retention strategies for

from PT Today January 2020

65 new year new me

RETENTION

STRATEGIES FOR

PERSONAL TRAINERS

Retention is probably the most loved, feared and debated topic in the fitness industry. Whether you’re a gym owner or selfemployed Personal Trainer (PT), everyone’s striving for better retention rates; after all, it’s the lifeblood of your business. Before you can work out how to boost retention, you must first figure out why your members or clients are leaving. There can be many reasons for this, from not receiving the quality of care or training they were expecting to being unable to afford your fees. Essentially, retention is a puzzle with many pieces, which needs to be constantly measured, but the good news is that there are some strategies and best practices you can quickly apply to start turning the tide. Learn from Walt! Probably not something you were expecting me to say, but a great lesson can be learnt from the legendary Mr Walt Disney who said, “Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.” As a PT, those words really resonated with me. If my PT sessions were a show, what would I place on stage to ensure I received an encore at the end? How would I need to perform to create a theatre of raving fans who would share great reviews with their personal networks, thus attracting new audiences? Personalise The Experience Delivering a personalised experience is a great way of achieving high retention rates. It seems obvious to say it, but, to make sure your clients feel personally cared for and valued as individuals, you need to spend time getting to know them. It’s the only way you’ll be able to create meaningful experiences,

encouraging them to stick around! A large part of this is having strong Emotional Intelligence (EI) skills. Defined as, “The capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically,” having high levels of EI enables PTs to support clients to be their very best in more than just health and fitness-related goals. Any good PT can understand human anatomy, grasp the concepts of how to design an effective fitness programme and how to execute it, but truly great PTs know how to inspire clients with a vision of change. Another important factor in being able to deliver a personalised experience is making sure that you’re up to date with the latest trends and training techniques. This will not only help you to stay relevant, but it will also equip you with the knowledge required when confronted with different client needs and demands, which could range from working with a specific physical issue to implementing a particular type of training method that they’d like to focus on. At The Training Room, we believe you should never stop learning and we highly recommend CPD courses as a way to develop new and existing skills that can help to differentiate you within the market, leading to more client enquiries and better retention. Set S.M.A.R.T Goals During the sign-up process, make sure you collect as much information as possible from the member or client. Write down their ambitions, motives, fitness experience, fitness levels, lifestyles and record all their current fitness metrics, such as weight, body fat and muscle mass. This can then be used to set S.M.A.R.T goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based). Focus on EVERYONE When we think about retention, we tend to picture those who are most likely to walk away from our service. But what about the ones who are engaged, motivated and have reached their goals? What strategy do you have in place to keep them on board and use them as an ambassador for the business? It’s vital that you consider every type of member or client – knowing exactly what you’ll do at each stage of their journeys. You may find that this “sense of community” leads to your clients finding support in each other – which only strengthens your business.

By Darren Doak, National Field Manager at The Training Room For more information about The Training Room, its Personal Training courses and CPD modules, please visit www.thetrainingroom.com/ personal-training-courses or phone 0330 122 2020.