BUSINESS
Top
5retention
tips for client
The Retention Guru Dr Paul Bedford reveals the top strategies
personal trainers should be employing to keep their client base
1
Provide results
Although results are
often measured by body
fat percentage losses, results
don’t always equate to physical
changes. For example, an increase
in confidence would be a result,
or educating a client so that they
make better lifestyle and nutrition
choices. You need to think about
the psychological as well as the
physical – for example not just
what the client achieves on the
treadmill, but the fact they have
learnt to use the treadmill is also
a result.
2
Only sell packages
Selling individual sessions
is a waste of time – it
encourages episodic or ‘one off’
behaviour and suggests that it
is something the client will only
do once. You should be thinking
about encouraging six, eight, 10
or 12 week period behaviour,
which will then progress to
consistent behaviour and wanting
to train with you on a regular
basis. This in turn will save
reselling as the client will want to
stay with you.
3
Find the correct
motivation
Find out whether your client
uses ‘away from’ or ‘towards’
language, as this will provide
insight into how you can best
motivate them and push their
buttons. For example, ‘away from’
language would include ‘I don’t
want to be fat’ while ‘towards’
language would be ‘I want to
weigh X’. Make sure you use the
right language patterns for
your client.
Similarly, does your client prefer
sameness or difference? Do they
like doing the same programme
with only slight tweaks now and
then or do they enjoy doing
something completely different
each and every session? An
example of sameness would be
swimming, where clients repeat
laps of the pool, while difference
could include group dance
fitness, with constant changes
in choreography. Make sure you
match your programme to how
the client works best.
4
Stick to a routine
People who don’t have a
routine, will not stick to
exercise. This is really important
for creating behaviour patterns,
so keep clients attending on the
same day and at the same time.
It will then go in their diary ahead
of other commitments and social
events. It almost becomes a habit
but is done consciously.
5
Listen
We need to get away from
being prescriptive. 95% of
clients will need to be persuaded
and told what to do, however they
need to be part of the decision
making process. If they are part of
the decision making process, they
are then more likely to adhere to
the exercise programme and stick
with you.
@REPsUK 19
REPs 19 Dr.PaulBedford.indd 29
21/04/2016 10:39