Do you remember the very first product you ever offered to your prospects and clients? Think back long, long ago when you were first starting out.
Your first product was time with you, the trainer who would provide an excellent experience and proven results in record time.
You packaged yourself in how you dressed and carried yourself. You enthusiastically introduced the components of your product one by one, your expertise in exercise progression, your supportive motivational elements, and your guidance needed to reach their goals. You used your environment to help set the stage for this great product, you offered a guarantee with your product, and you priced out your product accordingly.
Prospects became clients when they liked the look and the promise of the product they were buying. And if you, the product, delivered as stated, most of them continued to purchase more time with you, the Trainer.
If, on the other hand, many of them did not renew their time with you, what did you do? Did you go back to the drawing board to recreate your product? Or perhaps you added some ‘special features’ like discounts, additional assessments, or maybe a free pedometer or nutrition/exercise record log.
Take a look back at your original product, and take a look now, compare them.
Back then were you so determined to help people that your care and concern shone forth ever so brightly in your excellent treadside manner? Back then did you individualize each client so they felt they were your favorite client and they basked in the attention and love they got from you?
Your treadside manner is what sells your product, you, time after time. That treadside manner is what your clients tell others about, it’s the reason they love you and stay with you. It’s the largest component of the product you offer.
In the way that some patients prefer a doctor who is all business and others prefer a doctor who will hold their hand, so too it goes with Personal Trainers.
Do you have an innate sense of what each person wants or needs to carry on, to commit, to succeed? If not, simply ask them, and then deliver it.
Today, right now, how many of your clients tell other people, “I know I’m one of Greg’s favorite clients”? Or favorite groups, or favorite classes? Those are the clients that love your treadside manner and have connected with you through it.
If your treadside manner is adaptable to individual desires, if you mirror them, and give them what they need as individuals, you will renew the majority of your clients, no matter how diverse.
Does your current treadside manner shine forth with individualized attention that balances your client preferences in the relationship and the business of training?
Don’t know? Ask some of your favorite clients if they realize they are your favorite client then listen and watch for their response. It just may make your day!