success tips from a business coach

Customer service is usually the difference between trainers who succeed and trainers who don't. Delivering a good quality personal training session is every client's basic expectation, so take that as the baseline - its the customer service around those physical sessions that provides your point of difference.

Some customer service strategies that many successful trainers use include:

A Welcome Pack - clients are often spending a substantial sum up-front, or are entering a periodic direct debit contract on the basis of a result they are hoping to achieve in the future.As we live in an instant gratification society, my advice is to give clients something tangible at the point of sale to help positively reinforce their purchase decision. The simple act of giving a backpack containing some merchandise, educational articles or fitness equipment tends to reduce 'buyer's regret' and will separate you from personal trainers who don't do this.

Reminder Calls - trainers that take the time to confirm appointments save themselves a lot of cancellations. It also shows the client that you care about them.

Setting Homework - many personal trainers make the mistake of delivering a great session once or twice a week but not following up with their clients outside these times. You are doing yourself and your clients a disservice if you don't set homework or follow them up outside of session times. Homework should include specific exercise prescriptions - cardiovascular training, resistance training, flexibility exercises and group exercise classes that are appropriate to their training goals. Other homework tasks should include a focus on incidental exercise and diet.

Follow Up - whether this takes the form of a phone call, e-mail or SMS doesn't really matter, but follow up contact is vital. For a new client this may be a call to reassure them that its normal to feel sore after the first workout and that this will get better as their body adapts to training. For an experienced client this may be to check that you have worked them hard enough. Successful trainers also communicate, educate and interact with clients via a regular newsletter, as well as educational and social events.

Aaron Whear