As a Singapore personal trainer I can’t really live without my smartphone. It’s the tool I need to contact my clients to answer their questions and discuss their scheduling concerns.

But my smartphone is more than just a communication tool. I also use mobile apps to help me work more effectively. Some of these apps I use myself, while I also recommend certain apps to my clients.

Here are some truly helpful smartphone apps that make my work much more efficient:

1. Withings Scale. This app offers a lot of features when it comes to measuring your client’s weight, but for me the most important thing is that the app emails the weight measurement to others. It sends the email to me, to my client’s doctor, to his family, and even to his circle of friends. It can even Tweet.

With this feature, many of my clients make sure that they do every weight loss measure I suggest when they know that others will be aware of their weight improvements. So it helps to improve their behaviour, and it reinforces their commitment to weight loss. In addition, when my clients do lose weight, the emails prove to the world that I’m a good personal trainer whose methods work!

1. Calendar. Obviously, most personal trainers already use a calendar app to schedule sessions with clients. Without it, we’ll drive ourselves crazy.

But I also use the calendar to send important emails to my clients when an important event is coming up. For example, some of my clients want to look better when they’re going to attend a wedding. Before the event, I give them reminders about buying a gift, getting a haircut, or attending a pre-wedding party. We can also schedule the training sessions to match the wedding preparation schedule.

It’s the same thing if they’re training for a special athletic event. I give encouragement before the big day and provide an appropriate workout beforehand.

And a week or two before our contract expires, I send an email to the client asking if they want to renew it.

Sending a text or an email doesn’t take much time, but it helps to really improve your communication with your clients.

1. Camera and Over. Many of my clients ask for my recommendations about all sorts of things like what food to eat, what exercise machines to get, and so on. While sending a text list can be useful, a photo taken with your smartphone camera works even better. The clients will know what a particular exercise machine, kitchen appliance, or food item looks like.

What’s more, you can use the Over app to put your name on the photo. Your clients are constantly reminded of just how helpful you are, and when they share the photo with others then more people will become aware of your work as a personal trainer.

1. Music Apps. There are plenty of options here, including Fit Radio and Rock My Run. Some studies on workouts have indicated that the right music can improve your workout enjoyment and results, so recommending these apps to my clients ensure that they play the right music. It’s also a great alternative to the music they’re currently using when they workout. If you want, you can even provide free access to these apps to your clients as a promotional tool.
2. YouTube. As a personal trainer, one of my jobs is to make sure that my clients are performing their exercises correctly. YouTube videos can demonstrate these exercises much better than any article. You can give your clients links to YouTube videos to watch, and you can even make your own videos to promote your business.

As a personal trainer, I use other tools aside from exercise equipment. Nowadays, social media and mobile apps have become essential for professional fitness trainers like myself. With these tools, you get better results and better business.