Best CRM for personal trainers

As a personal trainer, managing client schedules, tracking progress, and maintaining strong communication can quickly become overwhelming as your client base grows. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system tailored to personal trainers can help you stay organized by streamlining client management, automating follow-ups, and tracking fitness goals—all from one platform. With the right CRM, you can focus more on helping your clients achieve their goals while ensuring your business runs smoothly.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the best CRM options for personal trainers like you, highlighting tools that will help you improve client relationships, manage schedules, and grow your fitness business.

Why you need a CRM

As a personal trainer, managing your trainers effectively can make or break your business. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can streamline operations and drive growth.

Challenges without a CRM

Without a CRM, founders of personal training businesses face numerous challenges.

• Disorganization: Managing client and trainer information manually leads to chaos.
• Missed opportunities: Potential leads can slip through the cracks without proper follow-up.
• Inefficient Processes: Time-consuming administrative tasks reduce productivity.
• Lack of insight: Inadequate data makes it hard to track performance and make informed decisions.
• Inconsistent communication: Without a centralized system, communication with clients and trainers can become erratic.

Benefits of a CRM

A CRM offers several advantages for managing personal trainers, directly impacting your business performance.

• Centralized information: All client and trainer data is stored in one place, making it easily accessible.
• Enhanced efficiency: Automate administrative tasks, freeing up time for strategic activities.
• Improved customer relationships: Track interactions and follow-ups, ensuring no client is neglected.
• Better decision-making: Access to comprehensive data helps in making informed business decisions.
• Increased sales: Effective lead management and follow-up processes boost conversion rates.
• Consistent communication: Streamlined communication channels ensure everyone is on the same page.
  
  

How to boost your personal training business efficiency with a CRM

There are a few ways a CRM can help you boost your operational efficiency so that you do not spend so much time on repetitive admin.

1. Map your process

A CRM can help you map out your process, and organize your contacts accordingly.

• Initial consultation: Schedule and document client goals and health history.
• Program design: Create personalized workout and nutrition plans.
• Progress tracking: Monitor client progress with regular check-ins and assessments.
• Feedback loop: Collect client feedback to refine and adjust training programs.

2. Lead qualification

You can also use a CRM to qualify and assess leads and organizing it in a way that it reflects where each contact is at.

• Initial contact: Use forms and surveys to gather information about potential clients.
• Scoring system: Implement a scoring system to prioritize leads based on their readiness to start training.
• Follow-up: Schedule follow-ups with high-priority leads to convert them into paying clients.

3. Nurture existing leads and customers

A CRM also reminds you about your existing clients, so that you know exactly when to follow-up with someone even if it is six months down the line.

• Exclusive offers: Provide special deals and discounts for existing clients on additional services.
• Referral programs: Encourage clients to refer friends and family with incentives.
• Progress milestones: Celebrate client achievements and suggest advanced programs or add-ons.

How to evaluate and choose a CRM

With a lot of CRMs on the market, it can be hard to figure out how to choose the one that is right for you and your business goals. To help you with your decision making process, we've put together the following pointers that you can take to adapt to your needs and bounce off ideas from

1. Define your requirements

When choosing the best CRM for personal trainers, start by identifying the key features that will support your business operations. Look for functionalities such as client scheduling, progress tracking, automated reminders, and payment processing. These features can significantly streamline your workflow, allowing you to focus more on training and less on administrative tasks. Start with the following key features we've put together for you.

Key features of a CRM for personal trainers

• Automated processes: Streamlines tasks by automating repetitive workflows, allowing personal trainers to focus more on client interaction and less on administrative duties. This can include automated appointment reminders, follow-up emails, and billing processes.
• Contact enrichment: Automatically finds a contact's email addresses and contact information, enhancing efficiency. This feature ensures that personal trainers have the most up-to-date and comprehensive information about their clients, which can help in personalizing training programs and communication.
• Structured pipeline: Tracks Leads, Customers through defined stages, ensuring process clarity and effectiveness. A well-structured pipeline helps personal trainers manage their client journey from the initial contact to ongoing training sessions, making it easier to identify where each client is in their fitness journey.
• Mail merge and email sequences: Increases communication efficiency with follow-up templates and automated sequences. This feature is crucial for maintaining regular contact with clients, sending out newsletters, and promoting new training programs or special offers.
• Social media integration: Seamlessly imports contacts from LinkedIn, Instragram, X and more to leverage your social network. For personal trainers looking to expand their network and client base, this integration can be a powerful tool for professional networking and client acquisition.
• Analytics: Provides essential data analysis and predictive insights for better planning. Personal trainers can use these insights to track their business performance, understand client behaviors, and make informed decisions about future training programs and marketing strategies.

2. Budget considerations

Balancing cost and return on investment is crucial when selecting a CRM. While it might be tempting to go for the most affordable option, ensure that the CRM software for personal trainers you choose offers the essential features you need. Consider the potential time savings and increased client retention rates that a robust CRM can bring, and weigh these benefits against the cost.

3. Selection process

Researching and choosing the right CRM vendor involves several steps. Begin by reading reviews and testimonials from other fitness professionals. Look for vendors who specialize in CRM solutions for personal trainers or have a proven track record in the fitness industry. Request demos or trials to get a firsthand feel of the software’s capabilities.

4. Get a demo

Take advantage of trial periods to evaluate different CRM platforms for personal trainers. Compare features, ease of use, and customer support. Pay attention to how well the CRM integrates with other tools you use, such as email marketing software or fitness apps. After thorough evaluation, choose the CRM that best aligns with your business needs and goals. Get started with a personalized demo of folk, to see how it can adapt to your needs.

3 tips for implementing a CRM

With all that effort you put to shortlisting your CRM – at this stage, it's time to get excited about using it! To help you make the most of your first few weeks with it, we suggest keeping the following front of mind.

1. Import your data into your new CRM

Transitioning to a new CRM is smoother when you import your existing data. Export your current client information and schedules as a CSV file. This step ensures that you don't lose any valuable information during the switch.

2. Create your first pipeline

Setting up your first pipeline is essential for tracking client progress and managing your workflow. For personal trainers, this could include statuses like "New Lead," "Initial Consultation," "Training Plan Created," "Active Client," and "Completed Program." Customizing these stages to fit your business model will help you stay organized and provide a seamless client experience.

3. Explore its integrations

See how your new CRM can be tailored to your needs by exploring the integrations it comes with. This way, you'll be able to automate things and take a lot of the manual work out.

The 5 best CRMs for personal trainers

1. folk

folk is a modern CRM platform for managing contacts, workflows, and relationships, offering customizable pipelines, AI-driven tools, and integrations to enhance deal management and prospecting.

Key features

• Contact enrichment: Automatically enriches contact details by finding emails and LinkedIn URLs, enabling efficient outreach without manual data entry or additional costs for email services.
• Social media integration: Seamlessly import contacts from LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Sales Navigator and more to track contacts within folk, and use templates for quicker, streamlined communication.
• Mail merge and email sequences: Full email sync, templates, and tracking features, enabling users to manage all communications directly from the CRM.
• AI-Powered features: AI tools assist in managing contacts and relationships, automating routine tasks, and suggesting actions to improve productivity.
• Integrations: folk integrates seamlessly with over 6,000 apps, including Gmail, Zapier, and Make, allowing users to centralize their workflow and reduce manual data entry.

Pros

• Ease of use: folk is praised for its intuitive interface, making it accessible even to non-technical users with quick onboarding and a minimal learning curve.
• All-in-one: folk streamlines your workflow by allowing you to import contacts from LinkedIn, automatically find their emails, reach out through customizable email sequences, and track interactions in a pipeline, eliminating the need for multiple tools and saving time and money.
• LinkedIn integration: Seamlessly import contacts from LinkedIn, track conversations within folk, and use templates for quicker, streamlined communication.
• Customizability: Custom fields, pipelines, and workflows.
• Integrations: folk integrates seamlessly with over 6,000 apps, including Gmail, Zapier, and Make, allowing users to centralize their workflow and reduce manual data entry.

Cons

• Reporting: Currently lacks reporting features, but there are plans for future implementation.
  

Price and plans

You can try folk for free with a 14-day free trial. After that, a monthly or annual subscription plan is as follows.

• Standard: $20 per user, per month.
• Premium: $40 per user, per month.
• Custom: Starts from $60 per user, per month.

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2. HubSpot

Hubspot CRM is a user-friendly, scalable platform offering integrated tools for managing sales, marketing, customer service, and operations efficiently.

Key features

• Marketing Hub: Includes email marketing, ad tracking, landing pages, and lead generation tools, perfect for attracting and nurturing potential clients.
• Sales Hub: Provides deal tracking, pipeline management, sales automation, and reporting, essential for converting leads into long-term clients.
• Service Hub: Offers customer service tools like ticketing, live chat, and knowledge bases to ensure your clients receive top-notch support and engagement.
• Lead scoring: Prioritize leads with predictive scoring to focus your efforts on the most promising prospects, optimizing your client acquisition process.
• Automation capabilities: Automate repetitive tasks such as follow-up emails and appointment reminders, freeing up more time for training sessions and client interactions.

Pros

• User-friendly interface: The intuitive interface makes it easy for personal trainers to manage client interactions without needing extensive technical skills.
• Comprehensive free plan: The robust free version includes essential CRM features, making it ideal for personal trainers just starting out.
• Seamless integration with marketing tools: Integrates smoothly with marketing, sales, and service hubs, creating a unified platform for client management and marketing efforts.
• Automation capabilities: Powerful automation tools for tasks like email marketing, lead nurturing, and appointment scheduling help save time and improve efficiency.
• Extensive learning resources: HubSpot Academy offers a wealth of free courses and certifications to help personal trainers get the most out of the platform.

Cons

• High cost at higher tiers: Pricing can become expensive at higher tiers, which may be prohibitive for small personal training businesses as they scale.
• Limited customization in free plan: The free plan has limited customization options, which can restrict flexibility for growing businesses.
• Complexity in advanced features: Some advanced features have a steep learning curve and may require additional training.
• Email marketing limits: The free plan restricts the number of emails you can send, which can be a drawback for trainers with larger client lists.
• Additional costs for add-ons: Many useful features come as paid add-ons, increasing the overall cost.
  
  

Price and plans

HubSpot's CRM suite plans are as follows.

• Starter: $15 per user, per month.
• Professional: $450 per user, per month.
• Enterprise: $1,500 per user, per month.

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3. Streak

Streak is a customer relationship management (CRM) tool that integrates directly with Gmail, allowing users to manage their sales pipeline and customer interactions from within their email inbox. Designed to simplify CRM tasks, Streak offers features such as email tracking, mail merge, task management, and pipeline visualization, all seamlessly embedded in Gmail’s interface.

Key features

• Advanced CRM: Manage your leads and customers efficiently, ensuring no potential client slips through the cracks.
• Email tracking and snippets: Keep track of your communication with clients and leads, and use pre-written snippets to save time on common responses.
• Contacts: Maintain a comprehensive database of your clients and leads, complete with detailed information and interaction history.
• Google Workspace integrations: Seamlessly integrate with Google Calendar and other Google apps to streamline your scheduling and client management.
• Mobile access: Access your CRM on the go, ensuring you can manage your business from anywhere.

Pros

• Seamless Gmail integration: Manage your CRM activities directly from your Gmail inbox, simplifying your workflow and saving time.
• User-friendly and intuitive: The familiar Gmail interface makes it easy to use, requiring minimal training for you and your team.
• Customizable pipelines: Tailor your CRM to fit your specific needs, whether it's tracking leads, managing client progress, or scheduling sessions.
• Email tracking and automation: Improve communication with clients through email tracking, automated follow-ups, and mail merge features.
• Collaboration features: Share pipelines, emails, and notes with your team in real time, enhancing collaboration and ensuring everyone is on the same page.

Cons

• Limited advanced CRM features: May lack some advanced analytics and reporting capabilities needed for more complex business operations.
• Reliance on Gmail: If your business uses a different email platform, Streak may not be the best fit.
• Basic mobile experience: The mobile app offers fewer features compared to the desktop version, which might be a drawback for trainers on the go.
• Integration limitations: Fewer integrations with other software tools compared to more robust CRM systems, potentially limiting its effectiveness.
• Potential email clutter: Managing CRM data within your Gmail inbox can lead to clutter, making it harder to keep your email organized.
  
  

Price and plans

• Pro: Starts from $49 per user, per month.
• Pro +: Starts from $69 per user, per month.
• Enterprise: Starts from $129 per user, per month.

4. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a web-based CRM for small businesses, offering lead management, automation, email integration, and customizable pipelines to optimize sales.

Key features

• Lead and deal management: Centralized tools to manage client data, interactions, and sales pipelines, helping personal trainers act quickly on opportunities.
• Sales automation: Workflow automation to handle repetitive tasks, such as lead routing, follow-ups, and email sequences, allowing trainers to focus on client engagement.
• Email integration: Full email sync, templates, and tracking features, enabling trainers to manage all communications directly from the CRM.
• Advanced reporting and analytics: Real-time data analytics and custom reporting tools to track client progress, forecast revenue, and gain actionable insights.
• Customization and security: Options to customize pipelines, fields, and user permissions, with robust security measures to protect client data.

Pros

• User-friendly interface: The CRM is known for its intuitive and visually appealing interface, making it easy for personal trainers to navigate and manage their client pipelines.
• Sales pipeline focus: Specifically designed for managing pipelines, offering a visual approach that helps trainers track client progress and activities effectively.
• Customization: Allows for a high degree of customization, enabling trainers to tailor the platform to their specific client management processes with custom fields and workflows.
• Automation features: Includes automation tools that help streamline repetitive tasks, such as sending follow-up emails and moving clients through the pipeline, saving time and boosting productivity.
• Mobile app: The mobile app provides full access to CRM features, allowing trainers to manage clients and interactions on the go.

Cons

• Limited advanced features: Lacks some of the more advanced CRM features, such as extensive marketing automation and AI capabilities, which are available in other platforms.
• Basic reporting in lower tiers: The reporting and analytics features in the basic plans are somewhat limited, requiring upgrades to access more in-depth insights.
• No built-in email marketing: Does not include built-in email marketing features, requiring users to integrate with third-party email tools for such functionality.
• Limited customer support hours: Customer support is not available 24/7, which can be inconvenient for trainers operating in different time zones or needing immediate assistance.
• Price increases with add-ons: The cost can increase quickly when additional features or integrations are added, making it less cost-effective for trainers with growing needs.
  

Price and plans

An annual subscription plan basis is as follows.

• Essential plan: Starts from $24 per user, per month.
• Advanced plan: Starts from $44 per user, per month.
• Power plan: Starts from $79 per user, per month.
• Enterprise plan: Starts from $129 per user, per month.

5. Zoho

Zoho is a CRM system with a strong sales focus. It has journey orchestration, sales process management, and workflow automation features. There's also something for marketing teams, including event management and customer segmentation.

Key features

• Lead and contact management: Manages client information, tracks interactions, and segments contacts for targeted follow-ups.
• Sales automation: Automates tasks like lead management, deal tracking, and follow-up actions to streamline client acquisition.
• Customizable dashboards and reports: Create and customize dashboards and reports for in-depth analytics on client progress and business performance.
• Multi-channel communication: Integrates with email, phone, social media, and live chat to manage all client interactions from a single platform.
• Mobile CRM: Offers mobile apps for managing client relationships on the go, with features like offline access and GPS tracking.

Pros

• Affordability: Competitive pricing with various tiers, making it accessible for small personal training businesses.
• Customization: Extensive customization options allow trainers to tailor the CRM to their specific needs, including custom fields and workflows.
• Multi-channel communication: Supports email, phone, social media, and live chat, enabling trainers to manage all client interactions from a single platform.
• Mobile accessibility: Robust mobile app allows trainers to manage client relationships and access data on the go, with offline capabilities.
• Integration with Zoho suite: Seamless integration with other Zoho products creates a comprehensive ecosystem for managing different business functions.

Cons

• Steep learning curve: Extensive customization options can be overwhelming for new users, requiring significant time investment to master the platform.
• Complex setup: Initial setup and configuration can be complex, particularly for trainers without technical expertise.
• User interface: Some users find the interface outdated or cluttered compared to other modern CRM platforms, affecting usability.
• Performance issues: Occasional reports of slow performance, especially with large datasets or complex operations, can hinder productivity.
• Limited third-party integrations: While Zoho integrates well with its own suite of products, integration with third-party applications can be limited or require additional effort.
  

Price and plans

Zoho's free plan limited is to three users. After that, for more features and setas an annual subscription plan is as follows.

• Standard: $20 per user, per month.
• Professional: $35 per user, per month.
• Enterprise: $50 per user, per month.

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Conclusion

Choosing the best CRM for personal trainers can significantly enhance your business operations, from managing client interactions to automating administrative tasks. Whether you opt for folk's intuitive interface and LinkedIn integration, HubSpot's comprehensive toolset, Streak's seamless Gmail integration, Pipedrive's user-friendly pipeline management, or Zoho's customizable features, each CRM offers unique benefits tailored to the needs of fitness professionals. Evaluate your specific requirements, budget, and desired features to make an informed decision. Try folk for free here and take the first step towards optimizing your personal training business.

Need a helping hand? Use our free tool to find your perfect CRM match.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What do personal trainers use as a CRM?

Personal trainers often use CRMs like Folk, Hubspot, Streak, Pipedrive, and Zoho. Folk is particularly popular due to its intuitive interface and seamless LinkedIn integration. Hubspot offers comprehensive tools for marketing and sales, while Streak integrates directly with Gmail. Pipedrive is known for its visual pipeline management, and Zoho offers extensive customization options.

Do I need a CRM?

Yes, depending on the complexity of your process. A CRM can significantly streamline your operations, enhance client management, and improve overall productivity. If you find yourself overwhelmed by administrative tasks, missing follow-ups, or struggling to keep track of client progress, implementing a CRM could be a game-changer for your personal training business.

How much does a CRM cost?

CRM costs can vary widely depending on the features and the provider. Prices typically range from $15 to $150 per user per month. For example, Folk starts at $20 per user per month, while Hubspot's professional plans can go up to $1,500 per user per month. It's important to evaluate the features offered to determine the best value for your needs.

Does Folk’s CRM respond to personal trainers' needs?

Yes, Folk’s CRM is well-suited for personal trainers. It offers ease of use, customizable pipelines, and seamless LinkedIn integration, making it easy to manage client relationships. The platform also includes email integration and AI-powered tools to automate routine tasks, enhancing productivity. Its intuitive interface ensures quick onboarding, even for non-technical users, making it an excellent choice for personal trainers.