As a personal trainer, one of the most crucial steps to success is establishing trust and loyalty with potential and new clients. Many trainers choose this career path because of a surge of passion for fitness as it relates to personal success and happiness, coupled with a desire to help others achieve the same. But what doesn’t seem so obvious is that a personal trainer is also a salesman. Trainers do not sell a product; they sell. A lack of self-confidence or a belief that the service is of high value will not convince potential clients of the value of personal training. So, interpersonal skills are a skill that a trainer can never underestimate.
A great way to develop your interpersonal skills is to listen carefully to what a customer is communicating. Read body language and nonverbal cues to determine the emotions behind the words. Promote a relaxed environment to help the client feel as comfortable as possible. Remember that people have very personal reasons for wanting to be fit and healthy. These reasons may be masked by external motivations, such as “I want to look better in a swimsuit” or “I have a wedding next summer,” but in reality, customers are looking for a better lifestyle. It helps to ask the right questions and get clues to these true reasons, but it can take time and relationship building for this truth to be revealed.
Remember, customers are people – real working people – with all the concerns that life brings. Busy lifestyles, high-stress jobs, and the desire to spend more time with family are all priorities. Clients have limited time and energy, and most view being fit as a way to improve their quality of life and help them balance everything by feeling better, looking better, and living healthier. You only need to look at the UK’s top personal trainers to understand that each physiotherapist has a unique blend of education, personal experience and training experience that can be used to build relationships with other people in the same domain. Relativity helps build trust, relationships and credibility among customers.
A trainer with good interpersonal skills knows how to be attentive to his clients through words and actions. Communicate concern for their health and well-being and demonstrate passion by using all available knowledge and resources to help them achieve their goals. Most potential clients have probably already tried to achieve their goals on their own. Meeting with a personal trainer is the first step in considering another path by calling on a professional. And more than likely, help is needed, whether in the form of accountability, a detailed training program, or simply having someone on their side. Many times, the reasons customers seek help can be found simply by asking. Knowing their true desires helps a trainer interact with clients and communicate appropriately how to help them.
Once a contractual agreement is reached with a new client, the work has only just begun. A trainer must demonstrate that what was communicated in the initial meeting is what will actually be delivered. The coach can constantly encourage clients and remind them how each part of the program and workouts is part of the overall process of achieving their goals. By remaining discreet about the details and information clients share, trainers can build trust. Listening carefully and offering sound advice helps reassure clients that they made the right choice in deciding to work with a personal trainer. Loyalty, trust and relationships result from the constant process of convincing clients that they really need a trainer and fitness program, and that their current trainer and program meets those fitness needs. the most efficient way possible.
Written by Josh Douglas-Walton, writer for HFE, the UK’s leading provider of personal trainer courses and fitness qualifications.
Josh Douglas Walton // Content Marketing Manager
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