Everyone likes a bargain, and many fitness businesses choose to offer specials from time to time, to attract new clients.

However, it can be frustrating if you are continually faced with bargain-obsessed clients who bounce between discount deals and special offers with different providers, rather than committing to a long-term investment in training with you.

The good news is, you can help shift the mindset of this type of client.

Getting Clear on Goals

• Generally, what underpins a commitment-phobe client who continually goes for free trials and specials is a lack of awareness about their goals.
• It is important for fitness professionals to make sure that their clients are aware of their goals and what they are working towards.
• Once a client understand their goals, the fitness professional can then start to educate the client on why they are not going to achieve those goals through a one-week trial, 21-day challenge, or by bouncing between different training providers and approaches.
• Fitness professionals need to assist their clients to implement a training strategy, develop a training plan/programme, and create training consistency to achieve their goals.
• The goal-setting process (think SMART) might involve:
  • Sitting down with the client to chat about their goals;
  • What challenges they want to address; and
  • Being honest and frank about how long it will take them to achieve those goals and create sustainable change.

Overcoming the Quick Fix Mentality

• Another useful tactic in helping convert deal-savvy, one-off clients into committed, long-term clients is to ask them whether they are getting the results they are after with their current training approach/methodology.
• Clients may get ‘caught up’ in the training activity rather than the intended outcomes/results, so they might feel great about working out a few times a week or doing a short-term fitness challenge, but when you ask them “is it helping you achieve your health and fitness goals?”, the answer is probably no.
• At this point, the fitness professional can start the conversation about what it is going to take the client to achieve their goals.

Being an Advocate

• Part of getting a client to commit to an ongoing training relationship is to educate them on the value of having you [the fitness professional] as an advocate, by their side throughout their health and fitness journey.
• Having a long-term relationship with a client means you get to know their drivers, their struggles and the areas where they are challenged.
• Another benefit to convey is that you can keep them accountable to sticking with a training programme long-term, and getting results, rather than bouncing between trainers and starting afresh every time.