Tips for Trainers: Make the Best of Your Busy Season
Trainers, January is the time when you are putting in extra work to build your fitness center’s business for the year. This job often requires a demanding schedule not only inside of your facility during business hours, but staying on top of communication during your off hours.
These tips are not only good to follow during the busy season, but good to follow throughout the year. Following my advice should keep you organized to get through this demanding time and on to retaining that business you have built for the year.
Take Time for Yourself
My first piece of advice is to always take time for your own workouts to relieve stress. In doing so, you will be fresh for your clients and not rundown, simply rolling through the motions of your everyday tasks.
You can split your time into two sections: hours for your clients and hours for yourself. The hours that you want to fill with clients are the hours you need to be in the gym walking the floor and cleaning equipment. Simply make yourself available to talk to people and build your business. On the other hand, your break hours are for you to grab lunch, work out, and have time for your own wellness and productivity.
Sell a Connection, Not a Service
The biggest mistake trainers make, in my opinion, is simply not being in their fitness center. Some of you may be independent contractors, meaning you go to work and don’t get paid unless you have clients. Unfortunately, that is the nature of the game in order to build your business. However, if you are utilizing your time effectively, you shouldn’t have to do this for long.
As you walk around your facility during this time of year, you will most likely be encountering gym goers who are new to the environment and only doing what they know how to do or using equipment they are comfortable using. Take them to a new piece of equipment and show off your knowledge; teach them how to use new pieces. As you walk around during the busiest times at the gym, you will notice members standing around waiting for equipment that is being taken up by someone else. Ask those people if you can demonstrate how to work that same muscle group in a different way.
Strategies like these are effective because they don’t make you a salesman that people will avoid eye contact with like they would in the mall. These points of contact make you approachable for further questions where you will have an easy opportunity to mention your business without seeming pushy.
For example, if you have someone waiting for the cable seated row, bring them a band and walk them over to a space where they can use the band to work their back. Not only have you made a point of contact with a potential client, but you have saved their workout, taught them a new movement and they are now curious as to what other movements they could learn from you.
Find their motivation to train in the first place and how you can help guests achieve that goal faster. Remember, these points of contact are about them, not you. By showing that your only agenda is to help them succeed at something they already enjoy, you are not selling the service itself. You’re making a connection. Don’t worry if someone does not buy that day or you didn’t ask for an appointment with them. Keep saying hi to them every time you see them, and ask them what they are working on that day. Simply give them a word of encouragement or motivation. Believe it or not, that is selling.
Be Present
Going off of that, let’s talk about floor presence:
- Try not to be on your phone, even if it is to follow up with your clients or other work-related topics. From afar, it looks as though you are busy and unapproachable.
- During your own workouts be mindful of the image you are portraying. Don’t wear clothes that are too revealing. Remember, you are always on stage.
- Don’t forget about the clients you currently have. It can be easy to get so wrapped up in your tasks building your business that you to lose some of the business you already have.
Set Specific Times Aside for Different Tasks
Good time management is essential during a busy season in order to stay on track with all your obligations. For example, set an hour in your planner where you are going to do nothing but check in with your clients. Check in to discuss their nutrition to provide them with the adjustments they need to continue to get results, and hold them accountable on the days they are not with you. After all, these are the clients that have already invested money in your business. Keeping them happy will cause them to be compliant with their training and aid in advertising for your business by word of mouth.