For trainers working on an hourly rate, it’s a sad reality that there are only 24 hours in a day. Cut 7-9 hours off of that for sleeping; 2 for eating; another 2 or 3 for family and social responsibilities, and the number of clients you can take on and (thereby) your earning potential seems pretty restricted.

You could try raising your hourly rates, but that will only work for so long. Start to jack up your prices and pretty soon your services will be out of the price range of most clients and you’ll actually watch your revenue plummet.

It might seem like you’re stuck, but there are ways to leverage your working hours to maximize your income.

If you’re currently using Trainerize, you’ve already discovered the first way to do this and have probably already discovered that online training lets you train more clients than you could if you were only doing in-person sessions. Ka-ching, ka-ching! Talk about added income!

But have you considered offering group training? Better yet, have you considered offering online group training?

Here’s how group personal training has changed my business

1. It has allowed me to tap into a new market

I’ve been offering small group training as part of my training business for about 3 years now, and originally added it to my services as a way of attracting clients who couldn’t afford one-on-one personal training but were looking for a slightly more personalized experience than they could get in a larger training group or class.

By finding the sweet spot between cost and personalization and was able to tap into a whole new market, and it helped my business grow rapidly. But when you take group training online, that market only continues to grow—exponentially!

Not everyone looking for a cost-effective training option needs or wants to attend in-person group sessions; some clients would just prefer to workout on their own. They may, however, still appreciate having peers to chat with or to motivate them through light competition, they’re just looking for a slightly more removed social experience. This makes online group personal training the ideal option. Clients can access the benefits of group training, both in terms of pricing and social motivation, while still keeping their workouts independent.

Trust me, without adding online group personal training to your services, this is an entire market you’re missing out on.

2. It has boosted my revenue

There are many ways you can price your group training services, but pretty much any way you slice it, the more people you can train in one hour, the better for you and your business.

The trick is to ensure you are pricing these services in a way that benefits you. Don’t just divide your hourly rate by the number of people in your group! This won’t help your earn more revenue. Instead, price your group services at a rate that is cheaper than your 1-on-1 training options, but still high enough that, when combined across multiple group members per hour, you are making more than you would with only one client per hour. At the end of the day, make sure the amount your charging feels fair for the amount of work you’re putting in.

How many clients should I add per group?

The number of clients you add to each training group is up to you, but will often vary based on the goals of the group and the type(s) of clients you’re adding.

For a group of clients looking for a personalized, social experience where they can connect with their peers and build a strong community, a smaller number of clients may be best. While for group challenges or bootcamps focused on specific goals such as marathon prep or rapid weight loss, it might be appropriate to add more clients.

I personally max my small group personal training out at 6 people, but for some, that number might be better at 3 or 8. Go with what feels good to you and meets the wants and needs of your clients.

3. It has increased my clients’ accountability and engagement levels

Because online group personal training uses Trainerize Groups, it’s really easy for trainers to communicate with all of their training group members. I can send out one message in a group chat and instantly connect with multiple clients, giving them tips, props, or encouragement—whatever they might need—and it pulls them back into the app, keeping them active and engaged with both me and their fitness goals.

But it’s not just me that does the talking! Because clients can also send messages, share photos, and react to messages in the group chat, online group personal training has the added bonus of big-time social motivation. Group members can encourage each other, ask questions (and answer them—sometimes before I can, which is awesome!), and share their experiences. It truly fosters a sense of community and makes my clients feel accountable to the group and their peers. Amazing motivation!

And for those that need a little extra push, there’s always the incentive of a little healthy competition. All group members can see when one of their peers signs in for a workout or achieves a personal best, and for the competitive at heart, it can be just enough to get them moving.

Add group training to your services

Group training has truly changed my business and has helped me to do not only the three things above, but it has also let me use my knowledge and experience to help more people achieve their fitness goals. The more people I can train, the more lives I can change, and that’s pretty rewarding.

I hope that you’ll consider adding group training services to your business and that this article helps you get started as you do.