Lessons in Lifting Your Company’s Standards from Personal Trainers
The training business model is fast-paced and highly competitive. In order to stand out, the best use coaching skills that often overlooked. Here’s what your PT can teach you about updating your advertising and customer service strategies:
When you think of a personal trainers, you may conjure images of muscle headed twenty-somethings commanding just one more sit up, but underneath the fitness gear and protein shakes are hard-hitting small business owners. Getting to the gym can be a groan-inducing experience, so it takes a lot of momentum to get people in the door and down to work. The average independent personal trainer spends their first 3–4 months in business with less than fifteen clients, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. In order to stay in business, trainers need to work hard to find their niche, engage with potential clients, and keep their trainees coming back month after month. As a former trainer myself (at a Crunch Fitness in New York City), I used these same tips and strategies helped me keep my roster full and my clients happy.
- Don’t Fear Social Media Marketing.
While the fitness market on social media has become saturated, the methods sought after trainers use to reach their clients are tried and true. Creating unique content on social media is easy and virtually no cost. Instagram accounts are free to set up, and introducing statistical insights to your page is as easy as changing the settings on your profile from Personal to Business (if you’re having trouble getting started with your Instagram Business account, check out Forbes’s step-by-step guide here.)
2. When 1–On-1 Consulting, Give More.
In the gym or in the DMs, personal trainers use free consultations as a way to gain new business. Oftentimes this may include a free sample workout, a beginner’s guide to exercise, or some nutritional tips. When I was at Crunch fitness, I gave every client a “High Five”; my top five exercises that they should begin incorporating immediately into their workout regime based on our session together. Creating this little extra value shows customers you really are paying attention to their specific needs, and that they are being heard.
You can steal this strategy in any contracting or consulting work your company does. Investing time and research into the best solutions for common problems will save you time and money while you meet with potential clients. This also gives you more time to work out the less obvious aspects of what she/he wants and needs. Tangible support, a little face time, or even an over the phone interview will let your customer know how much their business really matters to you.
3. Communications Solutions Will Save Time and Money.
Successful trainers often work severe hours, often having to be ready to give their clients top-notch service at 5:30–6:00 in the morning and field incoming messages for new sessions throughout the day. Oftentimes, clients will forget they need you and send you a message late in the evening requesting a session for the following day. This means less time for you and the other things that matter. One popular solution is setting up auto-reply for SMS on your cellphone, as a gentle reminder to clients that you are unavailable during that time of day, but will respond to there requests shortly.
Bob Wells, a career trainer who’s worked as a trainer and PT manager at Equinox and Retro Fitness for nearly fifteen years, stands by his automated screening applications to help him batch his customer service. “After training for more than a decade, I get calls and emails from potential clients all the time. Without something to slow the inflow of messages, my phone would be going off all day long.” Wells suggests using Google’s Call Screen for calls, and I personally used SlickText for my iPhone. You will start spending more hours moving the ball forward for your clients while staying connected.
4. SMS Reminders for Daily Routines
Amongst trainers, there’s a saying: “It’s not the two hours a week they’re with you that matter the most, but the 166 hours they’re not.” When your session with your client is over, it does not mean the communication stops once they walk out the door. Many training clients fall off the bandwagon because they do not receive adequate support outside the gym. Trainers solve this in a number of ways, but the most effective is regular communication with the client. As little as the occasional text can be enough to let the client know that you haven’t forgotten about the work you’ve done together. Share with them your thoughts on what they can do to maintain their progress during the week and even a weekly fitness challenge keeps them excited for the next session.
This is an easy tool to pick up for anyone working in customer service. Constant text messages can be time consuming for you and irritating to customers, but using a weekly or bi-weekly check in is a great way to let the client know you’re on top of things. Remember, the more personally focused the better. Using form messages is okay, but getting into more specific recommendations and insights will speak louder. Set a reminder on your computer or cellphone before the start of each week to send out all your messages at a predetermined time. This will create a positive routine for you and another level of assurance for your customers.
5. Referrals are Severely Underrated.
A good trainer will attract clients, but only a great one will keep them in the gym. During my first year at Crunch, I was able to grow my business exponentially based on word of mouth around the gym. Clients who’d been working with me for two or three months would chat with friends, family, and other members about the quality of service they received from me, and enjoyed showing off their results. The same can be true for your small business. After the successful completion of a contract, be sure to mention to your clients that you are “always looking for new business” and “open to new clients”. A more formal approach may be to attach a business card or coupon for a free consultation at the bottom of your ‘Thank You’ note to your satisfied customer. Apart from skillful execution of the work, showing your gratitude for their business is the easiest way to tell clients that you are the ideal company to work with in the future.