The other day I had a fellow Independent Trainer ask me if he could take me out for lunch to pick my brain and offer him some advice and guidance that would allow him to grow his own Personal Training Company. I have to admit that at first I was taken back that someone actually wanted business advice from me. I mean, I don’t even have a business degree, nor have I ever even taken a business course. After getting over my initial shock, I explained to this person that I have no background in business whatsoever, so didn’t feel I would be of much use to him. Regardless, he insisted that I let him take me out for lunch so that we could discuss my concepts and theories when it comes to owning and operating a successful fitness company in an extremely competitive market and constantly revolving industry. Not being one to turn down a free meal, I graciously accepted and a meeting was set in place. Little did I know at the time, that I would in fact be learning more about myself and my company from this meeting then I would have ever imagined……

One of the first questions I was asked at our lunch meeting was where do we find our clients and how are we able to retain them. Well, to be honest we actually don’t find our clients, they find us. We don’t put hundreds of thousands of dollars a year into marketing nor do we offer cheesy sale gimmicks and seasonal discounts just to get new clients in the door. The clients that contact us, want to work with us. They’ve either been referred to us from a friend or family member or have found our website online and have done their research on our company’s core values and mission statement. Very rarely, if ever, do we need to try and convince or sell ourselves to new clients as to why they should work with us. We are confident in our services that we provide and only want to work with people who want to work with us. This allows us to offer a premium service which in turn has allowed us to retain our clients’ business for not just a few weeks or a couple of months, but for the past 5-10 years on end .

The second question I was asked is how we keep our clients accountable with their training and diets so that they continue to achieve results with both their physiques and their health. There is no generic answer to this question. Just like we don’t train every single person the same way, we don’t hold everyone accountable for their workouts and diets the same way. We’re not babysitters, we’re Personal Trainers. And as such, it’s our job to provide our clients with safe and effective workouts and offer educated nutritional advice based on the goals that they wish to achieve. Some people do require more attention and assistance than others for when they are outside of the gym on their own. For these people we offer customized training programs and nutritional plans that include unlimited questions through email and modifications to their programs when necessary. We can only provide the tools necessary to achieve the results. Whether or not the tools are used, are strictly the responsibility of our clients.

The third question I was asked was how do we close a sale on a training package or online program. This is a simple one – we don’t. We are completely upfront and honest with all of our prices on every single service that we provide. In fact, we are one of the few personal training companies within the fitness industry that actually post our prices on our website. I’ve been told for years that this is not a smart way to conduct business, however I believe when it comes to rates and pricing, it’s important to have complete transparency with our clients so they know exactly what they are paying for when they decide that they would like to work with us. As always, I believe that honesty is the best policy. I want our clients to feel comfortable with our pricing and not pressured before committing to anything in person, which is a common practice in high pressure so-called consultations that are offered by other trainers and corporate gyms alike. When a client meets with us for their initial consultation, they already know our rates. Therefore, they can focus on learning more about how we can help them rather then how much we are going to charge them

The fourth question I was asked was how have we’ve been able to build such long lasting relationships with our clients, many of whom have been with us for over a decade. This is by far the most common question I receive from people all the time when it comes to our clientele base. The answer is – You Need to Care. We actually do care about our clients and want them to achieve their goals. We listen to their questions and give them our undivided attention whether they are training on the floor or communicating with us through email or phone. We ask questions about their health and training and give advice and feedback if and when asked. When our clients succeed, we succeed, and in reality, who doesn’t want to succeed?

The fifth and final question I was asked, is how have we continued to grow and expand our business each year when our competition is offering lower rates and seasonal sales. Not to sound cocky or arrogant, but we don’t view these types of personal training companies as our competition. In fact, we have no clue what are competitors’ rates and prices are, because quite frankly, it makes no difference to us. We offer an exclusive, premium service and therefore feel no need to justify our rates to anyone. With that said, the main reason why we have been able to grow is because of our clients. Our clients have been loyal to us for years. They have referred and continue to refer us more clients on a regular basis. No marketing agency, or “Summer Six Pack Sale” can ever compete with the amount of business that our clients have sent to us over the years. And for this reason, I believe it’s of the utmost importance to reward this loyalty by making sure that all of our clients continue to receive the absolute best care and quality customer service while not increasing their own rates just because we are now busier then ever before.

So there you have it, that’s my business concept in a nutshell. Be honest, care, go above and beyond expectations, ask questions and award loyalty. Is my concept wrong? Maybe. Is my concept textbook protocol? Definitely Not. Does my concept work for our company? Absolutely.

“Work Hard in Silence…..
Let Success Make All The Noise”

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove
Forever Fit