How wellness and fitness Pros can get discovered by more local clients

Great work can keep existing clients coming back. Reaching someone new starts differently: they first need to find you and understand what you actually offer.

That's particularly important in Wellness & Fitness because the category covers very different services.

A personal trainer, physiotherapist, biokineticist, dietitian and massage therapist don't all perform the same role. Your profile should make your particular service, experience and approach easy to understand.

Be specific about who you help and what you offer

Avoid making your profile so broad that a potential client still doesn't know whether you're relevant to them.

Depending on your profession and scope, useful information might include:

• the services you provide;
• the type of clients you generally work with;
• areas of particular experience or focus;
• whether appointments are one-on-one or group-based;
• whether you work from a studio, practice, gym or another location;
• whether you offer mobile services;
• whether online appointments or sessions are available; and
• the geographic areas you serve.

Keep descriptions accurate and within your actual professional scope.

Don't add services or make professional claims simply because you think they'll attract more searches.

Explain your approach in plain language

Potential clients don't always understand industry terminology.

Tell them what working with you generally looks like.

A personal trainer might explain whether sessions focus on general fitness, strength, mobility or another area they genuinely offer.

A massage therapist might explain the types of massage they provide and typical session lengths.

A regulated healthcare practitioner can explain their services without making promises about medical or treatment outcomes.

The aim isn't to make your profile sound impressive. It's to help the right person understand whether contacting you makes sense.

Show relevant qualifications and professional registration accurately

Qualifications, credentials and professional registrations can be important information, particularly in health-related services.

Some South African health professions are regulated through the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and its Professional Boards.

Physiotherapists and biokineticists fall under the Professional Board for Physiotherapy, Podiatry and Biokinetics.

Dietitians fall under the Professional Board for Dietetics and Nutrition.

If professional registration applies to your work, keep your registration current and describe it accurately.

Where your Know a Pro profile provides a place to add relevant qualifications, credentials or registrations, provide accurate information that applies to you.

Do not claim a registration, qualification, professional title or area of expertise you don't hold.

Understand what ID Verified means

South African Pros complete identity verification as part of the Know a Pro signup process before their profile can go live.

Once completed, their profile can display the ID Verified badge.

ID Verified relates to identity verification.

It does not prove professional qualifications, competence, treatment quality, fitness expertise or personal safety.

Identity verification and professional registration are separate things, and your profile should not blur the distinction.

Let reviews describe the client experience

Genuine reviews can give potential clients useful information that your service description can't provide on its own.

After a genuine client experience, encourage the client to leave an honest review.

Don't write reviews for clients, tell them what rating to give or ask them to make claims about outcomes they can't reasonably support.

Reviews may help future clients understand aspects of the experience such as:

• communication;
• professionalism;
• organisation;
• the environment or service experience; and
• the client's own experience of working with you.

Don't present reviews as proof that every future client will achieve the same result.

Be careful with before-and-after claims

Transformation content can be powerful in fitness and wellness marketing, but it needs to be handled responsibly.

If you share client progress or before-and-after content, only use material you have appropriate permission to publish.

Don't imply that another client is guaranteed to achieve the same result.

Avoid exaggerated promises about weight loss, recovery, pain, performance or health outcomes.

Your profile should demonstrate what you do without promising an outcome you can't guarantee.

Make your pricing and packages understandable

Potential clients should be able to understand the basics before they enquire.

Depending on your service, explain:

• session length;
• individual-session pricing where applicable;
• package pricing where applicable;
• what a package includes;
• whether an initial consultation is priced differently;
• whether home visits involve travel charges;
• cancellation terms where relevant; and
• whether anything commonly costs extra.

Don't describe a package as “cheaper” unless it genuinely works out at a lower comparable per-session cost.

For healthcare services, don't promise that a client's medical scheme will reimburse them. Cover depends on the client's scheme, plan, benefits and circumstances.

Give mobile and online clients clear information

If you travel to clients, clearly state the areas you serve and whether travel charges apply.

If you provide online services, explain what those services actually involve rather than simply adding “online” to your profile.

For example, make clear whether clients need particular equipment, software or preparation before the session.

Don't imply that ID verification guarantees the safety of a home visit.

It is one piece of identity information, not a personal-safety guarantee.

Respond to enquiries with the right questions

Responding quickly can help, but responding appropriately matters more.

Before accepting a new client, gather the information necessary for your type of service.

A trainer might need to understand someone's goals, training experience and practical requirements.

A massage therapist may need information relevant to the service being requested.

A regulated healthcare practitioner should follow the professional and clinical processes appropriate to their profession.

If someone's request falls outside your professional scope, don't promise to handle it simply to secure the booking.

Keep your profile current

Review your profile periodically.

Update:

• services;
• pricing information;
• service areas;
• professional information;
• relevant credentials;
• photographs; and
• other details that have changed.

An accurate profile is more useful than one containing outdated services, old pricing or credentials that no longer reflect your current position.

Share your profile where appropriate

Your Know a Pro profile has its own page link, so you can also direct potential clients to it from places where they already interact with your business.

Depending on your business, that might include:

• Instagram;
• WhatsApp;
• your website;
• other business social profiles; or
• appropriate client communications.

This gives people another place to view your service information, reviews and available trust information.

What it costs to list on Know a Pro

Know a Pro uses a monthly membership model.

Independent Pro — R300/month

For independent Pros and sole traders.

Registered Business — R500/month

For registered businesses.

Know a Pro does not take a percentage of the jobs you receive through the platform. Your applicable monthly membership fee still applies.

Prices shown are current at the time of publication and may change.

Build a profile that explains what you do

Create your Know a Pro profile, describe your services accurately and give potential clients useful information before they decide whether to contact you.

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