← The guideThe Sign Your First Client WorkbookFill it in here or print it Blank PDF
RRiseForIt

The Sign Your First Client Workbook

By the end you'll have your finish line, your price, one sentence about who you help, a message ready for the people most likely to say yes, and your first week of videos planned. That's everything you need to sign your first online client.

Free workbook12 pagesabout 45 minutes

What you'll have at the end

  • A finish line and a price where ten clients would cover your bills
  • One sentence about who you help that a stranger can repeat back
  • A message ready to send to the 5 people most likely to become your first client
  • Your first video planned and cut into a week of clips, plus a same-day reply and call plan

Inside

  1. Write your finish line and set your price
  2. Pick your pond and write your one sentence
  3. Line up your first client from people who know you
  4. Plan your first gift video and cut it into a week
  5. Set up your same-day reply and your sales call
  6. Your 7-day plan
Jason O'DellBy Jason O'Dell, founder of RiseForIt. Goes with the free guide Start Your Online Personal Training Business and Sign Your First Client.
riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 1 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

Step 1 of 5 · Learn it

Write your finish line and set your price

If you don't have a finish line, you post at random and can't tell if a week went well. Most trainers also price too low and end up needing forty clients just to pay rent.

How to do it

  1. Write how many online clients you want, what each one pays a month, and how many hours a week you want to work.
  2. Add up your monthly bills. Divide that number by 10. That's your starting price, because ten clients should cover your bills.
  3. Use the calculator to see how many clients your finish line takes at that price.
  4. Work backward. Write the one thing you need to do or learn this week to move toward that number.

Example: Maya, an in-person trainer in a commercial gym

Finish line: 25 online clients at $250 a month, working 30 hours a week.

My bills: $2,400 a month. $2,400 / 10 = $240. I'll price at $250.

Calculator: $6,250 a month / $250 = 25 clients.

This week: sign 1 client, and learn to film a clean video on my phone.

Your turn on the next page →

riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 2 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

Step 1 of 5 · Your turn

Write your finish line and set your price

Your finish line: how many online clients, at what price, working how many hours a week

Your monthly bills, divided by 10 = your starting price per client per month

Do the math

The one thing you need to do or learn this week

riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 3 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

Step 2 of 5 · Learn it

Pick your pond and write your one sentence

If you try to coach everyone, no stranger can tell if you're for them. Nobody can pass your name along either, because they can't say what you do.

How to do it

  1. List the people you've actually helped in person: who they were and what they got.
  2. Find the group that shows up most and where you have proof, like a result, a story, or a client who would vouch for you. That's your pond.
  3. Write the problem that group keeps telling you about, in their words.
  4. Fill in the sentence below. Read it out loud to someone who doesn't train. If they can't repeat it back, cut words until they can.

Example: Maya, an in-person trainer in a commercial gym

People I've helped: 6 moms coming back after a baby, 2 college athletes, 1 guy training for a 5K.

My pond: busy moms. I have 6 results and 3 of them would vouch for me.

Their problem: "I have no time, and I've felt weak since the baby."

My sentence: I help busy moms get strong again with 3 short workouts a week, because I've coached six moms back after having a baby.

Your turn on the next page →

riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 4 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

Step 2 of 5 · Your turn

Pick your pond and write your one sentence

People you've helped in person

Who they wereWhat they gotWould they vouch?

Your pond: the group you have the most proof with

The problem they keep telling you about, in their words

Draft your sentence

I help because .

Your final sentence, after someone repeated it back to you

riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 5 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

Step 3 of 5 · Learn it

Line up your first client from people who know you

If you build an app, a logo, and a course first, you spend months working with nobody paying you. Your first client will most likely come from someone who already knows your training.

How to do it

  1. List everyone who has trained with you, asked you about training, or seen your results: gym clients, past clients, friends, family.
  2. Pick the 5 who fit your pond best.
  3. Send each one the message below in your own words. Send them one at a time, never as a group text.
  4. Write down every answer and your next step.
  5. When someone says yes, deliver it by hand: the program in a doc, check-ins by text, and a weekly call. Don't build anything bigger yet.

Example: Maya, an in-person trainer in a commercial gym

Jen: trained with me last year, had a baby in March. Sent Monday. Said "maybe after the holidays." Next step: check in December 1.

Tasha: friend from church, always asks about my workouts. Sent Monday. Said "how much?" Next step: call Thursday at 7pm.

Dana: old gym client who moved away. Sent Tuesday. No reply yet. Next step: follow up Friday.

Your turn on the next page →

riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 6 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

Step 3 of 5 · Your turn

Line up your first client from people who know you

Everyone who knows your training

Your message

Hey , I'm starting online coaching for . I help them with a program, weekly check-ins, and text access to me, for a month. I thought of you because . Want to hop on a quick call this week to see if it fits?

The first 3 people you'll message

Who you messaged

NameDate sentWhat they saidNext step
riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 7 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

Step 4 of 5 · Learn it

Plan your first gift video and cut it into a week

My first three online trainers all ghosted for the same reason. They told me, "I just don't know what to post." When every video starts with your pond's real problem, you always know what to post.

How to do it

  1. Pick one real problem from your pond. Use something a person actually said to you. Not your workout, not your abs. Their problem.
  2. Write your open: who it's for and what they'll get, in the first sentence. Talk to one person who has never heard of you.
  3. Write the fix as a few steps you can show. This is your one longer video. Do your prep now so you don't have to fix it in editing.
  4. Write why they can trust you on this problem.
  5. Plan short clips from that one video that each make sense on their own. Post them on one platform only.

Example: Maya, an in-person trainer in a commercial gym

Problem: "I only have 20 minutes while the baby naps."

Open: "Busy mom with 20 minutes? Here's a full-body workout you can do during nap time."

Fix: 1. Squats to the couch. 2. Push-ups on the kitchen counter. 3. Rows with a loaded backpack. Do 3 rounds.

Trust: I've coached six moms back after a baby with workouts like this.

Clips: the open and the squat, counter push-up form, the backpack row, fitting 3 rounds in 20 minutes, the push-up mistake most moms make.

Platform: Instagram only.

Your turn on the next page →

riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 8 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

Step 4 of 5 · Your turn

Plan your first gift video and cut it into a week

Problems your pond has told you about

The problem for this video

Your open: who it's for and what they'll get

The fix, step by step

Why they can trust you on this, and your one platform

Short clips from this one video

ClipWhat it showsDay to post
riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 9 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

Step 5 of 5 · Learn it

Set up your same-day reply and your sales call

Leads go cold fast, and someone who waits until tomorrow for an answer has often moved on. On the call, if you walk them through sets and macros, they leave thinking about work instead of where they want to land.

How to do it

  1. Pick a time every day to answer every comment and DM. Same day, every day.
  2. Make your implementation tool: a short checklist that helps them do the lesson from your video. Send it the moment someone raises their hand.
  3. On the call, ask where they hurt now and where they want to land. Write down their exact words.
  4. Sell the vacation. Say back where they'll land with you. Leave the program details to you, because that's your job, not their decision.
  5. If they push on price, add value, like an extra check-in or a form review. Don't cut the price.

Example: Maya, an in-person trainer in a commercial gym

Reply time: lunch break and 8pm after the kids are down.

Tool: "Nap-time workout checklist": 3 moves, 3 rounds, check a box each day.

Call with Tasha. Where she hurts: "I get winded carrying the car seat up the stairs." Where she wants to land: "Keep up with my 4-year-old at the park."

What I said back: "Picture carrying the car seat up the stairs without stopping, then chasing her around the park."

When she pushed on price: I added a monthly form check video instead of dropping the price.

Your turn on the next page →

riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 10 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

Step 5 of 5 · Your turn

Set up your same-day reply and your sales call

Your daily reply time

Your implementation tool: its name and what's on it

Your reply when someone comments or messages

Hey , thanks for . Here's the so you can try it this week: . If you want help doing this for real, want to hop on a quick call? I have or open.

Call notes

NameWhere they hurt nowWhere they want to landNext step

If they push on price, the value you'll add instead

Work backwards from the clients you want

riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 11 of 12
RRiseForItThe Sign Your First Client Workbook

The plan

Your next 7 days

Do one small thing a day. By day 7 you'll have messages out, a video posted, and calls on the calendar.

Your answers, in one place

Your price
Your one sentence
First 3 to message
First video topic

One small job a day

DayDo thisDoneNotes
Day 1Send your message to the first 3 people on your list.
Day 2Send it to 2 more. Read your one sentence to a friend who doesn't train and fix it until they can repeat it.
Day 3Write the open and the fix for your first video. Make the checklist that goes with it.
Day 4Film the longer video. Talk to one person, and stick to what you planned.
Day 5Cut it into short clips. Post the first one on your one platform.
Day 6Post the next clip. Answer every comment and DM the same day, send your checklist, and book calls.
Day 7Post another clip. Follow up with everyone you messaged on days 1 and 2. Write down your posts, leads, calls, and new clients.
riseforit.com/guides/how-to-start-an-online-personal-training-business/workbook/Page 12 of 12

Get the next workbook

A new one comes out every week. Leave your email and we'll send it.
Rather have it done for you? In the 90-Day Build we make and post your content, answer your leads and close them on calls. See if you qualify →