Fitness Newsletter: Ideas, Templates and Examples for Personal Trainers

A newsletter is the one marketing channel you own. Social platforms change their reach overnight, but an email list stays with you. For a personal trainer it does two jobs: it keeps leads warm until they are ready to buy, and it keeps clients and former clients in touch with you between sessions. This guide covers what to write, how often, and the rules, with a free template to fill in.

What should you put in a fitness newsletter?

Four blocks cover almost everything. The structure is our own suggestion, not a standard, but it works because each block has one job and readers learn what to expect.

1. 1.The tip. One thing a reader can use today: a warm-up, a swap for a meal, a way to track sleep. Teach one idea well rather than five badly.
2. 2.The client win. A short story with a name or first name and the client's permission. Say what they did, not only what they got. Never publish photos, measurements or health details without written consent.
3. 3.The offer. One next step: a link to book a call, an open spot, a challenge start date. Keep it to one, and put it third so readers have already got value.
4. 4.The question. Ask readers to reply with something specific, like "what is your biggest obstacle this week?" Replies tell you what to write next.

Add a footer every time: your name and business, your postal address and a working unsubscribe link. Most email tools add the last two for you.

How often should you send a fitness newsletter?

Start with every two weeks. It is frequent enough that readers remember you, and slow enough that you can write something useful each time. This is a recommendation, not a studied number. Whichever rhythm you pick, keep it for at least a year, because the value comes from showing up.

On results, set expectations from real data. Mailchimp's benchmark report, as of December 2023, puts the average open rate across all its users at 35.63%, the click rate at 2.62% and the unsubscribe rate at 0.22%. Its Education + Training row is a similar 35.64% opens and 3.02% clicks. There is no fitness row, so treat these as a rough guide. Mailchimp notes that Apple's Mail Privacy Protection may affect the accuracy of open rates, so clicks and replies are the numbers to watch.

What are good subject lines for a fitness newsletter?

A good subject line is specific, honest and short enough to read on a phone. The FTC rule is also clear: the subject line must accurately reflect the content of the message. Here are 20 to adapt. Swap in your own client names, numbers and dates.

1. 1.One exercise I would drop from your program
2. 2.The 5 minute habit my clients keep
3. 3.How [client] reached [result] without cutting carbs
4. 4.Your protein target, in plain numbers
5. 5.Do you really need to train 6 days a week?
6. 6.What I eat on a busy Wednesday
7. 7.The question I ask every new client
8. 8.Stuck on a plateau? Check these 3 things
9. 9.Two spots open for [month]
10. 10.Why your scale lies (and what to track)
11. 11.A simple warm-up for desk workers
12. 12.Reply with your goal and I will send a plan
13. 13.The mistake I made in my first year of coaching
14. 14.Meal prep in 45 minutes, step by step
15. 15.Your weekly check-in, made easier
16. 16.What a good week of training looks like
17. 17.A lift you probably do wrong
18. 18.3 things I would tell my past self
19. 19.Behind the scenes: how I write a program
20. 20.Last call: the challenge starts Monday

Keep subject lines short, around 50 characters or fewer is our rule of thumb, so they are less likely to be cut off on a phone, and add a preview text that continues the thought rather than repeating it. Avoid ALL CAPS and false urgency, which read as spam. A subject line that promises something the email does not deliver also breaks the FTC rule.

What can you write about in a fitness newsletter?

Plan the year in one sitting, then adjust. A topic for each month removes the blank page. The list below is our own seasonal rhythm and suits a northern hemisphere calendar, so flip the seasons if you coach in Australia or South America.

Fill the gaps with recurring ideas that need little research: a client question of the month, a recipe from your macro friendly recipes, a link to a free calculator such as the protein calculator or the TDEE calculator, a short progress story, or a quick poll. If you run a 30 day challenge, the newsletter is the best place to announce it and keep people going. A free habit tracker also works well as a sign-up gift.

Gym newsletter ideas

A gym or studio newsletter has different content, because members want news they can act on. Good items are changes to the class timetable, a new class or coach, a member spotlight, holiday opening hours, an event or a community challenge, and a seasonal offer. Keep the structure and swap the tip for "what is new this month". For ideas on what to put on the timetable, see group fitness class ideas.

How do you get people onto your newsletter list?

Ask, and give a reason. A sign-up box on your website, a link in your Instagram bio, and a line at the end of a consultation all work. Offer something small in return, such as one of your free templates or a 5 day starter plan. Only add people who said yes: adding every contact to the list without asking causes complaints and, in many countries, breaks the rules.

Tell new subscribers what to expect on the sign-up page: one email every two weeks, with a tip, a client story and one offer. A clear promise lowers unsubscribes and sets up the habit of opening. Then send a short welcome email straight away, so the first message they see from you is not a month away.

What are the rules for marketing emails?

In the US, the FTC enforces CAN-SPAM, which covers marketing email. Its compliance guide lists the main requirements. Do not use false or misleading header information, so your "From", "To" and "Reply-To" must be accurate. Do not use a deceptive subject line. Make clear when the message is an ad. Include your valid physical postal address. Give a clear way to opt out and honor opt-out requests within 10 business days, with the opt-out working for at least 30 days after you send. The FTC says each separate email in violation can carry penalties of up to $53,088.

How does a newsletter help client retention?

It keeps you present between sessions. In our experience, clients rarely leave over one bad session; they drift away when the relationship goes quiet, and a regular, useful message is a low-cost way to stay in view. We have no figure for how much a newsletter improves retention, so judge it by your own list: replies, bookings and how many clients stay.

Use the right channel for each audience. A newsletter suits leads, past clients and wider contacts, and it is good for sharing your story and a seasonal offer. For current clients, use the tools they already open. In Scraler you can send an announcement to all active clients from group chats and broadcasts, pin updates in the community, and assign habits, so clients hear from you inside the app they use every day. Our guide to personal trainer marketing covers how a list fits with Instagram and referrals, and a personal trainer website with a sign-up form is the easiest way to grow it.

Start small: send the first newsletter to ten people who know you. Use the template, send it on the same day each time, and ask for one reply. Then repeat in two weeks.