Of course, the goal of a personal trainer is to build a client list, train their clients and make money.
In order to accomplish the inevitable goal, trainers need to appeal to your members. Newcomers to the club are great to target for training services, but there are many ways to target existing members for training services- it just takes a little extra work.
The Contest
An easy contest, to begin with, is one which members will guess their body fat percentage. The goal is for your new trainer to meet members and build a rapport with people in the gym. It may not result in new clients for them right away but the members that participate will remember this trainer. If the trainer educates and impresses them enough, it is likely members will visit them again to get their body fat percentage progress- allowing the trainer the opportunity to follow up and potentially sell the member a few sessions.
How to set up: Have your new trainer set up a spot near the entry/exit of the gym. The trainer will then greet members as they walk in and quickly let the members know what they are doing. Some members may participate right away, some will say no, and some will do it on their way out but the important thing is that your new trainer is getting their face known and they are educating members.
Script: “Hey how’s it going? I’m the new trainer here and I’m doing a body fat percentage contest. If you guess within 2% of your actual percentage, you will win a FREE t-shirt (or whatever prize your club decides on). Are you interested in trying?”
What to do: If a member says no, leave it at that- they just want to get their work out in. Be sure the member is educated. If someone is doing the contest that knows nothing about body fat percentage, educate them before they make their guess. Have an informational chart with averages for each sex and specific age groups, along with ideal target ranges for each to strive for. Use a fat body analyzer, or whichever tool your club uses, to find out their results.
End Result: If they guess within 2% of their actual percentage, reward them with a prize. Some members will be shocked and begin telling you that they have such a hard time losing weight- this is a great opportunity for your trainer to introduce them to a fat burning supplement and work on their sales skills. And for guys or individuals that are pretty spot on with their guess and educated in this area already- it’s good to have them on your side and liking your staff, even if they are unlikely to ever train.
This contest is one of many. It is a very effective way for your trainer to meet your members and become approachable to them. For more information on, Fitness Management and Consulting, please explore our blog. If you have additional questions do not hesitate to contact us.
