Complete Guide To Personal Trainer Testimonials

For a fitness business, personal trainer testimonials act as a form of advertisement, helping to significantly grow the business when presented effectively. With this guide, we’ll explain how you can attract more clients, and provide examples of good PT testimonials.

Contents:

• Why Personal Trainer Testimonials Benefit Your Career 
• What Makes a Good PT Testimonial?
• What To Get Your Clients To Include In Personal Trainer Testimonials 
• Good Examples of Personal Trainer Testimonials 
• How To Get Personal Trainer Testimonials 
• How To Use Your Personal Trainer Testimonials 
• What Should I Do If I Can't Get PT Testimonials?
• Are There Any Legal Requirements for Using Personal Training Testimonials? 

If you’re a qualified personal trainer looking to boost your career, a Personal Trainer Level 4 qualification, such as Sports Nutrition Course, could be exactly what you need. Providing this unique feature will make your sessions more enjoyable, leading clients to write more positive testimonials.

Enquire today or download our free prospectus for further information on all the courses we provide.

Why Personal Trainer Testimonials Benefit Your Business 

As discussed in the introduction of this article, personal training testimonials act as a form of advertisement. They’re usually written by a client to share how they feel about the personal training services you offer.

A positive testimonial can affirm your credibility, meaning you can make money as a personal trainer because clients are more likely to trust you'll provide them with a great service. Many businesses currently refer to the process of collecting and displaying testimonials as ‘social proof’.

Essentially, testimonials for personal trainers can validate the service you provide to prospective clients who are looking to hire you. But this is just one example of why they benefit your business - let’s look at some others in detail. 

#1 - They Can Lead to Referrals 

Referrals can be hugely helpful in sustaining your personal training business. This is when one client will recommend your service to another. 

However, referrals may not always come across in an appropriate manner, especially in person. The client who is recommending you as a trainer may fumble their words, or not convey your skills accurately.

This simple mistake could lead to the potential client deciding to not sign up for one of your personal training packages, which is ultimately a lost earning opportunity. 

Instead, by implementing personal trainer testimonials, clients can take time to accurately articulate their words. They aren’t in a rush to think on the spot, and can instead present a more accurate description of how they feel about your service.

Once the client has written an initial PT testimonial they will know exactly what to say when providing an in-person referral to your training programs.

For example, the personal training testimonials left on the MAX NRG site clearly reflect several clients who know exactly what they'd say to others. Many even conclude their testimonial with a phrase along the lines of ‘I would recommend this to everyone'. 

Therefore, we can say it’s best to think of personal training testimonials as a form of dress rehearsals for in-person referrals. Once clients know exactly what they enjoy about your service, they will be better at articulating these facts to others. 

#2 - Increase Your Client Loyalty 

By displaying personal training testimonials on any of your platforms, you can show clients that you appreciate them just as much as they appreciate you.

Clients will typically want their progress displayed on their personal trainer’s website or social media pages. Whilst it may seem a passive action to the trainer, it can act as a form of recognition for the client’s hard work and dedication.

Therefore, when they give a personal training testimonial, a client will strengthen the bond they share with a trainer. Imagine the rates of client retention you achieve by making everyone feel personally recognised. 

Arguably, the best way to do this is to ask for a testimonial immediately following the completion of a target or goal. 

The online fitness company Caliber Strong proudly displays PT testimonials across their site, many of which highlight how the trainers are effective in helping reach a client’s specialised goals and targets.

If you’re ever unsure of how to approach a client to ask for a personal trainer testimonial simply reassure them that they will be highlighted on your platforms. This should encourage them to provide one.

By doing this following the completion of a goal, clients will be more likely to be in a positive state of mind, which could potentially lead to better personal training testimonials. 

#3 - Highlights Talented Staff Members

Gyms are a great place for personal trainers to work, but sadly when working for a large chain or organisation, some individuals will feel overlooked at times. However, personal training testimonials can act as a form of appreciation for specific staff members. 

Below, we can see a personal trainer testimonial that has been left on Trustpilot, in which the client has personally thanked their personal trainer ‘Lee Henson’. They have elaborated on how Lee has benefited their training and provided examples to back their statement. 

If you run a gym or large-scale personal training business, it is certainly worth asking your clients to give your staff testimonials. This is an effective way of guaranteeing that the hard work of your staff is highlighted, and ensures that they know how appreciated they are. 

Showcasing staff compliments on the business's website is also a HR win-win - it can lead to more clients signing up for your service, and will increase morale among staff. 

#4 - Shareability On Social Medias

Showcasing personal trainer testimonials on social media pages can act as a great marketing strategy for personal trainers. Sharing such content is considered to be a tolerable form of promotion, one which won’t put off potential clients.

In contrast, if you’re personally trying to spout sale’s pitches you’ll notice that it won’t have the same intended effect. Prospective clients don’t want to hear why you think you're good, they want to hear from individuals who have purchased your service. 

Let’s look at the personal trainer testimonials examples left for Mark De Arriba on his professional LinkedIn profile. 

Here, we can see exactly why his clients and fans praise his teaching ability and bespoke training programs. We learn what they enjoy, and how Mark has helped them to reach their specific goals. 

Testimonials for personal trainers are great for displaying on social media, as they can be shared to both your and your receptive clients' pages. 

Those visiting your page will see the testimonials as a form of advertisement and will want to sign up for your service as a result. Meanwhile, when shared to a client’s personal profile the same testimonial can act as a referral that will be read by their friends and family.

You can optimise nearly every social media platform to display testimonials in their own unique way, be it on Instagram highlights or through a review section on Facebook (but more on that later). 

#5 - Provides an Opportunity To Learn

Clients won’t always be completely positive in the feedback they share within their personal training testimonials.

In these instances, you may not choose to highlight the personal training testimonials examples in question. However, this does not mean that you should automatically disregard them, as there is something to learn from every testimonial you receive.

If you refuse to acknowledge this negative feedback then the issues will remain prevalent in your teaching method. This can result in clients becoming frustrated and eventually dropping you as a trainer.

For example, a client may leave a raving review about the in-person training you provide but say something along the lines of:

• “They can be a little slow to reply to social media messages at times”
• “They’re sometimes late for sessions”
• “They don’t always have the right equipment”

In this instance, the personal trainer in question would need to adapt their practice to ensure that they become more reliable, whether that be with their time management or organisation skills.

Simple solutions can be put in place for all of these situations, for example:

• Be sure to turn on notifications for all the apps you use to communicate with clients. If you can’t reply at the moment, set a second notification to remind yourself to reply at your earliest convenience.
• Use personal training software and create an efficient and detailed schedule. This will ensure you don’t turn up late for training. 
• Create a simple checklist, be it physical or on your phone. When packing your gym bag simply check everything off that you need for the session ahead. 

Real-person training testimonials examples will naturally differ in the feedback provided by the client. However, it’s important that regardless of what criticism comes your way, that you learn and adapt rather than become offended.

Trainers who learn from their past mistakes will be sure to not repeat them, thus making their personal training business much stronger. 

#6 - Aids in Search Engine Optimisation 

Personal training testimonials can act as great launching points for blog posts. Instead of merely highlighting a client’s success in a screenshot or a few lines, quote the testimonial in a blog post dedicated entirely to their story. 

Blogs are engineered to boost your search engine optimisation (SEO). Through the use of keywords, these blogs will help to boost your ranking on search engines such as Google.

If you’d like further guidance on how to start a fitness blog that gets huge traffic, click here.

If you manage to land on the first page of Google you can significantly increase your readership and attract more potential clients to your service. This again is another form of positive advertisement for your business.

Failure to strengthen your website/blog’s SEO will simply result in potential clients not being able to find you. No one is going to scroll through 6 pages of Google search results just to find your blog - they’re going to simply click the ones that appear first. 

Revolution Fitness is a great example of a PT business that knows how to increase traffic to their blog through the use of SEO.

From the example above we can clearly see that they have included the client’s personal training testimonials as examples, before elaborating their story in an entire blog post. 

This is the type of content you should be producing in order to improve your SEO. Remember, the more testimonials you publish, the better your search results will be thanks to the higher volume of keywords used. 

What Makes a Good PT Testimonial?

Now that you know how testimonials can benefit your business, you may now be questioning how to separate mediocre personal training testimonials from great ones. 

We can attest the best personal training testimonials examples will be:

1. Authentic 
2. Specific 
3. Short & Direct 
4. Personable
5. Conversational 

When sharing PT testimonials, you should only seek to feature ones that present you in the best possible light. By ensuring that the five aforementioned points are adhered to you are guaranteed to receive good testimonials. 

#1 - Authenticity 

Readers will be able to tell when testimonials are fake. If you’re just providing a huge block of text with no evidence to support the claims, they’re going to assume it’s been manufactured by you.

Evidence is key for authenticity, as it shows exactly how you helped your clients to overcome their issues and pursue their goals. 

One way to highlight this is through the use of progress photos, such as the ones seen on David Kingsbury’s site above. 

When potential clients read testimonials, they will be stepping into the shoes of the person who wrote the testimonial. 

They may share a similar goal to an existing client, such as to lose weight or gain muscle mass, and with progression photos, you can ensure that every statement on your site/social media is perceived as authentic. 

#2 - Specify

Specific personal training testimonials will avoid the use of cliched generic phrases. This includes vague statements such as:

• “Training was great”
• “I loved it”
• “My trainer is so fun” 

Whilst these statements may be true, they add nothing to the overall discussion surrounding your business. 

Instead, good personal training testimonials examples will talk about the issues a client faced, and how your service helped them to overcome them. 

For example, the client featured below on Scott Laidler’s website highlighted that they wished to lose weight, and then gave specific detail of the training that was put in place to overcome said obstacle. 

Additionally, a mention of statistics also adds great detail to a testimonial, here we can see that Scott’s training helped Dan lose 30 pounds. Giving an exact measurement or stat will help to ensure that your personal trainer testimonials are specific to the readers’ needs. 

If you’re a personal trainer with a specialist qualification, such as weight loss & management, then highlighting these stats is particularly important. You should always feature testimonials that specifically highlight your brand of training in the best light. 

#3 - Personable 

As discussed, including progression photos among your personal training testimonials is a great way of making the training seem more personable. By highlighting your client’s progress you’re showing how much you value the hard work they’re putting into their training. 

You should also consider pairing your testimonials with your brand's signature colour scheme or logo, for that added personable touch.

Celebrity personal trainer Joe Wicks’ website ‘The Body Coach’ is a great example of someone who has ensured their personal training testimonials are personable.

Not only are they displayed in the site’s specific colour scheme, but they even display a nickname for Joe’s fans which are dubbed ‘the body coachers‘. This kind of personalisation is great because it helps potential clients to remember the testimonials and associate them with you and your brand of training.

#4 - Short & Direct

The end readers of your site will get bored easily, and the last thing they want to do whilst on your website is to read essay-sized PT testimonials. Keep your testimonials to a minimum of two or three paragraphs at the very most. 

Instead, be sure to keep the personal trainer testimonials examples short and to the point. They should include action-centric words to capture the emotions of the readers, providing an incentive to motivate them to keep reading.

Action centric words can be used to describe how your teaching impacted the client, examples of which can be seen as:

• Maximise 
• Consult 
• Facilitate 
• Supervise 
• Achieve 

From the TrustPilot testimonial displayed above, we can see multiple uses of action-centric words. Here, they are used to articulate how the client’s life has improved over the course of 5 years of training.

These words are snappy and impactful, when they are used they can really strike potential clients and convince them to sign up for training. 

#5 - Conversational

As a qualified personal trainer, you will naturally impart a lot of knowledge to your clients. As a result, many of the personal training testimonials may include technical terms that relate to their specific training. 

You should avoid using this type of language whenever possible, this will only confuse newcomers and create a formal environment in which they don’t feel comfortable.

The example used below comes from ActIn Fitness, here we can see the client Jamil mention conversational topics such as struggling with weight. Whilst the testimonial does highlight statistics in regards to his training it never stops being conversational, as if you’re talking directly to a friend. 

Any potential client could read Jamil’s story and instantly relate to his life experience, and that’s exactly why it's a great personal trainer testimonial example.

Instead of using technical terminology, PT testimonials should be conversational and easy to understand. Prospective clients should be able to read them and believe as if they’re getting a personalised recommendation from a friend. 

What To Get Your Clients To Include In A Testimonial

From the sample testimonials for personal trainers given in the previous section, you should now have a better understanding of what a good testimonial looks like. All that remains is to get one of these high-quality recommendations for yourself.

Whilst it is down to the client to write a positive testimonial for your service, as a trainer you can have some influence over what is included. 

For clarity, under no circumstances should you re-write the client’s pt testimonials to depict yourself in a more favourable light. Instead, you can influence the content of the testimonials through the questions you ask. 

You should be asking your clients the following questions before they write up their testimonials.

• What was the issue that prompted you to sign up for personal training? - Wanting to lose weight, needing assistance in order to recover from an injury etc.
• How did your training help to resolve this issue? - Did you lose x amount of weight or did your rehabilitation progress take less time than expected (figures are great here!) 
• How was your solution unique from the other personal trainers on the market today? - This will set you apart from your fellow competitors and seeks to highlight why others should choose to train with you. 
• How was your overall experience as a client? - Following this question, as a trainer, you can learn about your overall strengths and weaknesses. This will allow you to make changes to your approach if necessary.
• Specific information that they’re comfortable sharing - This can include a picture of their face, their age and where they’re from. This relates back to the point on authenticity which appeared in the previous section.

By asking these questions you will be subtly guiding your clients towards providing strong personal trainer testimonials. 

Following your list of questions, the created personal training testimonial should include relevant information that seeks to get more clients into your service. 

With all this in mind, let’s look at some good personal trainer testimonials examples.

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If you’re enjoying learning about Personal Training Testimonials, these articles can also help you improve your service:

• How To Make Money As A Personal Trainer
• How To Make A Personal Training Website
• How To Stand Out as a Personal Trainer

Good Examples of Personal Trainer Testimonials

Within this section, we’re going to look at personal trainer testimonials examples in detail. We will detail exactly why they’re good and how they adhere to the questions featured within the above section.

#1 - Jill Brown Fitness

When it comes to personal training testimonials examples, the one featured above from Jill Brown Fitness is something that any pt would be proud to receive.

Here the client lists in precise detail how Jill’s training has benefited her life, and it is the detail that makes it an example of a great testimonial. But has it adhered to the questions featured above?

From reading these two short paragraphs, we can see that the client has made mention of their initial goal which was to lose weight. 

She then elaborates and states how Jill’s training has helped her lose a total of 21lbs in the span of 2-3 months.

This information is paired with the client’s personal information, relating to how Jill’s training has benefited her mental and physical health, in a way that no other training has. 

Finally, just before the closing section of the testimonial, Jill leaves a touching note of her own, detailing how moved she was by the client’s words. This adds a personal touch and will highlight to the client just how much her support and determination means to Jill too.

Without question, this is a great example of a personal training testimonial. It tells readers why the client approached Jenny in the first place, how she helped them approach their goal, as well as provides exact details and figures of their current progress. 

As a qualified personal trainer, you should know how to craft the perfect tailored program for each client. Said program should benefit to such a great extent that they’re wanting to share every detail possible. 

#2 - Hughes Fitness 

When looking at personal trainer testimonials examples, we would recommend looking into Hughes Fitness’ site. Here you will find multiple examples of testimonials that could have appeared on this list, as they’re all of such high quality.

The one we have chosen to feature comes from a client who immediately opens his testimonial by stating that the training is unlike any other. Therefore, within the first two sentences, the client has helped to establish that Hughes Fitness’ training program stands out among a competitive field.

The client then elaborates to state that they sought out personal training as a form of preparation for physique competitions, thus establishing his goal for the readers to see.

Once this goal has been established to the site’s readers, the client states how the training program benefited him, clarifying that it took him from 150lb to 210lb in lean muscle. 

This personal training testimonial is accompanied with a progress photo which also adds an aspect of credibility to the statement. By including a picture of the client in question, readers won’t question the legitimacy of the statement, nor will they believe it’s staged or faked. 

#3 - Kimberly Doehnert

The next personal training testimonial example we're looking at is from Kimberly Doehert’s website, which specialises in training female physique and bodybuilding competitions. 

Once again, right from the offset of this testimonial, we can see that the client has ensured that to differentiate Kimberly’s approach to training from others on the market. Here, we can see that the client has shared how the sessions are concise and specific to said client’s performative goals.

We can also see that the training is completely suitable for newcomers too, as the client is sure to mention how they placed 1st in their first-ever competition.

The client then elaborates that they are going to continue to use Kimberly as a trainer following her competitive success. It is these positive results that will attract more prospective clients/competitors to Kimberly’s practice.

Whilst this personal training program does have somewhat of a niche audience, the testimonial has been written in a manner that attracts the right demographic to Kimberly’s training. Ensuring that your training is appealing to your target demographic is important, as if you fail to impress them then you simply won’t have any clients.

For example, if you hold a specialist qualification in a topic such as lower back pain management, the testimonials featured on your platform should discuss how your training helped to improve the condition of the client. 

You should only seek to display testimonials that portray you and your services in the best possible light. Vague testimonials riddled with passive language will do you no favours, and won’t benefit your career in any way.

How to Get Personal Training Testimonials 

After reading the sample testimonials for personal trainers within the previous section, you’re probably wanting to gain some of your own. 

This section is dedicated to advising you on the steps that you can implement in order to obtain these testimonials.

#1 - Create Personal Trainer Testimonials Templates 

Personal trainer testimonial templates are an effective way of collecting large quantities of testimonials without the need to ask every client, each individual question personally. 

These templates are essentially set out like a questionnaire and can be sent either online or printed out to complete in person. 

Here's one we have designed (using the free software JotForm) for a generic personal trainer’s business:

Within this personal training testimonial template, we can see that all of the important questions are being asked. With these direct questions, a client will be able to provide efficient answers that will portray your training in a positive light.

Furthermore, these personal trainer testimonial templates will do wonders for your organisational skills, and will keep you on track when things seem overwhelmingly busy. 

Instead of sifting through potentially hundreds of emails from clients, or desperately trying to remember what a client said to you in passing, you can simply save the document or file it away for use at a later date. 

#2 - Use a Variety of Platforms 

In order to get a large quantity of personal training testimonials, you should make the option to leave one readily available on a multitude of platforms.

Solely confining yourself to one platform or approach will only result in certain clients not feeling comfortable enough to leave a testimonial. 

Thus, in order to receive more personal training testimonials, we recommend asking for them in the following ways. 

Your Website - Throughout this article, we have provided a variety of personal trainer testimonials examples, most of which have been displayed on websites. Whilst a site is good for showing these reviews off they can also be used to obtain them in the first place.

In order to obtain these testimonials, you can either embed the template itself or a link that will direct clients to it. 

Social Media Pages - The vast majority of social media platforms offer an effective and unique way of obtaining personal trainer testimonials. Social media is a great way of collecting testimonials as it reads as authentic as it is coming directly from a client’s personal profile.

Facebook, for example, will allow your clients to leave testimonials in the form of reviews on your business page. This example from Melissa Bender Fitness’ page shows just how effective these testimonials can be.

If you’re looking to optimise your business’ social media presence then why not check out our article detailing how to start a fitness based Instagram page.

E-Mail - Contacting your clients via email allows them to simply reply and provide the testimonial immediately. This can be a particularly good option for those of you using a questionnaire, as the client can fill it out and return it without in-person barriers. 

In-Person - Sometimes the most effective way of communicating with a client is face to face. Some clients may prefer to fill the template out on a piece of paper, before having a discussion with you regarding the feelings that went into the testimonial.

As a personal trainer, you should be looking to include multiple of these different approaches in your repertoire. 

Every client is different and some may be more receptive to one of these approaches than the other. By implementing these different approaches you can guarantee that at least one will work, and that the client will be willing to provide a testimonial through the method that fits them best.

#3 - Contact Your Most Loyal Customers 

We’ve already discussed how contacting loyal customers can act as a positive PT client retention strategy. These are the individuals that should be first on your contact list, when looking to obtain personal trainer testimonials.

For example, when sending your proposed questions/template to a loyal customer, be sure to attach a personalised message. 

You should acknowledge their constant support, and how much they mean to you as a client. Additionally, be sure to congratulate them on their progress, steering how far they have come throughout their training.

By discussing the details of their training and progress they've made, client’s are more likely to reflect on their progress and provide you with positive and specific personal trainer testimonials.

#4 - Make The Option Available to Everyone

Contacting your loyal clients is an efficient way of receiving personal training testimonials, but you can also make this option accessible to all your clients. 

Make the option to leave a review available to every client either on your website or social media. By having this option directly visible, it will create more incentive for clients to actually complete one for you. 

Possible sites you could use are:

• JotForm
• TrustPilot 
• Google My Business

Making testimonials accessible to everyone is a great option if you’re a newly qualified personal trainer who has yet to develop a longstanding relationship with loyal clients. 

In fact, you can create even more incentive by offering clients something of value, such as a free session or dietary plan. 

If the process of writing personal training testimonials is fun and rewarding for your clients, then you’re more likely to receive a larger quantity of them.

#5 - Ask Multiple Times 

Asking for testimonials for your personal trainer business isn’t just a one-time thing - you can ask for multiple throughout your time with a client.

We recommend implementing testimonials throughout your client’s training, at key points or milestones in their programme. 

This will not only provide you with up-to-date reviews to display on your website or social media platforms but will also give you insight into how they are responding to the training you’re providing.

If you’re wondering when to ask for these regular personal training testimonials, we advise either following a set schedule or sending them to a client following the completion of one of their goals. 

With a set schedule, a client can expect to write a personal training testimonial every 30/60/90 days, whereas if they’re asked to write following an achievement or milestone they may be more inclined to be positive.

How To Use Your Personal Trainer Testimonials

When it comes to using personal training testimonials there are multiple ways in which you can display them. 

For example, when using your personal training website you can display testimonials in the following ways:

#1 - Use Your Home/Landing Page

Many personal trainers choose to display testimonials on their website’s home/landing page. An example of this method can be seen through PGPT - Mobile Personal Trainers’ site. 

When prospective clients are searching for personal training websites they will typically scan the home page for valuable information, before deciding whether said program is right for them. 

Displaying testimonials on your homepage is a smart marketing move, as it can potentially attract more clients to sign up for your business, as the testimonial will be the first thing they see. 

#2 - Create a Separate Page 

You can also choose to create a separate page in order to display the sample testimonials for your personal trainer business. This will present your site as being well organised and efficient for end-users to operate.

If you display the word ‘Testimonials’ or ‘Success Stories’ on your site’s navigation bar, for example, potential clients will know this is exactly where they need to go in order to learn more about your training style. A good example of this method being used can be found on Armoury Coaching Studio.

Having a separate section for personal training testimonials can boost your website's SEO. Additional methods to assist in this process is including photos of clients or recorded videos.

#3 - Embed Third Party Testimonials 

Many website platforms will provide you with the opportunity to embed screenshots or widgets onto your personal site. 

When it comes to uploading personal trainer testimonial examples anyone can upload blocks of text, but linking to your social media will add a form of legitimacy to the testimonials you’re sharing. 

Take Team Howell Fitness as an example. By adding Facebook widgets, they are verifying the training they provide, and linking new visitors directly to the clients who left the review.

Now that you have a better understanding of how to optimise your website, we are going to dissect how you should be using pt testimonials on your various social media pages. 

#1 - Facebook

As we have discussed at length throughout this article, Facebook is great for those of you looking to display your pt testimonials on social media. If you wish to follow this technique, we would advise you to ensure that the option to leave a review is available on your business page. 

This section of your businesses’ page will allow your clients to leave personal training testimonials, as well as a personalised rating - as seen above in LivFit’s perfect 5 star score.

Clients leaving a positive testimonial through this method will benefit your career in a multitude of ways, firstly leaving a review under their personal profile will solidify their testimonial to be authentic.

Potential clients will be able to see that these are the words of actual clients, and not ones that the trainer has made up, which can be a sticking point for those who are still unsure about your services.

Secondly, the high rating will pair well with positive personal trainer testimonial examples, as it provides further validation to the service you’re providing. 

Finally, if a client uses their personal account to publish their personal trainer’s testimonial there is a strong chance that their friends and family will read it too. This, in turn, can act as referral of sorts as those reading may be more inclined to join your service following this recommendation. 

#2 - Instagram 

Instagram is an incredibly versatile platform, which allows you to display examples of personal training testimonials in a variety of ways.

One method you can implement is to create posts dedicated to the testimonial itself. This can be seen below in the screenshot below from Nadia Keane’s profile.

Here we can see that Nadia has chosen to create a post, highlighting the detailed testimonial left by one of her clients. However, she has gone the extra mile and added a personalised touch of a message dedicated to that specific client.

As stated earlier in the article, this form of acknowledgment will attract more clients to give testimonials for personal trainers. 

Upon reading this post, Nadia’s other clients will want the same positive affirmation, and the only way to receive this is to provide a testimonial.

Alternative methods for presenting your PT testimonials through Instagram could be to optimise the Reel and Highlight features the social media platform offers. 

You could choose to keep screenshots of your existing testimonials and display them through the Highlight feature. This will ensure that they remain present on your profile, and will allow clients to sift through them with the simple tap of a screen.

Alternatively, you could choose to record your client verbally communicating their testimonial. This video can then be edited into a Reel, a factor that could appeal to specific visitors who don’t wish to read written testimonials.

#3 - LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great social media platform for developing industry connections with other fitness professionals who are currently working in the industry. 

Here clients’ sample testimonials for their personal trainer will be displayed at the bottom of the trainer’s profile. This section of the profile will be dubbed ‘recommendations’ and can be seen in the screenshot below, from PT Tom Robinson’s page.

Whilst you should be listing your personal training qualifications and relevant experience on the site, these recommendations can help to validate that the training you provide to your clients is of high quality. 

This can be greatly beneficial when you’re attempting to network and make industry connections. Other professionals and even potential employers will be able to see that your approach to training is just as impressive as your relevant qualifications and experience. 

Therefore, we can say that displaying personal training testimonials on your LinkedIn page can help you progress within the industry, and may even lead to landing your dream job.

For those of you who are interested in learning more employment within the fitness sector, check out this article on the best gyms to work for as a personal trainer.

This section should have provided you with a greater understanding of how to use and where to display personal training testimonials. It’s important to remember that every business is subjective, and some of these techniques may work better for you than others.

However, we’d advise trying multiple different approaches, as this will cast a wide net and ensure that a variety of clients submit a PT testimonial of their own.

What Should I Do If I Can’t Get PT Testimonials?

If you’re a newly qualified personal trainer, then you naturally may not have any clients to give you testimonials. This can lead to a predicament: how do you get new clients to trust you if you don’t have any testimonials backing your work?

There are a few options that you can implement to prove to potential clients that you’re trustworthy and deserve their time.

#1 - Show Your Process

 When looking for potential clients without existing testimonials be sure to detail your working process as accurately as possible. This will tell customers exactly what you’re about and whether you’ll work well together - Let’s use Base Bangkok as an example.

Here we can see that they break their process down into six steps, otherwise dubbed the path to success:

• We Find Out About You
• Basic Moveset Assignment 
• Body Composition Scan 
• Fitness Assessment 
• Programming 
• Nutrition 

Showing your own working process can help give you a reference point, help customers transition easier into this new experience and show them exactly how you can help reach their goals.

The last thing new clients want is to feel surprised - they want to know exactly what they’re paying for. Showing your working process will help you stand out from your competitors, should clients make a strong connection with your process they’ll sign up, which could finally lead to testimonials.

#2 - Share Similar Beliefs

Another way to attract prospective clients is through psychological means, customers will always buy products from people they like and who share similar morals and beliefs to them. 

It’s not enough to simply spout off a list of values, you need to prove how your business implements these into its practice. For example, as seen in the screenshot above and throughout BioFit’s About Us, we can see exactly how the company promotes ecologically safe personal training.

When creating a section that reflects your morals, be sure to be specific to the customers. State how your morals can benefit and relate back to them, this can be achieved by referring to the reader as ‘you’. 

Without PT testimonials, potential clients must be able to read the other information available on your website and be able to determine that their morals align with yours. For example, BioFit readers will be able to view the benefits of the Biophilic Design In Gym section and decide whether they agree with the green approach to gym design. 

#3 - Provide a Guarantee 

By providing a promise or a guarantee you can essentially win the trust of a potential client before they even sign up for training. This offer shows how dedicated you are to both fitness and your clients' goals.

Customers will also likely take your promise for what it is, as they already know what the consequence will be if you fail to deliver, which is simply that they’ll find someone else to train them.

Take Edge-Trainer as an example. They make multiple promises that all revolve around the three topics seen above.

Within each section they make sure all of their languages is pointed at the potential clients, using words such as ‘we’ and ‘you’, essentially promising exactly how their training can benefit their client. 

Here’s a quick snippet from their website:

After we review your overhead squat analysis and functional movement screen we will develop a program to add flexibility and strength in the areas needed to move your body back into balance. You’ll also get a great workout while doing it!

However, it’s so important to avoid hyperbole - don’t big yourself up with sentences like “We guarantee your best workout ever!”. If these expectations aren’t met then it will destroy all trust your client has with you, leading them to just go find someone else. 

#4 - Show Your Face

If a PT is willing to put their faces and names on a website, chances are this will increase the sense of trust between you and a potential client. An example of this can be seen above from Mark De Arriba-Smith.

Showing your face, or that of your employees lets potential clients know that there is a real person behind your business. 

You could even try to include an ‘About Me’ section on the website, which will allow you to provide personal information that readers may be interested to hear. This could include how you got into personal training, what your qualifications are, and your life outside of work.

Newcomers can often feel intimidated by fitness at the best of times, but this feeling may be exacerbated with no personal training testimonials. As a trainer you can ease these feelings by ensuring your site and profile is as welcoming as possible. 

Are There Any Legal Requirements for Using Personal Training Testimonials?

When using a testimonial from a customer, it is so important to ensure that you have a written form of consent and documentation. This legally assures that the statement being used for marketing purposes is legitimate and accurately reflects the business in question. 

This documentation will also protect you in case said customer wishes to retract their testimonial. If they have agreed in writing to appear on your website or social media for a set amount of time, you won’t have to remove their testimonial until said period ends. 

Marketers legally cannot provide falsified information relating to the product they provide without facing potentially serious consequences. You should think again before providing yourself with fake positive testimonials or reviews. 

Forging a personal training testimonial is in direct violation of consumer protection from unfair trading laws. If broken, you will not only face a criminal record but also a fine of an undetermined amount. 

You may wish to consult legal advice and ideas before sending out mass testimonial requests. This will provide you with the opportunity to craft Terms of Service or Privacy Policies that are specific to your business and that all testimonial submissions must adhere to.

Before You Go! 

In order to ensure the testimonials you receive are of the highest quality, remember to ask relevant questions and develop a close bond with the client. This will attract more clients to your business and ultimately increase your overall earning potential. 

One of the most effective ways of improving the quality of your personal trainer testimonials is to provide an entirely unique service. The best way to do this is through Level 4 specialist qualifications, such as our Sports Nutrition Qualification, which is guaranteed to impress clients.

But we offer plenty more courses, so download our FREE prospectus for further information!