What's Inside This Guide
Why Online Training vs. In-Person?
Let's get real about the math. Most personal trainers are working themselves into the ground — and barely making ends meet.
*After factoring in cancellations, no-shows, and unpaid time between sessions.
Trading time for money is about the worst trade you can make. You can always make more money. You cannot make more time — especially when you have a family counting on you.
The online fitness coaching industry was valued at $6.04 billion in 2019 and is projected to hit $59.2 billion by 2027 — a 33% annual growth rate. We're moving into the convenience economy, and the pandemic poured gasoline on this trend.
There has never been a better time to build an online fitness business. The window is wide open.
While some trainers break six figures, it comes with an immense sacrifice — trading dollars for hours 50+ hours a week. The income ceiling is real, and it's low.
Personal trainers only address one small piece of the puzzle — workouts. Your clients are left figuring out nutrition alone, cycling through the same pattern: cut calories, lose 10 pounds, fall off, gain it back, blame you for the lack of results. It's not your fault — the model is broken.
Cancellation? No pay. Day off? No pay. Vacation? No pay. And God forbid another 2020-style gym shutdown — you're left scrambling. Online training decouples your income from your presence.
We've helped over 1,300+ in-person trainers successfully pivot to either fully online or a hybrid model. The system works. And we built this guide so you can start applying it today.
Who Will Online Training Actually Work For?
Let's bust the myths. You don't need a huge audience, a bunch of certifications, or to be a tech wizard.
Moving online = more freedom + more income for the coach. It also means a better, more complete experience for your clients. A trainer can only give 45 minutes a week. An online coach is in their client's corner 7 days a week.
How Do I Deliver Online Training?
Online coaching isn't just "Zoom workouts." When done right, it's a better experience than in-person — more comprehensive, more touchpoints, and more support.
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1Lead Applies
Coaching application form (Google Forms or Impact Business Manager inside IFCA) — captures goals, budget, readiness.
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2Book a Sales Call
Calendly or similar scheduler. Get them on Zoom for a 30–45 minute consultation.
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3Close + Contract
Take payment via WAVE. Send contract via DocuSign or PandaDocs. Done.
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4Onboard via Email
Trigger onboarding email with app login, new client questionnaire, and video instructions walking them through your entire process.
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5Build & Deliver Program
Once the questionnaire comes back, build their custom program and deliver it via Trainerize (or Impact Business Manager for IFCA students).
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6Weekly Check-In Feedback
Review their check-in, make adjustments, send a video response via Loom explaining what changed and why. That's your deliverable.
We give you done-for-you training programming for 1+ years, our Impact Business Manager platform (like the MyFitnessPal for your business — CRM, email, SMS, booking, landing pages, automations, all in one), and the full system pre-built. Most coaches are ready to start taking online clients in as little as 7 days.
How to Price Your Online Coaching Offer
This is the biggest mental hurdle personal trainers face. Let's fix it right now — because undercharging will wreck your business, your confidence, and your quality of life.
You're selling a RESULT + YOU. Nobody walks into a gym wanting a personal training package. They want to lose 30 pounds. They want to feel good in their body again. That's what you're selling online — and that's worth a hell of a lot more than $25/hour.
"You don't just charge higher prices because your product is better. Charging higher prices makes your product better." — Alex Hormozi
If you're brand new with no case studies yet, it's okay to start at $300/mo to build confidence. But set your sights on Model 2, then Model 3. The goal is to make your product and service better so you earn the higher price.
Most trainers who go online make one critical mistake: they try to sell personal training online. And it doesn't work. Because nobody on the internet is searching for "online personal training." They're searching for a result.
You need a specific, results-based offer that separates you from every other coach in your niche. Here's how to build one:
How to Start Getting Online Clients
Every coach starts with a different mix of resources. Here's how to figure out your starting point and move fast from there.
Every fitness coaching business runs on three currencies: Cash, Audience, and Network. Which one do you have right now?
Why You Should Listen to Us (The Anti-Guru Version)
We're not going to give you the polished bio. Here's the real story.
Jordan & Erin's Story
When Erin and I met in 2017, I was rebuilding my life after a rough stretch with addiction. I was grinding in corporate sales and doing personal training on the side just to make ends meet.
Erin? She was already crushing it — owned a gym and was pulling in over $500K a year with her online fitness business. Solo.
I'm looking at this thinking: wait, you can actually do this online?!
So I literally did the Wolf of Wall Street scene and quit my corporate job on the spot. Went all in, hit $20K a month pretty quick, and together we built something way bigger than either of us imagined.
We scaled our coaching company T4E Systems to over $5 million in revenue — hit $2.1 million in a single year, helped over 3,000 clients transform their lives, got our weekly hours down to 3–4 before we sold the company to Nutrition Dynamics, the largest online health coaching company in the world.
Then we started IFCA — because we realized the real problem wasn't coaching online. It was that nobody was teaching coaches HOW to do it.
700+ episodes teaching online coaches exactly how to scale — no fluff, no guru BS. Just real systems from people who've built it. Available on Apple & Spotify. Featuring: Erin Dimond, Jordan Dugger, and real IFCA students.
IFCA Coaches — Real Numbers, Real People
We've worked with over 4,600 coaches. Here's what the system actually produces.
We've helped 1,300+ in-person trainers pivot online. Here's a small sample of what that looks like in real time:
We've been doing this since 2017 — over 4,600 successful students. We're not a course. We're a full business mentorship with done-for-you systems, live coaching, and a community of coaches all pulling in the same direction.
How IFCA Works — See It in Action
Before you book a call, watch these two short videos. They'll show you exactly how our Client Engine system works.
The fastest way to understand what we do and how the whole system works — from landing your first client to building a scalable business.
Deeper breakdown of the full IFCA process — our Client Engine, what we build for you, and what happens inside the program. Then book a free, no-obligation call with our team.
Watch + Book a Free Call →Ready to Stop Renting Out Your Body by the Hour?
Book a free clarity call with our team. We'll look at where you are, where you want to go, and show you exactly how IFCA helps you get there — no pressure, no pitch-fest.
- Free — no obligation, no BS pitch
- 30-minute clarity call with our team
- We'll map out your path from PT to online coach
- See if IFCA is the right fit for where you want to go
- Walk away with a clear action plan either way
If you don't see a time that works — reach out to us on IG @impactfitnesscoachingacademy and we'll get you sorted.