The pricing mistake that makes online training a drain


Hi Reader,,

Most gyms and studios that tried online training during Covid stopped once the doors reopened. Plenty of owners now think online doesn’t work for them.

It does. It just needs a clear job and the right price.

The mistake I see most

Online priced too close to in-person. Members switch down to save money, and you end up doing more work for less.

The fix is what I call the coaching ladder. Each step gives clearly more coaching than the last:

  • An online membership: a program, a video library and a community
  • Online coaching, built around one person, at about three times the price
  • Hybrid: online coaching plus in-person sessions on top, never discounted

Strength Matters, where I work with James Breese, uses the same two-part pricing, and finds $299 a month its best online price for keeping clients.

What online can do for your gym or studio

  • Keep members who travel or move away
  • Offer a step down instead of cancelling
  • Save missed sessions by coaching them on video

I’ve put it all into a free 16-page playbook: four models and which to start with, the coaching ladder, a margin check, a weekly check-in form, client emails for the first 90 days, and a launch plan.

👉 Get the free Hybrid Training Playbook​

When I qualified as a personal trainer in 2004, some clients paid for a monthly program plus one session a month with me. Nobody called it hybrid then. It worked because they knew exactly what to do.

Hit reply and tell me: have you tried online training, and how did it go? I read every reply.

Andrew

P.S. Prefer to watch? I explain the coaching ladder in a 12-minute video: How to price online training for your gym or studio​

P.P.S. Start local. Jonathan Goodman of the PTDC, who first taught hybrid training, says the same: referrals come far more easily when your clients live nearby 💪

3 Shine Hene, Queens Drive West, Ramsey, Isle of Man IM8 2HZ
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Andrew Wallis

Most PTs aren’t struggling because of effort.They’re stuck because they don’t have a system.That’s why income stalls at £2k–£5k/month. I help fitness professionals fix that by installing a simple Growth Engine that creates consistent leads, better conversions, and predictable revenue. No hacks. No guesswork. Just structure that compounds.With 20+ years in the industry — from PT to building a 6-location bootcamp business — I’ve learned that growth comes from systems, not more effort. Join Fitness Marketing Blueprints for practical strategies to help you scale to £10k+.

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