Are you overlooking the
4 keys to results and
retention?
The way
we were…
In December 1996, Network News (the precursor to Network eNews)
reported what was to become an all too familiar truth – that Australia
was a nation of couch potatoes:
“An alarming number of Australians are overweight or obese, do not
exercise regularly and choose sport and recreational activities that offer
minimal value for fat loss or cardiovascular improvement. According to
figures published in the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 1996 Year
Book, fitness professionals still have a huge task ahead to educate the
general public about the importance of health and fitness.
…Based on these statistics, there should be no shortage of potential
exercisers. The problem lies in educating the consumer…”
Elsewhere the rise of Les Mills’ Pump program was reported:
“Pump is Hot! According to club owners, Pump is revitalising
the fitness industry. The aerobic floor is packed with keen Pump
participants and more than 80 clubs throughout Australia have joined
the Pump program.”
1 thing I’ve learnt…
Nicole Monteforte, Owner
fitnessbusinessexperts.com.au
“One thing I’ve learnt from starting and running
fitness businesses over the last 20 years is to
always recruit your sales and club staff based
on attitude and passion for the industry. So
often we fall into the trap of thinking that we
need to employ someone with a specific
skillset because it will save us time training
them, because let’s face it, every club owner/
manager is time-poor! The greatest team
members I ever employed were unskilled
people who were totally in love with the fitness
industry and what it represented. These were
the employees that were able to best connect
with prospects and members, which in turn
led to more referrals and more new happy
members. The industry is built on emotion,
so when looking for people to represent your
business, look for the ones that make you smile
and feel good the minute you meet them and
more often than not you’ll be onto a winner!”
The key metric to retention, whether
you are managing a fitness facility or
working as a self-employed personal
trainer, is helping your members/clients
achieve their fitness goals. Or put
more simply, delivering the results you
promised them when they signed up for
a membership or a PT program.
Delivering results is far more
complex than just writing quality
training programs, providing sound nutritional guidance and
the encouragement to train two to three times per week. So,
in the majority of cases, what’s missing? There are four critical
things that are often overlooked in the trainer/client relationship:
personalisation, empathy, ‘touch points’ and being ‘in the
moment’.
Personalisation can be defined as tailoring a service or
product to meet the specific needs of an individual. When
applying this to fitness programming, we must ensure that the
client’s goals and aspirations are at the core of the programs we
write. Furthermore, in order to prevent repetition and staleness
we should take notes after each training session and review
them prior to the next one.
Empathy can be defined as the experience of understanding
another person’s condition from their perspective – or put
simply, placing yourself in their shoes. As trainers we are often
the objective ear in which clients express their innermost
feelings or frustrations. Our role is not to advise, but to listen,
be non-judgmental and try to feel what they are feeling.
‘Touch points’ are any encounters in which the business and
the customer engage to exchange information or participate
in a service. This is critical to the trainer/client relationship.
Obvious examples are remembering birthdays and wedding
anniversaries, while less obvious ones are noting what a client
said during a training session and then doing something about
it – like buying a small gift or sending them a card to make them
feel special.
Being ‘in the moment’ can be defined as being totally
immersed in the situation at hand. As a trainer this is easier said
than done, but be conscious of the fact that your client is totally
aware when you are distracted, tired and just going through
the motions. The key is to have a routine whereby you mentally
prepare yourself prior to each session so the client feels your
100 per cent focus on them. Remember, the client you are with
is far more important than the client you would prefer to be with.
Our industry is going through rapid change. It is more
competitive than ever, there are many virtual and wearable
options and the member/client has higher expectations. By
being more mindful of the needs of our lifeblood we can provide
a training experience that will not only deliver the results they
want, but turn them into our strongest advocates.
Nigel Champion, Executive Director
[email protected]
NETWORK SUMMER 2015 | 9