Photo via @michellerootsfit

There is no getting around it, the fitness industry is flooded. With gyms and apps and online tools for every niche, sometimes you wonder if there’s enough demand. But don’t worry, the popularity of the industry doesn’t mean we can’t all help people with fitness and make a living out of it. Where my fitness studio is located there are about five other gyms within a ten minute drive, but do I worry about the “competition?”

Nope! I have created a niche market of clients. Plus, I am confident my team is the best at what we do. Therefore, we are successful and can continue to compete in the market. The online coaching world is saturated too, but I still find many online coaching clients who connect with my message and have found success with my coaching.

There are many ways to stand out from the crowd, but here are my top three:

1. Niche down to blow up

Choose a niche market that you enjoy working with and can really help. Then, create your programs and marketing to directly reach this demographic. The key is to be very straight-forward in who you are looking to help. Show testimonials from people you have helped in the past who are just like them! Further, consistently talk to this niche market in your social media content. Trying to reach too many different demographics at the same time can get confusing and have a negative effect on your business. Keep it simple at first and then as your business continues to grow you can reach out with more services and expand to different niches.

2. Be authentic and be you on social media

This is a major key! I have found that many people have signed up with me from following my social media posts. They have told me that I seemed “real” and they felt they could relate to me! In turn, I felt I could help them with the way I approach fitness. There is no need to put on a persona of the perfect fitness trainer on social media. It’s more important to show people you are also human. You have days where you don’t feel like working out too! Or days where you give in to the donut craving. Showing the good and the bad is what makes people relate to you and realize that you are just like them, so maybe you can help them.

3. Be so good at what you do, they have to pay attention

This is the third and last major key in standing out from the crowd. Being passionate about what you do and ensuring your clients are successful is what matters. There is no better testimonial than someone being successful through your coaching! Because then they tell all their friends, family, and social media followers about how they reached their fitness goal with your help. Yes, we are in this to make money. However, it’s very important to also be in this to help people, first and foremost. When you are passionate about what you do, it becomes contagious to other people, which results in more successful clients, and then more paying clients.

Stand out from the competition by not worrying about the competition, what they are doing, which programs they are running, and how much they are charging. Focus on your journey of helping people and being really good at what you do, the rest will come!