The Fitness Professional #5: the first session

What if you had one shot, one opportunity???

Your arms are heavy, knees weak, palms sweaty yada yada Mom's spaghetti. Time for a first session with a potential client.

How does one fully illustrate the value of what they do and make the sale?

In one hour.

I have some thoughts.

Pre screen

A really great trainer I work with sets up a zoom call prior to the first session to feel them out. He works through all the health history, gets the waivers signed and then gets an idea of how he can best serve them in the initial :45 to :60 session.

He hits the ground running with this approach.

Have a go to workout ready

Once you've listened to their goals you can create a skeleton workout for them to perform. Have progressions and regressions for every exercise ready in case they weren't completely forthcoming in their pre game chat.

Alright- you just finished a kick ass workout. They're feeling good. You don't sense they'll be a headcase client. Let's drive this home.

Assume the sale

Say something that automatically assumes they had the best session ever. My go to is “when do I see you next?” Then schedule it.

Then say “I'll email you with my package and rate options.”

Why email? Maybe it's me, but I'd rather break up over the phone yaknowwhatimsayin? It avoids putting the client on the spot. You may be too expensive for them. Your availability may be too limited. They never want to have that conversation in person.

It keeps you from being publicly rejected. It keeps them from making a purchase they don't really want to make.

The last thing you want to do is train someone who doesn't want to be there. It's the worst.

Worst.

So follow up with email within 6-8 hours. Your email should say something like ‘Thank you for a great first session. I really look forward to working with you going forward.’ Then add some personal detail from the session about achieving the goal they had… then your rate.

Now it's accept/reject time. If yes then get to work and make them so happy they chose you. If no Don't take it personal. You're a good trainer, but even a great trainer can have bad chemistry with someone, or be too expensive. Be gracious and be positive no matter the answer.

I'll take the Pepsi challenge against any trainer out there. I like to think I can provide more answers to every fitness question they may have than any other trainer. Will the average client realize this?

Doubtful.

If it's a no they're just not your client. Learn from it and Move on to the next.