Before signing up for your programme, your clients have already been through a process of first KNOWING, then LIKING, and ultimately TRUSTING you enough to spend their hard earned cash on your services.
But to get long term loyalty, to get them really committed and raving about you to all of their friends, you need to get them past knowing, liking and trusting.
You need them to fall in love with you.
But to get long term loyalty, to get them really committed and raving about you to all of their friends, you need to get them past knowing, liking and trusting.
You need them to fall in love with you.
"What Is Love... Baby Don't Hurt Me... Don..."
People are simple creatures. The things that fueled your infatuation with that first love at high school are exactly the same things that will make your clients adore you.
That person listened to you, they took a genuine interest in even the mundane aspects of your life, they supported and encouraged you, brought out the best in you and totally ‘got you’. They surprised you all the time with little notes and gifts to show they cared. You need to do all of these things for your clients to make them feel connected, valued and loved. This is what will make them commit to you long term and tell all their friends about your amazing programmes.
So talk to them regularly, get to know them. When they don’t make it to training, contact them personally to check if everything’s okay. When they do show up to training, ask them if they’re okay. Show a genuine interest in their lives. Surprise them. This isn’t about sales, it’s about service.
Here are a just a few things you can do that will make your clients fall in love with you faster than if you used the Amortentia love potion from Harry Potter:
If you show your clients kindness and gratitude, you will enchant them and they’ll want to marry you. Okay, maybe not marry you, but they’ll certainly want to stick with you for the happy ever after and tell all their friends about you. But remember that, like the magic Harry Potter love potion, the effects of your devotion will wear off if you don’t keep administering it.
It’s time to feel the love!
~Neo~
If you’re a PT and/or gym owner and you want more advice and practical tips like this one, take a look at Neo’s blog posts on http://www.progymequipment.co.uk/ where you can also sign up for regular email tips just like this one.
That person listened to you, they took a genuine interest in even the mundane aspects of your life, they supported and encouraged you, brought out the best in you and totally ‘got you’. They surprised you all the time with little notes and gifts to show they cared. You need to do all of these things for your clients to make them feel connected, valued and loved. This is what will make them commit to you long term and tell all their friends about your amazing programmes.
So talk to them regularly, get to know them. When they don’t make it to training, contact them personally to check if everything’s okay. When they do show up to training, ask them if they’re okay. Show a genuine interest in their lives. Surprise them. This isn’t about sales, it’s about service.
Here are a just a few things you can do that will make your clients fall in love with you faster than if you used the Amortentia love potion from Harry Potter:
- Ask your clients what they want and give it to them. Do surveys, hold contests, hey, run focus groups with them if you can get away with it! Anything that will give you good feedback on what you’re doing right and wrong, then really listen to what they tell you. Respond to their ‘wants’ quickly and enthusiastically.
- Reward and thank loyal clients with bonuses on key milestones: a free week for sticking it out for six months; a free t-shirt (hello branding) for not missing a session in 12 weeks.
- Give discounts and run promotional offers for existing clients only. Giveaways, sweepstakes… “every client who attends at least 2 sessions a week this month will be entered into a draw”, that kind of thing.
- Surprise clients with a thank you card on their 6 month anniversary. Keep that first date level of attentiveness and make it specific to them. Include personal details. Imagine receiving a hand written thank you card through the post that doesn’t just say “thanks for being a customer, I appreciate you”, but says:
“[Name], In the last 6 months you’ve been to 50 sessions with me! That’s 50 hours of hard graft you’ve put in– and your hard work has paid off – in that time, you’ve lost an amazing 18lbs and 10 inches! You beat your 500m rowing PB last week – under 2 minutes – amazing! It’s an absolute pleasure to train you and get to know you. I love seeing your progress - you just keep getting fitter and stronger every single week and I’m so proud to have you as a client. Keep it up [Name]! As a little reward for your dedication to your programme, this month I’m giving you one week of training for free!” - Make them feel special on their birthday too. Send your clients birthday cards with discount vouchers for merchandise, or other promotional offers.
If you show your clients kindness and gratitude, you will enchant them and they’ll want to marry you. Okay, maybe not marry you, but they’ll certainly want to stick with you for the happy ever after and tell all their friends about you. But remember that, like the magic Harry Potter love potion, the effects of your devotion will wear off if you don’t keep administering it.
It’s time to feel the love!
~Neo~
If you’re a PT and/or gym owner and you want more advice and practical tips like this one, take a look at Neo’s blog posts on http://www.progymequipment.co.uk/ where you can also sign up for regular email tips just like this one.
Think back to your first love. That ridiculous, head over heels, pulsating cartoon love heart eyes, teenage kind of love. Those first few months of a relationship when you just can’t get enough of each other. It’s the ultimate personal engagement with another person. They stare intently into your eyes trying to figure you out, wanting to know more, thrilled just to be close to you. They leave you little love notes in your pencil case that make your heart do tiny somersaults.
In those few months, no-one can tear you apart, no matter how many friends tell you this person is bad for you, you see only their good qualities. You want to spend every waking moment snogging each other’s faces off.
If “engagement” was set on a scale, this would be way up at the top of it.
I’m not saying you need to start sending your clients romantic mix-tapes or staring intensely into their eyes whilst twiddling your hair between your fingers like a school girl, but just keep that ‘first love feeling’ in mind. Remember how true engagement really feels and then you can use it to make your clients fall childishly in love with you.
In those few months, no-one can tear you apart, no matter how many friends tell you this person is bad for you, you see only their good qualities. You want to spend every waking moment snogging each other’s faces off.
If “engagement” was set on a scale, this would be way up at the top of it.
I’m not saying you need to start sending your clients romantic mix-tapes or staring intensely into their eyes whilst twiddling your hair between your fingers like a school girl, but just keep that ‘first love feeling’ in mind. Remember how true engagement really feels and then you can use it to make your clients fall childishly in love with you.
