays on track. The goal of the content might be to offer in depth advice on how to solve a specific problem, but it's also to help you sell your personal training services.
Much in the same way this article is offering advice on how to sell good copy, it's also to help persuade the reader that should you need help, we're the best solution.
The elevator pitch, so-called because it should last no longer than the time it takes to say between stops in an elevator, should be a clear and succinct way to explain what you do. It might follow this format:
“I help [your ideal client] to achieve [the results they’re interest in] by [doing this easy thing], and not [wasting time or money or effort] by [doing this common but mistaken method]/ doing an alternative”
It might look like this:
The elevator pitch, so-called because it should last no longer than the time it takes to say between stops in an elevator, should be a clear and succinct way to explain what you do. It might follow this format:
“I help [your ideal client] to achieve [the results they’re interest in] by [doing this easy thing], and not [wasting time or money or effort] by [doing this common but mistaken method]/ doing an alternative”
It might look like this:
I help young men to achieve giant biceps by training just 3 times a week and not having to beast themselves in the gym by falling into the trap of bro splits.
Or:
I help busy women with young families to protect against back pain by learning how to be confident in the weights room by learning how to own a deadlift.
You get the picture. It’s a short, punchy claim that allows you to communicate the main benefits of your service and what makes it unique.
7. You Are Your Best Asset
Figuring out what makes your product or service unique is your next step - and it will likely be you! There are millions of personal trainers out there, but there’s only one you. People don’t buy personal training, they buy into personal trainers.
When writing great copy for your personal trainer website, ask the following questions:
Write about these unique selling points in a way which really makes them shine. Being knowledgeable about these USPs can push your copy from interesting to converting.
When writing great copy for your personal trainer website, ask the following questions:
- Does your service address the needs of your client in a way which is different from what they’ve bought before?
- Do you deliver the service or product in an unusual way, that’s more convenient or faster for the client to access?
- Are there special features or services which they would find useful that no one else is offering?
Write about these unique selling points in a way which really makes them shine. Being knowledgeable about these USPs can push your copy from interesting to converting.
8. Write Great Headlines
Write an incredible headline. Something eye-catching which really stops them from scrolling through content and keeps them reading.
The only purpose of the headline is to get them to read the next line - so make it:
- Attention grabbing: Use keywords, promises, or controversial opinions.
- Specific: Use a number, or their name (possible in email marketing).
- Time sensitive: Give them a deadline to work to which encourages them to take action.
The goal is to get the potential reader hooked by the headline that they want to read what you have to say so you can build a relationship that’s so great with your audience that they will open any email you send. Until then, you can use these pointers on crafting an outstanding headline or subject line.
9. Get Emotional
Good writing is emotional. It speaks to one specific person about their private thoughts and feelings. Good copy is persuasive precisely because your client feels like you understand them, it promotes a sense of connection and relationship. Your client needs to feel like you get them.
Using narrative to craft that relationship is a skill and it takes practice - the practice of writing, sure, but also practice empathizing. Use this tried and tested formula from storytelling giants, Pixar:
Using narrative to craft that relationship is a skill and it takes practice - the practice of writing, sure, but also practice empathizing. Use this tried and tested formula from storytelling giants, Pixar:
- Once upon a time, there was [blank].
- Every day [blank].
- Until, one day [blank].
- Because of that [blank].
- Until finally, [blank].
10. Get Personal
People want to put themselves in the position of someone who is trying and succeeding. Your job is to write them into that situation in your copy with such clarity and empathy that they believe that you know them well enough to make it happen for them.
Some personal trainers, like Sally from Fit With Sally have walked the walk and know exactly how their clients feel:
Some personal trainers, like Sally from Fit With Sally have walked the walk and know exactly how their clients feel:
This makes writing great copy for her fitness website easy. Even if you haven't been in your clients shoes directly, you likely will have been on one way or another.
For example, you may have struggled with confidence issues, felt powerless, tried and failed to accomplish something over and over again, that kind of thing. That's how you connect.
Summing Up
Writing clearly for your audience is a vital skill. One of the most important ways you can improve your writing is by reading plenty, and paying attention to what hooks you in and keeps you engaged.
Write for your audience and tailor the words you use to reflect their emotions and values about what they want to achieve. Demonstrate that you know them and understand their pain points by listening to the way they talk about their problems and reflecting that back to them.
Write daily, practicing different styles of writing.
Research thoroughly, make a point of knowing both your service and your audience inside out. Be able to communicate succinctly.
Emphasise the benefits over the features by using a structure that looks like: [feature] so you can [benefit].
Use an attention grabbing, specific and time sensitive headline.
Finally, your job is to convey emotion. People buy into people more than personal training and they want to feel understood. Not only are you the one personal trainer that really gets them, knows and understands their problem, you’re also the person to help them to take action on their goals straight away.
Write for your audience and tailor the words you use to reflect their emotions and values about what they want to achieve. Demonstrate that you know them and understand their pain points by listening to the way they talk about their problems and reflecting that back to them.
Write daily, practicing different styles of writing.
Research thoroughly, make a point of knowing both your service and your audience inside out. Be able to communicate succinctly.
Emphasise the benefits over the features by using a structure that looks like: [feature] so you can [benefit].
Use an attention grabbing, specific and time sensitive headline.
Finally, your job is to convey emotion. People buy into people more than personal training and they want to feel understood. Not only are you the one personal trainer that really gets them, knows and understands their problem, you’re also the person to help them to take action on their goals straight away.
