We were lucky to catch up with Alexander Crumes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alexander, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

My first client was someone that inquired about my services via social media. Even before starting my business, I had maintained an Instagram account where I shared my personal fitness journey and posted general fitness tips to build a following and connect with others. When I decided to start my business, I repurposed my account to promote my training services while continuing to offer valuable fitness content to my followers.
After spending time marketing my services and posting consistently on my account, a new follower reached out via direct message expressing interest in my page and inquiring about my services. A couple weeks later, I scheduled their first session, which ultimately led to my first sale. This was a great milestone for me, making it my first time I successfully signed up my first client by guiding them through my sales process, from inquiry to the purchase of training sessions.
The experience felt similar to the excitement I felt when I made my first shot on a basketball court as a toddler —both moments were rewarding and affirming. It was a defining moment for my business, and I was thrilled to begin working with my very first client and help them reach their goals.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I began my career as an independent personal trainer just over a year ago after relocating to San Diego following college graduation. Initially, I offered training to friends and anyone seeking help with specific fitness goals, as I was just getting started, building my experience in the field. Over time as I gained more clients and experience, I understood how to operate my small business while providing my clients with an effective and results-driven training experience. Today, I am proud to say I have the largest client base I ‘ve had to date, and I continue to expand and refine my business.
As far as my personal training services, I specialize in body transformation through primarily weight training. With my experience in building strength and muscle, fat loss, and sports performance, I offer a customized training experience tailored to each of my clients’ specific goals. Given that there is a copious amount of misinformation in the fitness industry, what sets me apart is my ability to guide my clients through their own fitness journey based on evidence-based training methodologies. I not only guide my clients through proven strategies but also work to foster a strong connection with them, ensuring they feel empowered and supported throughout their journey.
I am most proud of the results I’ve been able to give my clients, while also teaching them how to live a healthy and fit lifestyle. Those who train with me can expect effective and engaging workouts that are both challenging but enjoyable, while also gaining valuable knowledge to help them succeed long-term.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I built my social media audience by being my authentic self, fostering genuine connections with my followers, and demonstrating my expertise and experience in the fitness space. I prioritized posting content consistently to ensure that anyone who resonated with my posts had the opportunity to engage with and follow my account, because I understood that the more content I posted, the faster my account would grow.
Additionally, I received significant support from friends and family, who helped boost my reach by liking, commenting, and reposting my content. It had a significant role in growing my social media presence, and I am truly grateful for that.
For anyone looking to build their social media presence, my advice is to be authentic. Showcase your true self and give people a reason to follow you. People appreciate authenticity, especially in an era where it’s easy to create an inauthentic persona. Consistency is also key—post regularly and engage with your audience to keep them invested in your content. The more visibility you gain and the more you market your services, the more likely potential clients are going to come to you when the time is right.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

My primary sources of new clients are split between social media and referrals from existing clients. I acquired my first client from social media, and over time, continuing posting and marketing my services online led to an increasing number of new clients. Social media, especially Instagram, has proven to be an effective platform for finding new clients, as it provides world-wide outreach, with a strong focus on San Diego and surrounding cities. Instagram’s targeting capabilities enabled me to connect with people who meet the criteria of a potential new client who would benefit from my services..
The second most significant source of new clients is referrals from my current clients. These referrals are valuable because they come from people who have personally experienced my services, have seen results in their training, and can speak to their quality. I have found that when clients trust you as a credible resource, they are likely to recommend you to friends, family, and colleagues. The best part of this referral-based marketing is that it is free and often results in high conversion rates.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crumesfitness/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-crumes/