Despite the fact that it is a crucial part of running of successful business, many fitness professionals fail to build a customer database. Tracking current and prospective clients is a vital source of future business for your fitness training services. It can also provide specific details about a particular client, such as preferred exercises or workout days, as well as any related health information. A well-maintained customer list is the first step to selling fitness.
This list can be used to encourage existing (or potential clients) to refer more clients, provide valuable, useful fitness information and promote the sales of fitness products.
Professionals providing fitness training services are likely to keep between 20 and 30 customers at any given time. The exception to this would be studios, which may be able to accommodate more. If you are operating on a small scale, loss of a few customers could severely cripple your business. By keeping a list of prospective clients, you can maximize your profitability and offer your fitness business services to a wider range of individuals. As soon as a client leaves, you can quickly review your list and contact potential future clients, hopefully filling the empty spots.
Experienced professionals know how to sell fitness training services to their clients while simultaneously widening their customer base. This may be difficult to achieve if your business model is based entirely on selling fitness training services. As a trainer, you can only devote a fixed number of hours to a fixed number of clients. Failing to do so will overwhelm you and create tension between you and your clients. By finding the right balance between your fitness training services and related product sales, you will have something to fall back on, if need be. During tough economic times, it is important to have a large database of customers and diversity of income. If one source of income does not work, another is likely to work and provide a stream of revenue.
Your database will also help you to distinguish between fitness and product customers. Being able to separate the clients enrolled in your fitness training services and those buying products from you will help to add depth and volume to your long-term marketing plan. The larger your customer base, the security brought to your business and the more stable your future fitness training services. This is critical in times like this.
Another important part of successfully promoting fitness training services is to manage your time effectively. Focus your time and energy on high return activities and outsource the rest. Of the hours invested in marketing, approximately 30-50% should be invested in customers outside of your regular client list. Devote the remainder of your time to current customers using up-sell, resell and cross-sell strategies. Market your fitness training services with a discount, special offer, or long-term bonus.
By taking the right approach and using the most effective techniques, you will soon see your business start to expand. Keep your services current and don’t hesitate to advertise your fitness business services at every available avenue. Research the best ways to market yourself without breaking your budget, and enjoy the steady stream of new clients the latest techniques invite.
Nitin Chhoda has a blog on personal trainer marketing . His physical therapy newsletter is available with a money-back guarantee.
