Personal training has been a staple within the fitness industry for many years. The popularity of it has fluctuated throughout recent years, but it has become more popular after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the latest installment of the Thought Leaders roundtable discussions, Lisa Groft, the COO of Baptist Health/Milestone Wellness Center; Raphael Konforti, the senior director of fitness for YouFit; Mary Edwards, the fitness director at Cooper Fitness Center; Brittany Todd, the owner and founder of Fluorescent Fitness; and Nate Kennedy, the club ambassador for Club La Maison, all sat down to discuss how to find success in the personal training industry today.
In order to set your program up to succeed, it starts with the hiring process.
Edwards expressed the need for hiring knowledgeable individuals and helping them continue to grow their education.
“The main goal is to hire someone who is a career trainer and is interested in being a trainer for the rest of their lifetime,” said Edwards. “Once we get them in, education is a big thing for us. We have an educational training philosophy and that serves as the anchor for how we operate. I don’t want to take away from the art of the trainer, but I do need them to speak the same language when it comes to delivering services.”
While a standard for education must be set, hiring a diverse set of people whose specializations can appeal to a diverse clientele can also increase number of members participating in personal training. Potential clients will be attracted to trainers who are knowledgeable about health and wellness, but even more so if they are educated on their specific problems or concerns.
Another way to grow your facility’s personal training clientele is by knowing your audience — both demographically and personally.
Connecting with them about their health concerns or desires is important, but establishing a personal connection in the first session is the secrete sauce for retaining clients.
“What I tell new trainers is the most important thing you can do in the first two sessions is get to know the client,” said Groft. “Build a relationship. Find out why they’re here. When you do that, if you can just have an easy conversation, it takes their guard down, and they will open up to you. The most important thing is just to talk to them and treat them like a family member. Take an invested interest in what they want to accomplish.”
One way Club La Maison helps build personal connections is by taking away the fear factor. Kennedy explained they jumpstart connections by showing the trainers and staff’s personality through social media to lessen the intimidation any potential clients might have. He also emphasized making workouts fun and engaging to help with client retention.
In addition to personal connections, another way to successfully offer personal training is by investing in the trainers. Encouraging growth through educational opportunities and rewarding higher performance with a greater income can benefit both the trainer and the club.
“The potential is here for [trainers] to make as much money as they want,” said Groft. “They can build their business however they want. As long as they meet their minimum goal, they’re good. We do incentivize them. It keeps them around because they know they’re in control of their business and how much money they make. And that’s encouraging.”
While the trainers have control of their business, as a leader it’s important you are setting them up for success. Offering them education and resources on the latest trends can help them not only appeal to more potential clients, but also make your facility stay relevant in a competing market.
One way YouFit is staying relevant is by using client’s data to evaluate and develop new programming.
“We’ve gone onto Trainerize, and we have all of the programs we can develop on there and can track client’s sets, reps, differences, measurements, activity and nutrition effectively,” said Konforti. “We’re giving something more tangible to present to members so they can see it, understand it and buy into it more. That’s helped a lot with sales and revenue – having a better presentation of what’s included in your programming and package.”
Overall, what personal training boils down to is the ability of trainers to create meaningful relationships with client and present themselves as a knowledgeable and encouraging partner in their fitness journey.
Managers and club leadership can help their trainers find success by giving them access to further education, connecting clients with the right trainer based on their goals and ultimately be a stable resource.
