Seeing other Trainers online and in-person celebrating their new sign-ups can leave you feeling a little disheartened about your business. But like with most things, you’re not seeing what’s going on behind closed doors.
Other Trainers might be signing up clients on a weekly basis, but it’s retention that matters. Keeping clients is not only a reflection of providing a good service, but your income is much more stable than those who only keep clients for a few weeks at a time.
However, many new Trainers get caught up in the excitement of trying to get new clients and forget about their current clients. Before you try and bring new people in, see how you can improve your business with the clients you already have. We put together 5 ways to retain clients as a Personal Trainer that will improve your service and help your business grow.
Create a community
If you work with clients on a 1-1 basis it can be hard to create a community in comparison to a class/ group training setting where clients interact on a regular basis. Creating a sense of community makes training a more enjoyable experience for clients because it brings a social aspect to their training. On top of this, it gives more accountability and builds a support system for clients separate from you. Some ways you can build a community include:
- Create a Facebook/Whatsapp group
- Host weekly/monthly group workouts
- Create monthly challenges
- Have a client of the week/month
- Host client socials
Be present
The best way to retain a client is to give the best service possible. This doesn’t have to mean going above and beyond, just simply being 100% present during your training sessions. If you’ve seen a Trainer scrolling on their phone during their session you know that they aren’t paying attention. Not only does this show that they aren’t giving a good service, but it can also be dangerous.
When you’re on the gym floor with your client your phone should be away and all of your focus must be on the client. You should also avoid making too much contact with other trainers/gym members whilst you’re in the session. The client is paying for your service so they expect your attention.
Think outside of the session
Your clients will appreciate that you’re considering their health outside of the sessions too. Most people expect workout programmes outside of their session. This is beneficial for both you and the client because they will be training more and getting better results, which reflects well on the business.
As well as writing programmes, a weekly check-in will also go a long way. You can send a weekly form to track their progress or simply send a quick text to see how they’re doing.
Coaching tip: Remember to set boundaries with your clients. Although you want to be there for them outside of the session, you need to have time away from work. Make sure they know your working hours and when and how it’s appropriate to contact you.
Track client progress
If a client can see that they’re making progress then they’ll stay. Making that progress visual allows the client to see exactly how they’re improving. Here are some visual ways that you can track progress:
- Client measurements
- Photos
- Body fat measurements
- Track weights used for exercises
- Track session retention rate
Reward loyalty
Everyone likes to be rewarded, even if it’s just with words. When rewarding your clients you can do it in a variety of ways, this can be to reward their efforts or simply just celebrate their birthday or their anniversaries for training with you.
Personalising each gift will show your consideration for each client. Maybe you’ve been discussing a book in the sessions that they want to read, or they have a favourite gym clothing brand.
Another thing to consider is gifting merchandise with your branding on it such as water bottles and tshirts. This is easy promotion for your business.
Implementing even just one of these suggestions will improve your services and promote growth. If your clients are happy then you’ll be the first person they recommend when their friend/partner/neighbour needs a trainer. You will receive enquiries without a single social media post or call out for new clients.
