Website for a gym or personal trainer: lower the threshold

Motivated, but also a bit scared

Someone looking for a gym has really already made the decision: I'm going to exercise. What holds them back is something else. Will I fit in there? Everyone there must already be fit. And: will I be stuck for a year with a membership I stop using after six weeks?

So your site doesn't need to motivate. It needs to take away those two fears.

Say who you're for

Start your first screen with who you're there for. "Strength training for beginners in Amsterdam-Zuid." Or: "Personal training for busy parents." If it's true, add "Beginners welcome". Those two words do more than a photo of an athlete.

The button is a first step without obligation: "Book a trial session" or "Book an intake". The membership comes later. If that trial session really costs nothing, say in the line under it that nobody is committing to anything.

Explain how it works, before the price

A section with three steps takes away the uncertainty before anyone even sees a price:

1. Intake: we get to know you and look at what you want.
2. Plan: you get a programme that fits where you are now.
3. Coaching: a coach watches along until you can do it yourself.

Someone who knows what happens when they walk in walks in sooner.

Show your coaches

What visitors are really looking for is a place where they feel at home. So show your coaches early on the page, with a real photo, their name and what they're good at. Mention their diplomas, NL Actief registration or Yoga Alliance registration.

Use photos of real members and your real gym. Stock photos of muscular models backfire: they confirm exactly the fear of not fitting in.

Your timetable as text

Give your class timetable its own section, as normal text or a table on the page. No PDF and no screenshot. A visitor wants to see on their phone whether there's a class on Tuesday evening, without zooming in.

Memberships: everything in view

Memberships are where it goes wrong most often, and it's also what the ACM, the Dutch consumer authority, watches. Put two or three options side by side, with one you recommend. For each option, clearly show:

• The price per month, including VAT.
• The minimum term.
• The notice period.
• What's included, such as classes, coaching or a locker.

Put these terms before your reviews, not in small print at the bottom. Someone who sees they can cancel monthly signs up sooner. And according to the ACM, anyone who can take out a membership online must be able to cancel it online, just as easily.

Results, with permission

Reviews from members work well, especially when they're about how someone felt as a beginner. Before-and-after photos can be strong, but only with that person's permission and without promises that don't apply to everyone.

The tone

Energetic, but for everyone. A yoga studio can sound calmer. A drill-sergeant tone ("No more excuses!") only works if your audience really asks for it. For most beginners it's precisely a reason to click away.

Facilities and questions

At the bottom: your facilities, parking, opening hours and frequently asked questions. Can I come and watch once? Do I need anything for the trial session? Can I pause my membership?

Better left out

• A contract length you only see at checkout.
• A timetable as a PDF.
• No trial session or intake as a first step.
• Stock photos of six-packs.