As a personal trainer, finding the right software to manage your clients, track their progress and build their workouts is crucial to the success of your business. But what happens when you find that your current software is no longer meeting your needs? The thought of switching to a new software can seem like a hassle, but it’s important to weigh the benefits against the potential drawbacks. 

3 things to ask yourself and 1 thing to consider before making the move. 

Here are three things to ask yourself and one thing to consider before making the move to a new personal training software. 

Does your software save you time, and streamline your workflow? 

Running your own business can be time-consuming, and your software should make your life easier, not harder. Think about how much time you spend on admin tasks – such as client communication, workout building, and progress tracking. If your current software is not saving you time, it may be worth considering a switch, so you get back to having more time to grow your business (or more time for you to squeeze in a workout session for yourself!) . 

Communicating with clients. 

Having software that makes it easy for you to stay in touch with your clients is crucial. This means being able to send them messages, schedule appointments, and send reminders all in one place. If your current software is making this more difficult than it needs to be, it may be worth looking into other options. 

Creating client workouts with ease  

An efficient software should make it simple for you to send your clients their workout plans. This means being able to create custom workout plans, share videos and instructions, and track progress all in one place. Afterall, you’ve put in all the hard work to learn about your client and help strategise the best approach – why not make this easier for yourself to deliver on. Coaches create a custom workout for each client, or can have programs set up ready to go and assign to a client with the click of a button. 

Track your clients progress 

Being able to track your clients’ progress is a non-negotiable for personal trainers, and let’s be real, you want to make sure your clients are making progress. You need a platform that can efficiently show you how they’re doing on exercises, monitor their weight and measurements, and track their progress over time, so you can give them the virtual high-five they deserve when they hit their goals. 

Use one software, not multiple platforms. 

Having all the tools you need in one place makes your life so much easier, it’s like having a personal assistant, but better (because it doesn’t complain about coffee runs!). This means being able to communicate, send workouts, and track progress – all in one software, instead of juggling multiple platforms like a circus performer. If your current software isn’t providing you with this kind of convenience, it may be worth considering a switch to something more comprehensive. 

Do your clients like using the software? 

Your clients’ satisfaction is key to the success of your business. When you take the time to set up your software, you want your clients to use it and benefit from it. Using the right software can really help to build and strengthen your relationship with your clients. 

Here are a few things to consider: 

Have you asked them? Asking your clients for their feedback and opinions on the software is a crucial step in ensuring their satisfaction. A simple way to do this is through a Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey or a customer satisfaction survey. You can use free websites such as SurveyMonkey or Typeform to create and send surveys to your clients. This will give you valuable insights into what your clients like and what they would like to see improved, helping you to continually enhance their experience with the software. 

Interacting with clients should be a breeze: Your personal training software should make it easy for your clients to connect with you. This means being able to send messages, schedule appointments, and set reminders all in one place. Plus, having a user-friendly interface that your clients can easily navigate will make it even better. When your clients can reach out to you and vice versa easily, it helps to strengthen the relationship and trust between you. 

Tracking workouts made easy: It should be easy for both you and your clients to track their workouts. This includes having the ability to create custom workout plans, share videos and instructions, and track progress all in one place. The client should have the ability to access their workout on their mobile device, with the option to receive daily workout reminders and view detailed past session information on each exercise. Additionally, your client should be able to easily input the results of their workouts, making it easy for you to monitor their progress, adjust their plans as needed, and ensure they are on track to reach their goals. 

Videos to demonstrate exercises: Physical form during exercises is crucial for achieving results and avoiding injury, and with the right software, you can easily share videos of exercises with your clients to ensure they’re performing them correctly. Whether you’re working with a new client who needs a refresher on how to do an exercise or an experienced client who wants to double-check their form, having access to a library of videos or the ability to upload your own personal content will make it easy for you to provide the guidance and support your clients need. Plus, it’ll save you time and energy from demonstrating each exercise in person. 

Easy content sharing: It should also be easy for your clients to send content back to you for one-on-one interaction, even when you’re not in front of them. This includes the ability to send videos, photos, and messages, all in one place. This feature allows you to provide your clients with personalized feedback and support, even when you’re not in the same location. Plus, it helps your clients feel more connected to you as their trainer, and will help to build trust and strengthen your relationship. 

Was it easy to use – for you? 

Let’s be honest, who has the time or energy to take a course on how to set up a software? You want a platform that is intuitive and easy to set up, maintain, and scale with you as your business grows. It’s as simple as that. Are you currently offered the below?  

Able to set up a workout in less than 2 minutes: your software should be easy to set up, so you don’t have to spend hours trying to figure it out. With a user-friendly interface and clear instructions, you can set up a workout for your clients in less than a few minutes. This means you’ll have more time to focus on what really matters – growing your business and helping your clients reach their goals. 
 

Support available through live chat: You need to know that you have support when you need it. A good personal training software should provide you with easy access to support through live chat. This means that if you have any questions or need help with something, you can quickly and easily get in touch with a member of their team. This will give you peace of mind knowing that you have someone to turn to if you need help – anytime. 

Does it deliver top-notch functionality on the thing that is most important to your business? Workout building! 

Building workouts for your clients is the single most important part of your business. When it comes to building workouts for your clients, it’s important to have software that offers top-notch functionality. A good workout builder should have a ready-to-go library of exercises that you can easily access and customize for your clients. This will save you time, and allow you to create effective workout plans quickly. 

A ready-to-go library of exercises: Videos help to ensure your clients are performing the exercises correctly and safely. An extensive ready-to-go library of exercise videos not only saves you time, it also allows you to create effective professional workout plans quickly and easily. 

Ability to record your own videos: Whilst ready-to-go videos are great for business efficiencies, the ability to record and upload your own videos, allows for a personal connection with your clients. Demonstrate exercises to your clients at the same time as building repour and strengthening your client relationships. Your videos don’t need to be perfect and polished. Be relatable, include some bloopers and make your clients laugh. Be you, they are your clients for a reason! 

Setting up ready-to-go programs: One essential feature is the ability to create customizable workout programs, whether you’re doing one-on-one training or group sessions. This allows you to have pre-made workout plans ready for your clients, saving you time and effort in creating new plans for each session. And it’s a huge plus if you are doing group fitness or group sessions, you can easily assign the same program to multiple clients. 

Where to go from here? 

For an informed decision, consider checking out review websites such as Capterra and G2 to compare various software options. Taking advantage of free trials is also a smart way to determine if a software aligns with your needs. To kickstart your search, here’s a handy checklist we’ve compiled to guide you along the way.

About TrueCoach: 

TrueCoach is the industry’s best workout builder that makes it easy for personal trainers and coaches to grow their business while delivering an exceptional experience for their clients. With its user-friendly interface and time-saving features, TrueCoach is the ideal choice for personal trainers looking to streamline their workflow.  

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Article by TrueCoach

First published: February 14 2023

Last updated: January 11 2024