3 Steps To Start Your Online Fitness Class

It’s Sunday night, almost 9pm and I get a message that Tiphanie just posted a workout the next morning at 7am. It costs $5 bucks to join her on Zoom. Posting a pop-up workout is a great way to avoid getting lazy but also a fun way to make extra income.

Before the pandemic starting a fitness business or gig was complicated. Now with Zoom and so many new platforms, it’s easy. You can spend money to join live-streaming platforms such as Mindbodyonline or Bande (last time I checked monthly subscription fee is about $40). But if you are not keen on paying that monthly fee, there are cheaper and almost free ways to get started.

Step 1 Get online

You need a virtual link for people to join you. So far since the pandemic, Zoom seems to be everyone’s preferred way to set up virtual meetings and classes. Fitness classes are no exception. If you don’t want to use Zoom, you can use Google Meet for free to get a virtual link.

Step 2 Set up a payment system

Instead of chasing Venmo’s there are actually several easier options. Zoom now allows you to connect a PayPal business account and charges a selling fee of 2.9 percent plus $.30 per sale. If you post your class on Festi, there is a 3% processing fee (no subscription or any other fees) and you don’t need to set up a Paypal business account. Festi also has a Zoom integration that only paid guests will see the Zoom link automatically which saves you the hassle of sending the link.

Step 3 Let people know you are in business

Emails, social media, and newsletters are the traditional route for spreading the news. It’s time-consuming and can get tedious. Creating a website is another way but that takes time and money. Even with a website, you still have the challenge of driving traffic to it.

Nowadays you don’t need a website You can post any workout on Festi with no monthly fee or subscription. It’s free and the best part is that you never have to update anyone about your classes. Once you create your profile you can embed your profile link to Instagram (or your website if you have one). People can signup and pay from Instagram or your website. See how

Posting your pop-up workout is just a start. The next step is to get people to signup. Once you post your class you can click on the share button and share it with friends via email or text to get the first one going. If you can get 3–10 people every time, you can build a niche community which is probably the most powerful tool to get repeat customers. Small groups create a sense of belonging, teamwork, and camaraderie, which is why Peloton has been so successful. Nobody likes working out alone.

Pricing

Make sure you price your online workout appropriately. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to charge at least 25% less for online classes than an in-person workout — so, if you’d normally charge $100 for an hour of in-person training, consider charging anywhere around $75 for an hour of online training. If you’re just looking for people to keep you accountable, just charge $5 to join you to work out, whether it’s practicing yoga or a dance fitness routine. While $5 seems low, it makes it easy for people to hop on last minute. Over time as you grow the number of users, the money adds up. You also have the option to post your workout for free. Last month we saw a 10 min squat challenge for free, which was super fun.

Tips to make your class great

Make sure technology is working for you and not against you. Log in 5–10 minutes before class starts to make sure that the link is working. Make sure the lighting and sound are good. Check how your camera is framed. Ideally, the camera should be placed at eye level from your default position, be conscious that your viewers can see everything to follow along. Always remember to mute other members before starting the class.

Communication is key. If for some reason your Zoom link fails to work, you can send everyone a message with a new zoom link. See how. If you need to cancel the class for whatever reason, just click on cancel and everyone will get a message with a full refund automatically through Festi. More details here.

Extra income made easy

Successful instructors using the right tools can make over $25K in a few months. Part of that success is getting people to follow you on Festi so they get an automatic notification (marketing made easy) to signup every time you post a class.

Scheduling made easy

With the flexibility of posting any time, you can fill a free hour with a pop-up workout. We’ve seen some instructors post last-minute workouts and within a couple of hours of posting, more than 10 people signup. By the way, if no one signs up, no one knows. Like any business it takes a bit of time and patience to build a group of followers. Experiment with different times and pricing. We can’t wait to see what you plan to offer.