One of the most sought after services of modern times is that of a personal trainer. Some people use personal trainers for general gym education, however others prefer to utilise everything in the PT arsenal, including diet, training, motivation, coaching and lifestyle changes.
Everyone has different reasons for hiring a personal trainer: To lose weight for a wedding, shave 30 seconds off their 5k time, or get fighting fit for a boxing match. However, no matter what the reason, there are 10 things that every person considers when choosing a PT – and these things could be exactly why you lose or gain new clients.
1. Qualifications
I can’t count the number of times that strangers in the gym have offered me their ‘training services’! Because of this, most people are very clued-in to the fact that the PT they choose should have the necessary experience and qualifications to make sure that they can train them knowledgeably and safely.
Top PT Tip: List your qualifications on your website, including details of the training company, college or University. This helps to reassure potential clients that your experience has been obtained from legitimate sources, rather than bought off a dodgy website!
2. Cost
The cost of hiring a PT is of huge importance. Too expensive and one-on-one training with a coach is no longer a viable option, but if a PT is too cheap then people will question the effectiveness of the training and how much of the trainer’s time they’re really going to get.
Top PT Tip: Research other established PTs who possess the same skills and are offering similar services to you. See what they charge, then position yourself in a similar ballpark.
3.Accountability
For many people, they want a PT that will hold them accountable for their actions both inside and outside of the gym. Whether it is a mid-week Skype check-in, tracking activity in MyFitnessPal, or a daily food diary, a PT that keeps their clients accountable not only keeps them on-plan, but gets the best results.
Top PT Tip: Let clients know how you prefer them to track their diet and activity, but be willing to adapt the day, time or frequency to better fit with their schedule. You can still hold them accountable, but the flexibility means they’re more likely to form a check-in habit that suits them.
4. Progress
Everyone wants to see progress in their training, and clients want a PT that will help them to achieve that progress within a set timeframe. If a PT states on their website that they’ll get noticeable results within 12 weeks – and can back that claim up – that is a great reassurance to those weighing up their personal training options.
Top PT Tip: Follow the saying: Under promise, but over deliver. If you can get someone fighting fit in eight weeks, tell them that you can do it in 10 and you’ve built in a buffer for any illness, injury or holiday time.
5. Goals
Different people have different goals, and they want a personal trainer that specialises in achieving those goals. Weight loss, muscle building, yoga, boxing, powerlifting, long distance running – whatever the objective, potential clients will be looking for goal-specific credentials when choosing a PT.
Top PT Tip: Make sure you have at least one specialism under your belt, but remember to stay on top of general fitness and nutrition news. This will allow you to cater your services for a range of audiences.
6. Motivation
A PTs motivational methods are of huge importance when clients are considering who is right to work with. A personal trainer that shouts like a military drill instructor might be the right kind of motivation for a bodybuilder, but is probably not going to inspire a young mother looking to shed a few pounds!
Top PT Tip: If you’re unsure about your motivational style, take a look at a few different motivational speakers on YouTube. If CT Fletcher gets you going, adopt a similar enthusiasm (with less swearing!), but if you prefer a gentle-but-powerful approach, take on Kai Greene’s style instead.
7. Training Type
The type of training that a PT recommends should be specific to the end goal and to the client’s personal preferences too. Some people find that functional bootcamp-style training works best for them, whereas others prefer pure compound movements. The style and diversity of training offered is a key factor in many client’s decisions.
Top PT Tip: Remember that variety is the spice of life! While you may have one main training style, keep things fresh by throwing in a few different exercise options and you’ll find that clients never get bored.
8. Availability
Clients need to know that their personal trainer has the time available for them – not just for one-on-one training sessions, but for adjusting training plans, providing detailed feedback and answering questions via email or text message. If a PT doesn’t have the time available to dedicate to each client, they’ll end up losing them.
Top PT Tip: Don’t take on too many clients! While we all love getting new people into the gym, taking on too many clients at once means you won’t be able to give each person the focus they need and this will show in the results they get.
9. Reviews
Whether hiring a PT or buying a new pair of Nike Airs, people always take reviews into account when spending their hard-earned cash. Word of mouth is still an incredibly effective form of recommendation, but online written, photo or video testimonials also go a long way to influencing the decisions of those looking for a trainer.
Top PT Tip: 90% of people say that reviews influence their buying decisions, so think about providing a short online survey to quickly and easily get reviews from your clients at the end of their training program.
10. Passion
We’ve all seen them – the personal trainers more interested in their phone than their client. People want a personal trainer with passion, because that passion rubs off and becomes a great source of motivation! A personal trainer that is enthusiastic is also likely to keep on top of the latest innovations in fitness, and use those innovations to help and improve their clients further.
Top PT Tip: Ask your clients about their passions. If they’re a baking fanatic, share your best protein brownie recipe. If they’re a rugby fan, look at including some prowler drills into their workout. By incorporating their favourite things, they’re more likely to connect with – and stick to – the program.
Whatever the reason for hiring a personal trainer, there are a number of different elements that come into the final decision of who gets the job. To put yourself in the running for the trainer of choice, make sure information about all the above points is readily available on your website – and if not, look to do a revamp as soon as possible!
You could make a specific page dedicated to your qualifications or you could create a simple blog post about different motivational styles. Not only will these improvements add some great search engine-friendly keywords to your site, it will also make your services look more professional and could be the tipping point in the decision of someone looking for a new personal trainer.
What do you think about our tips? Do you have any of your own from past experience? Comment below!
