In this series of video interviews, we talk to Personal Trainers and Fitness Professionals around the world to get their advice about how they've adapted their business to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic. They share some great strategic advice on how they've pivoted their business online and how they support their in-person clientele through these changes.
In the second interview of this series, we talk to Personal Trainer and Founder of A.B Yates Personal Fitness Solutions - Andy Yates as he shares his advice and experience 'Going Virtual'. He summarizes how his business has been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, and offers some great insight into how he leverages the PTminder platform to shift online and keep his regular clients on track. From sending out workout and mobility plans to uploading workout routines to his YouTube channel, Andy's got some great suggestions about 'Going Virtual'
Watch the entire interview below.
(Video transcript)
Tell us a bit about your business and what you do?
Andy: I used to be a professional rugby player. And then about three years ago, I gave it all up to do personal training full time. I just wanted to start basically training people rather than getting trained myself. So I set up my business. I work out of two gyms. I work out of a gym which is really close to my house and then I work out of another gym which is about 15 miles away. And generally, I train about 40-plus clients a week. I love passing on my knowledge and expertise, everything that I've learnt over the years and I love passing that on to all my clients.
How has your business been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic?
Andy: Quite massively, really. My business has been affected because I was training 40 plus clients a week and then now I'm obviously not training anyone. I think it's important to stay at home and save lives rather than working and working for financial benefits.
But at the same time I've been using the PTminder to check in with clients and workouts, I'll send mobility plans out and just basically just keep them healthy as well as I can. So hopefully when all this is over, I can get back to training clients and get back to normality.
How have your in-person clients coped with these changes?
Andy: I send them work, I've tried to email, I've emailed workouts over and then I've got feedback from them and I've got them to record a few of the exercises and send me them just to check if they're doing it right. And so I think they're all pretty much getting involved and keeping on track with the healthy lifestyle. But obviously it's a lot harder when you're not seeing them face to face, once or twice a week, it's hard to keep tabs on them.
What is some advice you can share to help other Personal Trainers and Fitness professionals during this time?
Andy: I think it's just about just being persistent with it - keep posting stuff on social media, do a few workouts that you're doing. I've got a little baby boy and wife at home, so it's hard, we spend a lot of time looking after him. But when I've got a chance, I've been filming workouts, and I've been putting them out on social media and then sending them out to clients using the PTminder app and that has really helped. It's just trying to keep healthy and passing on your knowledge on social media and sending it to your clients now, and potential new clients too.
How has PTminder supported you and your clients through this time?
Andy: I like how you can easily contact someone on the team and then they can help you out with a problem on the app.
I've been recording the exercises, put them into a workout plan, and then sending them out to my clients, that's works out very well. I've linked my PTminder app to my websites as well, so all my clients can log in through my website and then they've accessed to all my workout plans and all my mobility plans and it's a lot easier for them to do that as well
Find Andy Yates online:
A.B Yates Personal Fitness Solutions | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter
Keen to find out more about how PTminder can keep your fitness business going through the pandemic? Sign up for a free trial here.
