The positive impact you can deliver as a fitness professional (e.g., Certified Personal Trainer<\/span>, Yoga Instructor<\/span>, or Pilates Instructor<\/span>) isn\u2019t necessarily limited by the number of hours you can commit to training clients in real-time.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Offering online training programs allows you to leverage your expertise to empower others to be stronger, healthier, and more confident in their bodies without facing time, scheduling, or geographic constraints. It\u2019s also an effective way to scale your fitness business<\/span>\u2014potentially helping you earn more while living your passion. A win-win situation.<\/span><\/p>\n In this article, we guide you through the step-by-step process of building your first online training program in a way that\u2019ll maximize its appeal and value to your ideal target client.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n There isn\u2019t a strict definition of what an \u201conline training program\u201d entails, but for the sake of this article, we’ll define it as a program that:<\/p>\n When defined this way, an online training program differs from online fitness training<\/span><\/span> in two key ways:<\/p>\n Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that an online training program is better than online fitness training or vice versa.<\/p>\n Both have pros and cons worth measuring against your business and clients\u2019 needs.<\/p>\n You don’t have to see them as an “either-or” choice. Sometimes, it may make sense for you to offer a client a mixture of both.<\/p>\n For example, if you’re a Pilates instructor, you could have a client do a “bridging” online training program to improve their flexibility before moving them to one-on-one sessions. Ultimately, how you structure your offerings is up to you.<\/p>\n Ready to create a transformational, value-packed online training program that\u2019ll have your target clients reaching for their credit cards?<\/p>\n While the following is by no means an exhaustive list of the steps you need to take to create and sell an online training program, it does provide you with a bird\u2019s eye view of the significant milestones to hit. You\u2019ll also find essential tips geared toward maximizing your success sprinkled along the way.<\/p>\n Imagine that your online training program guides pregnant individuals on how they could adapt their exercise regimen to their changing bodies and prep their pelvic floor muscles for birth<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Would a non-pregnant client be interested in your program? Well, not really, because it\u2019s not immediately relevant to them.<\/p>\n But would a pregnant client be interested? The likelihood is much higher in comparison.<\/p>\n This, in turn, highlights the importance of defining the type of clientele you wish to serve. Beyond guiding your marketing messages (which we\u2019ll cover in a bit), taking the time to define your ideal client also informs you of what you should put in and how you could structure your online training program.<\/p>\n A few helpful questions to keep in mind during the process include:<\/p>\n Struggling to think of a specific group of clients you wish to help? Here\u2019s a tip: Look for inspiration in your existing clients. What are their common pain points? Is it possible for you to address those through an online training program?<\/p>\n Put yourself in a potential client\u2019s shoes: Would you buy an online training program you don\u2019t understand and have no idea what it\u2019ll do for you? Highly unlikely.<\/p>\n So, do write down the specific outcomes you\u2019d like your client to achieve upon completion of your program. Think of your program as a vehicle for transformation for your clients, bringing them from their current reality to their desired future.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n In addition to enhancing your program\u2019s appeal to clients, this exercise helps you better decide what information you should include in your training program\u2014and what stuff you could leave out. In other words: This makes your program creation course much easier since you can omit anything that does not directly relate to achieving a learning outcome.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n But how do you create irresistible learning outcomes demonstrating your program’s value? Asking yourself the following questions during the process may help sharpen your writing:<\/p>\n Here’s an example of what you could write if you’re pushing out a yoga training program targeted at individuals new to the practice:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLearn and master fundamental pranayama techniques, including the Nadhi Sodhana<\/em> and Sitali Pranayama<\/em>, that\u2019ll clarify your mind, energize your body, and deepen your yoga practice. Also, understand how to tweak these techniques to suit your own practice (e.g., integrating pranayama and asana).\u201d<\/p>\n The content you include within your online training program will ultimately depend on your specific fitness profession (i.e., whether you\u2019re a personal trainer, yoga instructor, or Pilates instructor) and learning outcomes.<\/p>\n In general, a good place to start is by fleshing out fitness plans. Give thought to things like:<\/p>\n Review the fitness plan once complete to ensure that it aligns with your learning outcomes. Then, you may wish to “deck out” your online training program with the following features:<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that you don\u2019t have to include everything listed above in your online training program. Instead, keep your pricing strategy in mind when decking out your feature list.<\/p>\n A good practice is to scale your feature list with your program price: The higher your price point, the more features you should include (so clients can justify the amount of money they’re forking out for your program).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Keep accessibility at the top of your mind while creating your content. Doing so helps create a fully inclusive fitness program for everyone, including those with visual, cognitive, physical, and auditory disabilities.<\/p>\n Here are a few tips on how you could create accessible content<\/span>:<\/p>\n o \u00a0 <\/span>Provide a clear heading structure<\/p>\n o \u00a0 <\/span>Provide alternative text for images<\/p>\n o \u00a0 <\/span>Use color appropriately (e.g., ensure sufficient contrast between the color of text and the background color of a document)<\/p>\n o \u00a0 <\/span>Use legible fonts<\/p>\n o \u00a0 <\/span>Add subtitles\/captions to your videos<\/p>\n o \u00a0 <\/span>Provide transcripts for video and audio files<\/p>\n o \u00a0 <\/span>Provide audio descriptions for videos<\/p>\n Wish to dive deeper into how you could make your online training program usable, sensible, and meaningful to as many people as possible? Then click here to grab your copy of AFPA\u2019s free Digital Accessibility Guide for Health and Wellness Professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n Congratulations! At this stage, your online training program is close to completion. Before you launch to the mass market, though, you may wish to \u201csoft-launch\u201d the program to existing clients who could help:<\/p>\n By the way, secure product liability insurance<\/span> <\/span>before soft launching (if you haven\u2019t already!).<\/p>\n You\u2019ve now got a value-packed online training program on your hands\u2014how do you get your ideal clients interested in it? Answer:<\/span> Marketing.<\/p>\n Here are three strategies that could help you get started:<\/p>\n Interested in launching your own online training program? Hopefully, the steps outlined above give you a sense of where to start.<\/p>\n Begin with identifying your target audience and determining the outcome you want for them. Once you have all that clearly defined, move on to creating program materials and deciding on key features to include. Then, launch it to existing clients (where possible) before making it available for sale.<\/p>\n Oh, and if you\u2019re looking to grow your business and make an even bigger impact on clients, you may also wish to consider picking up expertise relevant to your field. Courses you could enroll in include AFPA\u2019s:<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s an \u201cOnline Training Program\u201d?<\/h2>\n
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An Additional Note on Online Training Programs<\/h3>\n
How to Build Your First Online Training Program<\/h2>\n
#1: Map Out Your Ideal Client<\/h3>\n
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#2: Determine Program Outcomes<\/h3>\n
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#3: Put Together Your Program Materials<\/h3>\n
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#4: \u201cDeck Out\u201d Your Online Training Program with Features (Where Necessary)<\/h3>\n
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Accessibility Is Key<\/h4>\n
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#4: Soft Launch to Existing Clients and Gather Feedback<\/h3>\n
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#5: Promote Your Online Training Program<\/h3>\n
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Takeaway<\/h2>\n
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<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\nReferences<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n