One of the most common questions we get from trainers considering FitCard is: "How long does it actually take to get set up?" The honest answer is about 45 minutes for a complete, professional-looking profile - and under 5 minutes for a basic page that can start taking bookings.
Here's the full walkthrough.
Step 1: Build Your Profile
Your FitCard profile is your digital identity. It's the first thing potential clients see when they tap your link, so it should communicate who you are, what you specialise in, and why someone should book you over the next trainer.
The essentials:
- A clear, professional photo. Not a gym selfie - a photo where clients can see your face and get a sense of your personality. Natural light helps.
- A short, honest bio. Three to five sentences. Who do you train, what results do you help them get, and what makes your approach different? Avoid generic fitness clichés.
- Your speciality tags. These appear prominently on your card - "Golf Strength", "Weight Loss", "Rehabilitation", "Padel Fitness" - whatever accurately describes your niche.
- Social links. Instagram is the most important for most trainers. Adding a follower count or social proof here builds trust before a client even reads your bio.
Take the time to do this properly. Your card will be the first impression for every cold lead who scans your QR code or follows a link from social media.
Step 2: Set Up Your Session Types
Session types are the bookable offerings on your card. Think of them as your service menu. Common examples:
- 60-min Personal Training Session - £65
- 30-min Online Check-In - £30
- Initial Consultation (Free) - £0
- Block of 10 Sessions - £600
For each session type you can set the name, duration, price, location type (in-person, online, or client's location), and a short description. You can have as many session types as you want - FitCard has no limits on this.
A quick tip: don't list everything you offer on day one. Start with two or three core offerings and add more as you understand what clients actually want to book.
Step 3: Configure Your Availability
Your availability calendar is where you set the days and times you're open for bookings. This is the backbone of the booking system - get it right and the whole thing runs itself.
Set your weekly schedule: which days you work, what hours you're available, how long the gap between sessions should be. FitCard uses these rules to calculate which slots are open in real time - so when a client looks at your calendar on a Tuesday afternoon, they only see slots that actually work for your schedule.
You can also block out holidays, one-off unavailable days, or specific hours. And if you're connected to Google Calendar, any existing events there will automatically mark those times as unavailable - no double-booking risk.
Step 4: Share Your Link
Once your profile is live, you have a permanent link at yourname.fitcard.co. This is the only link you need to share with the world.
The most effective places to put it:
- Instagram bio. Replace the Linktree with your FitCard link. It does everything Linktree does and more.
- WhatsApp Business profile. Clients who message you can tap straight through to your card and book.
- Your QR code. FitCard generates a personalised QR code you can print on business cards, stick on the gym wall, put on your training kit, or include in email signatures. Anyone who scans it lands directly on your booking page.
- Email footer. Add your FitCard link as a button or text link in every email you send.
From that point, it's self-service. Clients find your card, pick a session type, choose a time, fill in their details, and pay - all without any back-and-forth with you. You get a notification, they get a confirmation and reminders. The booking exists in your calendar before you've even looked at your phone.
What Happens After the First Booking
The moment a client books, FitCard starts the reminder cascade automatically. They'll get a reminder at 48 hours, 24 hours, and 2 hours before their session - by email, push notification, and (if configured) SMS. This alone tends to cut no-shows by around 60-70% for most trainers.
After the session, you can log notes in their client portal, track their progress over time, and start building the kind of client relationship that leads to long-term retention and referrals.
That's the whole flow. Set up a profile, add session types, configure your availability, share your link. Everything else is automation.