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Client communication makes or breaks your business.

It makes sales easy, guarantees retention and delivers free referrals. Seriously. This “Two Step Client Communication Guide” breaks down the elements that matter.

This was put together for two reasons:

1. Share these seldom used tactics for the greater good of our community of personal training and coaching.
2. Announcement to our subscribers about another system upgrade that improves communication.

After spending years interviewing Fitness Professionals about their client on-boarding process, I’ve realized that simple methods are typically not implemented. That is why this message needs to be shared so we can advance our field while improving our chances of success.

WARNING:

This is not for trainers and coaches who:

• Put their own needs before the client.
• Are more interested in showing cool new exercises and awesome workouts instead of listening to the client.
• Think “quick hit” manipulative sales is great long-term game in building a business.
• Damage our Industry

This is for professionals who:

• Are looking to have lasting impact on each client.
• Put the clients needs first.
• Strategically step clients into achieving their goals.
• Aspire to serve clients in a meaningful and life changing way.

When you approach training from this perspective it becomes abundantly clear how critical communication works. But here is the “thing” … action must be taken. Which means you have to do the simple work involved in each step. That can be done with simplicity and ease with the right tools and an understanding of how the process works. It’s simple, easy to do and everyone can do it… and it’s proven!

Your Upgrade Announcement

We’ve been working with Google to enhance, and virtually guarantee, e-mail delivery thru BodyEvolver. The power of Google is now delivering your emails. That’s a big deal but when you consider how important communication is to sales and retention, it’s actually a huge. Sending out an e-mail is one thing, but sending one that is backed by facts and data on your client is quite another.

Here is a quick list of tips, trick and reasons why communicating with your clients consistently, in order to support them in changing their lifestyle habits, will lead to a better outcome for you, your business and your clients.

The internet is constantly evolving and changing. Billions of e-mails that get delivered everyday, most of which are junk … But when you get an e-mail from someone who actually knows something about you … it can mean a lot in a world full of so much noise.

When you care more than the client … you both win.

In today’s age of entrepreneurship, it’s critical to get personal and understand where your clients are coming from, where they’ve been, where they want to go and why … this is how you will be the most effective. Instituting a higher standard of communication is critical to your success, and the really cool thing is … it’s simple.

It makes your job easier by giving you tremendous power to help your clients get out of their own way. This is also called relationship and rapport building. It positively impacts the lives of those you serve and since that is how important it is, we decided to deploy the power of the Google to deliver them.

When you get a fuller view of a clients reality, it helps you see clearly where they need the most help in either the way they move, their physical condition or the perspective they need clarity on. Then you use that info to educate the client by referencing the facts of what we know. It helps put everyone on a level playing field, and that awards you the opportunity to reduce drama.

Here’s the Simple version

“Two Step Client Communication Guide”:

• Step 1: Ask lots of questions and document everything
• Step 2: Follow-up until they reach their goals

YES, it’s that simple, but you actually need to do it. Detail below …

Step 1:

Ask questions and document everything. This is affectionately known as data collection. ( Ask Amazon, Facebook and Google. They do it for a reason and so can you!)

Collect data and write it down. You’re never going to remember everything a client says the first time you meet them. If asked, a client will tell you quite a bit, but you need to write it down so you can access it later

(This is the part that so few actually do)

People love being asked questions. People love to talk, and the #1 thing people like to talk about …. Yes, you guessed it … themselves. So get them on a “roll” and write down what they say, then do some physical assessments that is right for that client … and document those as well. The more detail the better.

The act of listening alone sets the pace, writing it down so you don’t let them forget it, consecrates it. Keep in mind, you must apply the 80/20 rule in this first client meetings. It goes like this: 80% them talking / 20% you listening and documenting (yes, documenting. Meaning: get the information in a place you can easily access later. It is not hard, takes very little time and makes all the difference for step 2.)

Step 2:

Follow-up with the client until progress is made. Regardless of whether they buy training now or not. Follow-up either way.

Use the data to remind both of you and the client what their short / long term goals are and why, as well as the perceived limitations and challenges they face. Constant follow-up and reaching out with a helping hand is the best way to build the “Know, Like and Trust Factor.”

When people “know, like and trust you” because you have actually shown you care about them and their well-being, they are far more likely to invest in you because you took the first step and invested in them.

This naturally occurring Universal reciprocity works. It has also been eloquently described as: Give Give Give Get. Help clients and potential clients by actually helping them. This must be done with every potential customer from day one. In fact, don’t even start a conversation until you are in a position to document it. Otherwise you are wasting time, losing data and being inefficient.

Document or Suffer the Consequences

Building Rapport:

It’s really easy to build rapport when you seek to understand where the client is at by asking a lot of questions. When you connect with the client on an physical, emotional and mental level it changes the dynamic of the relationship. The most critical thing you can do is meet a client exactly where they’re at and gently move them towards the next step.

Collecting baseline on clients is the Industry Standard, yet how many are truly assessing, documenting and re-assessing? That is the missing piece in how accountability and follow-up are responded too.

Clients beg to get assessed when they are properly motivated

Assessments gain everyone perspective. Perspective on reality is critical to changing it, otherwise everyone is running around in dysfunction and not making any progress. It’s like a chicken running around with it’s head cut off. Being assessed without judgement is all part of the bigger picture of how society (and people) move forward and evolve.

Helping clients understand their risks and putting a “point” on where they are the first day you meet them is step one. This fact is so obvious it can’t be argued. You must truly listen, assess, educate and document … or else you have little hope of changing their perspective. When you do change perspective it inspires conscious, meaningful action that has profound impact on results.

Consistent communication empowers and motivates people to take action on their goals. That is how you sell and retain clients. Writing down their short and long-term goals, perceived limitations and challenges gives you the power to reference those points later.

Secret Sauce:

In all my years of private and group training, part of the secret sauce is this: “Believe in them more than they believe in themselves.” When you care more about them reaching their goals than they do, that inspires them to take action. When you can see what they’re capable of before they can … that empowers them.

People may not always remember what you said, but people will always remember how you made them feel.

Inject energy and enthusiasm into every prospect

Selling Training:

In the first client meeting, the potential client should be doing 80% of the talking. And you should be doing 20% of “Asking Questions” while documenting their answers.

Then use the power of the data (kept in an intelligently organized place to simplify this process) for years to come. Keep following up with them even if they don’t buy training right now. If done right, there is a good chance they’ll invest in you when they realize they are not getting anywhere on their own. The data can be used like kryptonite by letting that person know you are thinking about them and are excited about the changes that you are helping them make.

Short and Long Term Goal Communication:

Your best chances of long term success with a client is to “strike while the iron is hot” by gaining some traction immediately towards their short term goals. Within the first 3 to 6 weeks of meeting a client is when you’ve got to do whatever it takes to drive them to some small successes. Small successes build confidence and lead to more successes. Referencing the details you talk about at your first meeting will help keep the client in that same motivated and enthusiastic mind-set.

Log in, check the birthday report, check the 30-60-90 day report and quickly review client files to keep your attention on their needs. Then email then check in, mention a few things you came across. Set expectations of success for the client. Let them know when you want to re-run their body comp or when you want to re-assessments some other performance metric. When clients understand that results should happen within a certain amount of time, it’s like telling a student when their homework to due.

Review their hopes and dreams, short, long term goals. If you can build in the daily habit of using your client database to keep a tab on every client…. the better chances you’ll have of actually helping them.

When your clients succeed, so do you.

The more supportive you can be to a client by doing whatever it takes to get them to the next level the more you will succeed. Remember there are tutorial videos in the library (and on each page) that show you how every aspect of the system works. Hopefully you’ve starting to use the “Online Program” and “Performance and Assessment Tracking” sections that we’ve recently added. By simplifying and enhancing this process will make your life easier.

There are multiple places within the client control panel and in the “Advanced Reporting” section to shoot them an e-mail after reviewing their file. You could also access their phone number to shoot them a quick text … all at the tip of your fingers. As always, “Hit me up”, give us some feedback and share any insights or ideas! We are determined to deliver the #1 most impactful tool for our Industry.

Power of Reporting in Communication:

Having a system to report your data makes a huge difference in the service you provide by giving you a solid foundation to communicate. When you have access to multiple points of data across the population of your clientele accessible from anywhere at any time, it helps you keep a pulse, not only on your clients or your employees, but also yourself. It simplifies accountability for all by keeping everyone on the same page. This empowering tactic when implemented renders your client powerless against their own words and condition and helps to put them squarely in the drivers seat of their own outcomes … with your guidance.

With the right strategy and systems in place, this two step client communication guide will help to bullet-proof your business.

Mike

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Data driven systems are the future of every Industry including ours.

Discover how health club chains, small business owners / managers, and independent Fitness Professionals are saving time, staying organized by simplifying their client on-boarding

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