| Most nice fitness facilities sell themselves based on | | | | The percentage used to calculate the bonus may vary |
| club size, type and age of equipment, cleanliness and | | | | based on longevity and production. Both programs give |
| fun atmosphere. But in this increasingly competitive | | | | trainers reasons to work harder and take those extra |
| environment, to retain members, fitness clubs | | | | hours. |
| increasingly rely on add-on services, chiefly, personal | | | | Client incentives also have a place since they serve to |
| training. But it isn't just a matter of adding the service | | | | motivate the trainers. I prefer a Client of the Month |
| because running a successful personal training | | | | program, in which a trainer will nominate a client and |
| operation requires a different set of management skills | | | | set specific goals for a three-month period. After |
| needed to run a fitness club. | | | | documenting progress, the trainer will present their |
| If a large fitness club is clean and the equipment is up | | | | client to the rest of the staff and plead their case why |
| to date the customers will for the most part be happy. | | | | that client should win. A Weight Loss Challenge is |
| However, a thriving personal-training business requires | | | | based on the same idea. Participating clients win prizes, |
| a more personal touch. That means knowing people | | | | and trainers often take pride in the results. |
| by name and a little something about them. Clients are | | | | Design a unique fitness program for each client |
| paying a lot of money for training and they want to | | | | Some clubs and trainers cut corners on personal |
| feel appreciated in a country club kind of way. Good | | | | training. I have seen many a health-club trainer review |
| relationships attract new clients, keep existing ones | | | | a client's goals, current fitness level and nutrition, just to |
| and ultimately determine the presence and level | | | | set up the same generic workout regimen that was |
| profitability. | | | | given to the previous client. I know a woman in her |
| Hire the right personal trainers | | | | 40's who was doing the same weight lifting program |
| How do you put together a winning personal training | | | | as a 29-year-old professional cyclist trying to make the |
| business program? It all begins with the hiring and | | | | Olympic team. |
| training of your personal trainers. Hiring a certified | | | | And while generic training programs are a problem, the |
| personal trainer does not always mean you are getting | | | | opposite can be true too. At some clubs, each trainer |
| an experienced and professional fitness trainer. | | | | favors a certain program, and there is no consistency |
| Personal trainers should be well versed in dealing with | | | | from one trainer to another. In that scenario, if a trainer |
| many different types of people and possess strong | | | | leaves the job, then a lot of clients are likely to depart |
| people skills. Knowledge of exercise and fitness | | | | as well. I know a woman who had a terrific trainer with |
| training methodologies is an important quality, but | | | | a very customized program. When the trainer left the |
| creating a connection with your clientèle is an | | | | club, she was ready to leave too until the manager |
| imperative. | | | | convinced her to try another trainer. Unfortunately it |
| A fitness club should integrate personal trainers into the | | | | was like Mars and Venus. The new trainer couldn't |
| system-so that they know the protocols and | | | | have been more different than the first, so the |
| procedures of the facility. These include: program | | | | frustrated client decided to make the longer drive to |
| design, specific exercise instruction, nutritional advice | | | | see the old trainer at a new facility. Eventually she let |
| and other fitness-related questions. It takes more than | | | | her membership at the club lapse. |
| just knowing how to use the equipment to be | | | | Plan smart and treat your personal trainers well |
| successful with fitness clients. Personal trainers are | | | | Some club owners have come to accept that |
| called personal trainers for a reason after all! | | | | personal trainers come and go, that trainers |
| Give your personal trainers incentives to stay and | | | | occasionally leave them high and dry or try to steal |
| thrive | | | | their clients. This is true if the club alienates its staff or |
| The fitness club owner must put in a place a system | | | | does a poor job of managing the personal-training |
| to retain high quality and successful personal trainers. | | | | operation. If treated fairly and managed properly, |
| After spending time and money to train its personal | | | | however, trainers and their clients will stick around. Club |
| trainers, the fitness club's management needs to think | | | | owners shouldn't shy away from starting a personal |
| about incentives to get them to be happy and stay. | | | | training-operation because they fear losing staff or |
| One incentive program that we have found to be | | | | members. Rather, they should have an organized |
| successful is to award paid vacations based on the | | | | system, hire the right people, train them properly and |
| total hours the personal trainer bills over an year period. | | | | set up an incentive program. In short, train the trainers. |
| This is beneficial to the personal trainers and its good | | | | Just remember, a costly and effective marketing |
| for the fitness facility's bottom line. Year-end bonuses | | | | campaign can bring in new members to a health club, |
| based on total volume and earnings for the previous | | | | but it's the quality of the trainers that keeps people |
| year are also an effective way to reward good work. | | | | coming back! |