A client who feels appreciated is a client who will stick around, and there are plenty of ways to show you care about their progress.
Keep the appointment
The first step to keeping your clients engaged is to make sure you have a reliable schedule. If you're going to cancel on them, do it as soon as possible so they can find another trainer and keep moving forward with their goals.
If you're going to be late or miss an appointment, let them know as soon as possible--and make sure that happens! Clients should never show up at the gym expecting their personal trainer only to find out they didn't show up because they were too busy doing something else (or worse yet: because they forgot).
Don't cancel because of a bad day or mood; don't cancel just because things aren't going well in life right now either. Instead focus on what matters most: helping others achieve their fitness goals!
Follow up immediately after the session
You've just finished a session with your client, and they're on their way out the door. You know that this is the perfect opportunity to follow up and make sure that they feel good about their experience with you.
Here's what I recommend:
- Ask if there's anything else you can help them with. Maybe they're not quite sure how to cook certain foods in order to meet their goals, or maybe they need some extra motivation when it comes time for exercise--whatever it may be, ask!
- Then offer some solutions based on what you know about them as an individual (i.e., "I could send over some recipes for those meals"). This shows that you genuinely care about helping them achieve results and are willing go above and beyond for them whenever necessary.
- Make sure everyone knows who will be following up after each session so there aren't any questions later on about who needs what information from whom.
- Continue checking in regularly until progress has been made; then check back again every few months or so to see if there are any new needs that have arisen since last time around.
Review and summarize what you accomplished together
- Summarize the session
- Talk about how you can improve in the future
- Ask for feedback from your client
Ask questions
Ask questions that are relevant to their goals, the session, their health and/or workout. For example: "What keeps you motivated? What do you enjoy about working out?" You can also ask them about their experience with personal training so far--how has it been going for them?
Thank your client for their time and effort. If you have any questions, feel free to ask it!
Ask for feedback (and follow up on it)
Feedback is a two-way street and it's important to remember that you can't expect clients to give you honest reviews if they don't feel like their opinion matters, or if the results of their feedback will be ignored by your business. It's also important that you follow up with clients after each session so that they know what improvements have been made based on their input--this will help build trust in both directions as well as reinforce your commitment toward providing excellent service at every turn!
Send thank you cards
Thank you cards are a great way to show your appreciation and make your clients feel special. They can be sent after sessions, as well as for holidays and birthdays. Here are some examples of thank you cards you could send your clients:
- A photo of yourself or your team at the gym
- A photo of yourself or your team with a client (for example, if they had a birthday)
- A hand-drawn illustration or collage with words of encouragement
Invite them to a class or training event
This is a great way to get your clients involved in something that they're interested in, and it provides an opportunity for you to meet other people who are passionate about the same things.
If someone says no, don't take it personally--just ask why! Was the timing bad? Did they think you wanted something from them? Were there other reasons?
Make your invitation clear by including details like location and time of day so there's no confusion about whether or not you really meant what you said (or meant anything at all).
Give them reasons why they would want to attend this event: maybe it'll help motivate them when training sessions start getting boring; maybe there will be special guest speakers; maybe some friends will be there too!
Send holiday cards/gifts/e-mails
Holiday cards are a great way to stay in touch with your clients and remind them of how much you care about them. Don't forget to include a message inside that says something personal about how much you appreciate their business or what they mean to you as a person.
And don't forget: once the holidays have come and gone, send another round of well wishes via email or snail mail so that people know they're still important enough in our lives that we care enough not just during the holidays but throughout year-round too!
Remember how important they are to you!
Remember that they are paying you for your time and expertise, and they are trusting you with their health and fitness. They are investing in themselves, which makes them worthy of being treated as a person instead of just another client.
Offer some perks. If you know that there's something your client wants, offer it as an incentive to come. Maybe they're looking for a new pair of running shoes or a particular brand of clothing; these are great things to give away at events like this! You can also offer discounts on products and services or even free training sessions (or other perks) while they're there.
Treat your clients like they are an important part of your life. It is so easy to get caught up in the business and forget that you are serving real people with real lives.
Takeaway:
Personal training is a relationship business. You and your clients are in it together, so it's important to keep them engaged and happy. If you do this, then they will keep coming back and referring others to you!
Conclusion
I hope this article has given you some ideas on how to stay in touch with your clients and keep them engaged in their personal training. Remember that it's not just about sending a card or gift every once in a while--it's also about finding ways to make each session feel special for both of you.
