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15 Client Retention Strategies
Hey there… it's Chris, hope you're good… I want to thank you if you left a comment for me on this post the other day… lot's of great feedback on what I should do to get back into killer shape… thank you so much and I wanna let you know I've been hitting the workouts hard and eating super clean… I've been out of the game for a few years now and it feels great to be back into it.
Ok, now check it out… it AMAZES me how poor of a retention rate a lot of trainers and boot camp instructors have… it seems clients leave quicker then they come in… if this sounds like you.. OR if you have a pretty good client retention rate but would like to improve it… then you're definitely gonna wanna read the rest of this post… especially tip # 7… which may be straight up evil… but it works like crazy.
A client who stays for one month is typically worth about $150-$600 for most trainers… but a client who stays for two years is worth an average of $3600 – $14,400 … PLUS they're a lot more likely to refer people… so in the end they're WORTH way more then the client who only trains for a month or two.
Here are some ways you can DRAMATICALLY increase client retention rates…
1. Put clients on longer contracts – Steve Hochman did an awesome post about this recently here
A few ways to get new clients to sign up on longer contracts is
- Offer a ridiculously high rate for shorter contracts and a much better rate for a year long agreement – The only reason you'd have the month-to-month rate on there is too make the year agreement look so damn affordable
- Tell people if they do the year contract and want to get out of it all they have to do pay the monthly difference between the month-to-month rate and the year rate
- Offer a "Fit for Life" guarantee, where if someone signs up for a year agreement, and if they ever get out of shape again after the year, you'll train them for no cost until they get back into shape… but ONLY offer this guarantee on your year long agreements… and don't worry about having to train people for free, VERY few people will actually stick you to the guarantee… but it sure will get a lot more people to commit to a year
One of the main reasons I like year agreements is that I find once people have stuck with it for a year, your training has become such a part of their life that they often stay for many years… our average client who sign up for a year is with us over three years.
2.Use EFT/ auto-debit… if they don't wanna do auto-debit, simple… have them pay the balance of the training ( like the year) upfront in cash or check… trying to get monthly cash or checks from people is a total waste of time, a painful process and turns you into a bill collector instead of a trainer… stick with EFT and if they insist on paying cash or check then insist on the entire amount of the training upfront… PERIOD.
Oh yeah, and have the contracts continue after the term… so if someone signs up for a year, after 12 months you should still be billing them.
3. Gift people about 30 days before their contract is up with you – a simple gift card to a nice restaurant can go along way in upping retention rates
4. Call your clients on a regular basis to pump them up and tell them how proud of them you are
5. Change the workouts up so people don't get bored
6. Train groups so there's a social aspect to your workouts
7. DO what Steve Hochman does… train a bunch of hot girls for free in your boot camps and group workouts… and all they have to do is flirt with the guys in the workouts… this will skyrocket retention of your male clientele base… is it shady? I don't think so… in Steve's mind he'll do WHATEVER it takes to get people into shape… and if that includes seeding the workouts with hot flirty girls… so be it… this technique has made Steve a TON of money
8. Send out birthday and holiday cards to your clients
9. Listen to and meet their needs
10. It goes without saying but NEVER flake or be late on a client
11. Push people harder then they would push themselves… WITHOUT making the workout sheer torture
12. Make the workouts fun… and if you're a funny person, by all means let it shine in your sessions, cuz if you can make people actually enjoy working out, you've won half the battle
13. Recognize peoples achievements in front of others
14. Make your clients like themselves most when they're around you… treat them the way Dale Carnegie says to treat people in "How to Win Friends and Influence People"
15. Get your clients results… if they look in the mirror and look a helluva lot better now then when they started with you… you'll most likely be training then for a MUCH LONGER period of time.
Those are just some of the quick and easy ways off the top of my head to increase client retention… which at the end of the day means a helluva lot more money in your pocket
Let me know a few of YOUR favorite client retention strategies in the comment section below.
Oh yeah, and by the way… I'm now offering a payment plan on my coaching program… you can learn more about it by clicking here
Comments on 15 Client Retention Strategies
Just be like a friend – that's what you are. You are a "legal" drug dealer – you get paid to get results – yes…but you will never get results if your clients don't stay around long enough and sometimes…just sometimes it's all about making them FEEL good – whatever that may mean to them
Last week I gave a client 3 different kinds of teas in a plastic bag because she had a cold – who does that? friends? maybe family? maybe? personal trainers? friggin never – be different – go the extra mile without even thinking about it – that's success in a bottle.
what's up Chris? Hope the film is going well – o..RIP Michael Jackson
Yo Chris,
Awesome tips mate… they are all killer…
A fave of mine is create an experience for the client… something that they will not soon forget and will tell everyone about it.. and yes this probably means being a little crazy
Thanks again mate
AT
Dude,
"I dunno; how'd the Bay of Pigs go, LLOYD!!!!"
Great GREAT stuff as usual. You rock. Good luck trimmin' libs in the coming months.
Dude, you must create the ultimate experience for your clients.
Make it a kick ass time, let them forget they are even "working"
They should be having so much fun that they consistently pay, stay and refer.
In addition, if you do it all right, as my bruddah pauly reddick says, you will create "fear of disconnect"
Your clients will NOT want to miss out on that annual rafting trip, the cook out, the gathering at the local pub, or whatever it is that is only allowed to members
Exclusivity baby – you're either with us, or you're training at that other lame ass place where nothing cool ever happens!
Now sit down son!
Peace!
–z–
When you hold these rules, fitness really becomes the best job in the world and easiest way to make money without a gun –
Awesome post Chris -
Here's one I've been using recently:
Give your client a t-shirt with your name on it. Seriously. Big bold print right on the front:
"John Doe Is My Personal Trainer".
What can I say? People are brand-loyal…
Chris this was an ill post man. If I wasn't married I would kiss you…lol just kidding man
You would whoop my you know what
But as Zach said people want and experience. Yesterday I was doing Micheal Jackson moves while there were getting their asses kicked.
This post has given me some ideas to act on and get crazy.
One thing if you can make people laugh off the pain they are getting in boot camp they will stick around too.
They laugh so much they forget that I was in grunt units while I was stationed in the ARMY.
A sense of humor is key.
I suggest..
George Carlin
MArtin Lawrence
Richard Pryor
Eddie Murphy
Also if you can make a prospect laugh hard over the phone also while bringing out their pain and frustrations of why they want to lose the weight that is another way to seal the deal also.
Nii
Great ideas, honestly, I love the gifting and remembering their birthday ideas, it's the little things that count!
Another good way of not only rewarding but broadening reach/potentially gaining new clients is to hold regular free fitness classes/fitness and diet seminars for all of your clients, giving them the opportunity to bring one friend for free. It's great and social, an opportunity to sell without selling to their friends and a good way to make them feel they're part of something exclusive.
Ha ha ha, I can't believe (well I actually can) that Steve H gets hot chicks into bootcamps for free to flirt with the guys – absolutely hysterical!
And there's me doing it all myself all this time…
Great post Chris, and thanks everyone else for the cool ideas too. It's some of the stuff that we take for granted everyday but it's so true that going just a little extra for your client will keep them, and keep them talking. Ben, love the t-shirt idea!
I personally like #13 because people LOVE when you talk about them in front of the rest of the group and how much they are kicking ass!
"Easiest way to make money without a gun"…Good one Kaiser.
I just recently started bootcamps but I can already say I'll neeeever go back to one-on-one.
And Zach, the annual rafting trips-idea sounds AWESOME….I'm looking into that!
More great tips as usual. I love Hochman's idea of the hot chics. It's a win-win for everyone
Hey Chris,
I love the offer of a 'Fit for Life' guarantee, something i will be implementing ASAP…
One thing that has made a huge difference for my organisation is for all clients that sign up for 12 months, they get a Succeed shirt, hat, beanie, drink bottle & coffee mug. THis has been killer for me and a huge way to market your business at a very cheap rate. I still some of the originaly shirts we handed out 4 years ago. People are very loyal and love wearing that sort of stuff…
Great post mate.
Scotty
Thanks for the great tips!!!
Chris,
Once again – love your content!
Great tips! Put some into action this week!
Stay Healthy,
Matt
Thanks for the post – awesome content as always.
Whenver I assess clients, I explain to them where they are, and where they need to go with objective numbers – strength measures, body comp measures, etc. Then I show them where we have to start – the Foundation – and simply explain to them that if they want to do this right and keep it for life, we've got to go step by step – no rushing.
is it even possible to be any cooler than fucking steve hochman?