The Right Way to Begin ‘Selling’ Personal Training

Don't be the used car salesman of fitness.

I’ve seen so many personal trainers just starting out that seem to be very nervous about meeting a potential client for the first time. Maybe rightly so as its next week’s pay check on the line. However I am here to tell you that you are never going to experience a lot of success handing someone a piece of paper that includes your rates for 1, 10 and 25 sessions, even if you give a couple of freebies with the bigger packages. If your potential client has already made up their mind about personal training then they may buy a couple sessions to try you out or they’ll just take your information and, “think about it.” Now you’re in a situation of constantly “re-selling” your clients and will have to constantly be meeting new ones to find those ready to buy. Not a very long term sustainable plan.

The first 10-20 minutes that you meet a new prospective client should never include pricing information at all. (In fact don’t even have it in sight, or in the room, show that you are interested in them, not their money.) This time should be about you showing them that you are genuinely interested in finding out about them, their goals, and that you are a good listener that can ultimately provide a solution to their problem or pain.

When I meet a new potential client for the first time I will begin with a brief introduction and welcome, from there I ask them if they mind if I ask them a few questions. I highly recommend you use a piece of note paper and a pen to write down the highlights from their answers. This shows them you are in fact listening and can address all their concerns as you go.

Questions I like to ask:

• So what has you thinking about personal training? (Ice breaker, summary of their immediate concerns/pain/goals)
• So what have already been doing and for how long to (summarize goals from previous question)? (This creates an emotion within them by reminding them they have not been successful thus far, begins an affirmation that they may need your help.)
• Have you worked with a personal trainer before? (This is incredibly important, if they have and it was negative you know they will be apprehensive to buy again, if it was positive you best find out what they liked to ensure you can provide the same or better level of service.)
• What would you like to see happen in the next 3 to 6 months? (Keep painting the picture of their goals, and now you are conditioning them to commit for an extended timeline.)

There are many more questions you can ask, and it’s important you find your own so that each presentation exhibits your personal sincerity to each person. The more emotionally charged someone becomes toward the things that bother them the higher their belief that you will be able to help them and the more likely they will buy. Once you have gathered information about their goals/concerns it’s time to show them how you are the solution to these problems while using their terms/words to maintain their emotions.

This may sound manipulative from a sales or monetary standpoint but the truth is its just effective coaching. We all know that we can help just about anyone get in shape with basic fitness principles; the underlying factor is their commitment to the necessary changes. Change is difficult but how difficult is directly related to how emotionally charged we are about what we want to change. By asking emotional questions to your potential client right from the get go you will not only experience more sales but also gain clients who make better progress through greater commitment right from day one.