5 client retention strategies to bolster your bookings this year

It’s so much simpler and cheaper to keep a current client than find a new one (5-25 times cheaper, in fact).

If you’re noticing an increasing number of gaps in your daily schedule, you have a problem. Specifically, you have a client retention problem.

You don’t need us to tell you that long-term clients are the key to success. Your fitness training business will get more referrals, testimonials, and affiliated sales thanks to your existing customers. But the only way to keep your clients loyal for longer is by focusing as much on the client experience as on the training itself.

Here are five ways to start maximising your client retention rates today.

1. Show you care

It’s time to put the ‘personal’ in personal training. Don’t just assume your clients know how passionate you are – you need to show them!

Building strong relationships with clients all comes down to trust, so the more honest and accessible you are, the better. Make connections with your clients by asking questions. Find out what they do outside of the gym, their likes and dislikes, the things they find challenging. And make sure you listen to their answers. Referring to previous information will make your clients feel important and show you care.

2. Add value

You’re a personal trainer by name, but your offering needs to go beyond the realms of fitness. You need to continually meet the needs of the individual.

You can do this through regular check-ins to help keep your client feeling motivated. By taking progress photos to help clients see how far they have come under your guidance. And by being clear about what clients should be doing in between sessions. Telling them to: “Eat well” or “Stay active” isn’t enough. You need to verbalise the specific things they need to do to stay on track.

3. Celebrate their successes

Your clients are working hard, and it’s important you acknowledge that. When a client accomplishes a goal you can share a congratulatory post on social media (with your client’s consent, of course).

But don’t think these celebrations are limited to your socials. You can acknowledge clients’ achievements IRL, during or after a training session. You might also want to create a reward scheme for when clients hit their targets. Rewards don’t have to be big – a water bottle or resistance band when they hit a mini-goal or a free PT session when they reach an overall goal. A reward system also works for client loyalty.

4. Create a community

When someone enjoys the community they’re in, they don’t want to leave. Helping your clients connect with one another is a great way to build your tribe and keep them loyal. They already have a shared interest (getting fitter, healthier, and stronger). By organising get-togethers such as group exercise sessions, celebration events or fundraisers, your clients will be more motivated as part of a wider community.

Until offers the perfect community environment for your clients – and for you. With cutting-edge facilities and plenty of space, you can arrange times when clients can connect with one another. Plus, the co-working spaces and business support services mean you become part of a professional fitness community. It’s a win-win.

5. Take a holistic approach to fitness

As with any job, it’s important to keep up with the latest trends. Continually building your skills and knowledge will not only give you more confidence as a PT, it will also help you keep your clients engaged. The more information you can give around other areas of health and wellbeing (like nutrition, massage or recovery), the more value they get from each session.

When you join a fitness community like Until, you have a range of resources and support at your fingertips. Our science-backed health tech, including a cryotherapy chamber and hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be used to aid faster recovery. And you also have access to a wealth of like-minded people who you can call on to expand your own knowledge and improve your overall offering.

At Until, we help freelance fitness, health and wellbeing professionals grow their business faster and keep clients longer.

Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Join the Until community today.

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