BLOG

If you bought something that didn’t work, would you buy it again? Probably not. 

Well, that is exactly what you are trying to get a potential client to do. When people come to you interested in training, they come bearing a long history of failed diets, half-finished workout programs, and a box of exercise equipment collecting dust in the garage.

The client you are trying to acquire has likely even paid for fitness before; and there is a good chance they see their previous investments as a loss. If you want them to double down, you’re going to have to show them that this time will be different. And here’s the trick. You’re going to do it with your ears.

The importance of listening:

Personal training is our passion and occupation, but it’s their life, time, and money. You need to assure potential clients that this is not about you and your business, but rather that it is about their health and their journey.

The single greatest question you can ask.

Ask about their previous experiences with health and fitness.   

You can’t tell them this time is going to be different if you don’t know about last time. Did they stop training because they got bored? Or did they get discouraged over slow results?

You can see how each one would impact your path moving forward.

If the reason they quit exercising is because of boredom, you can work with them to discover what movements and modalities keep them most interested and excited. In this case, playing around in the gym and just having fun with exercise might even be more beneficial than an assessment.

If the reason they quit exercising is because they were unhappy with results, you can empathize with them about how frustrating it must feel to work hard and not see progress. From there you might want to try setting realistic expectations, but you can also get creative. You can design a program that really targets one specific muscle group with high volume and effort to expedite the muscle building process and give them visible results before moving onto a more balanced program.

Just by asking this simple question you will learn about their previous experiences, build comradery, and show them a path forward that addresses their previous obstacles. And you will be able to provide them a better service than you would have if you just gave them your pitch. People will tell you what to sell them if you just listen.

Sure, without this information, you would still be able to design a sensible exercise program that would give your client results, but that’s only in a world of perfect adherence. And anyone who has ever opened their freezer and had to choose between a bag of broccoli and a sleeve of Thin Mints knows the healthy choice doesn’t always win out.

Your clients want to get in shape, but they don’t want to get in shape at all costs. If they get bored, they might quit. If they think it’s too hard, they might quit. If they don’t see results quickly enough, they might quit. If they feel like their diet is too restrictive and they really miss slamming margaritas on Taco Tuesday, they will quit (true story). But by listening to them and asking about their previous experiences with health and fitness, you will know exactly what roadblocks are to come so you can most effectively move forward.