How to retain clients as a Personal Trainer

As a Personal Trainer, getting new clients is half the battle. The true challenge here is to have your clients stay with you for a long time. Struggling with your retention rate is one of the biggest challenges of the fitness industry. 

Not having long term clients does not only impact your financial planning but also sparks unnecessary self-doubt and loss of confidence. There’s no doubt that this situation can be overwhelming.

In the age of social media and the whole digital 4.0 revolution, you have all the tools and tactics at your disposal. We all know that acquiring a new customer can cost as much as 5 times more than retaining one. So it’s extremely important to allocate enough time and energy in nurturing your current clients. Looking for new ways to find more customers comes second! 

So how do you retain clients, exactly?

Here are 5 different ways:

Create a brand around yourself

According to a survey conducted, ninety-two per cent of the people were more likely to trust services or products, based on recommendations from other individuals. People trust other people more! 

So as a Personal Trainer, creating your own unique brand establishes trust and lets you easily stand out from your competitors. 

There are various ways through which you can do this. You can start by creating a website with content that introduces who you are as a Personal Trainer, has testimonials, the schedule you follow, and details to book an appointment or consultation.

Pro Tip: 
Make sure to fill your various digital brand building channels with smiling pictures of yourself. A smiling face showcases friendliness and trust. Use Wix to create stunning websites for free!

Devise a strong content strategy

Nowadays, self-starters like Personal Trainers also need to have a well-planned content sharing strategy. The main goal here is to build a following who would ultimately convert to clients. So, posting valuable and insightful blogs highlight the knowledge you possess, enticing your viewers to book a consultation with you. 

Remember, the crucial part here is to keep your audience engaged with relevant content around topics such as nutrition, healthy living, exercising the right way, among others.

Apart from blogging, you can also create quirky infographics on the fitness industry and other related trending subjects to keep your followers entertained.

Pro Tip: 
Use Canva to create high-quality posters for free! Also, check out Lumen5, an AI video creator. With these tools, it becomes easy to share relevant pieces of information with your followers.

Keep a clear line of constant communication

Your clients hired you because they wish to achieve the kind of fitness you hold along with a constant dose of motivation, education, and health advice. As a Personal Trainer, you need to constantly be in touch with your clients to help guide them through their fitness journey, even beyond gym sessions. This is a thoughtful gesture that will build a solid rapport. 

Use these ways to keep a clear line of communication: 

  • Send them a bi-weekly email on motivation. Know what motivates your clients and try to tap into that.
  • Use WhatsApp as a way to keep a check on their in-between exercise sessions. After all, you would not want your client to pile up on those extra calories and later complain of not losing weight! Micro-management is not the point here but keeping your clients focused is.

Focus on community building

“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.”

Margaret J. Wheatley

Building an inclusive and motivational community that allows you and your clients to push each other helps them stay disciplined and achieve their goals. 

Community building needs an organized plan of driving your followers to believe in the same fitness goals as you.  Being associated with a community of Physical Trainers helps in building credibility, along with showcasing your dedication. 

Leverage the power of word-of-mouth recommendations

Word-of-mouth recommendations are the best way to get new clients. Studies show that people trust recommendations from friends and family over any form of advertising. A recommendation reflects how happy customers are with your services and how much they trust you. Being highly recommended by your customers reflects their satisfaction with your services.

Check ZippyCrowd, it’s a unique recommendation-based platform that connects your entire business ecosystem and customer community. Get recommended and grow your business.

Do not let all your hard work go to waste! You have earned your shining reputation as a trainer and now it’s time for you to retain what you have built. 

Follow these simple steps to ensure your clients stay happy, achieve their goals, and choose to stay with you on a long-term basis.