**Double-check your email for accuracy to ensure you receive the report.To Make More Money… Just Listen
A Fitness Marketing Post by Chris McCombs
If you're a long time reader of this blog you might have this one handled, but you'd be amazed that more trainers DON'T have this one handled than DO have it handled.
Lemme explain…
The other night I was out with my wife Sarah at one of our favorite restaurants… Nick's down in Laguna Beach… awesome food.
Anyway, the couple next to us was on their first date, pretty sure they met on the internet… he was a white dude about sixty and she was an Asian woman probably in her mid-forties.
What was awesome was to hear to dude go on and on about how worldly he was, how he's been to this country and that country, and he takes his private boat everywhere he goes, and how owns a high end consulting firm, and how his son from his 2nd marriage is the captain of the football team, and how he's into only the finest of wines and on and on and on… he didn't let her say a thing besides "really" and "oh my"
He woulda had a better shot with her if he woulda just leaned back and listened a little and maybe shown some interest in her instead of trying to impress her so much by talking about how worldly he is.
Ya know, a lot of fitness trainers make this SAME mistake... a new client will come in and they'll try to impress em' with how many certs they have, how many years they've been training, their knowledge of anatomy ( throwing out one big scientific word after another) and how they're gonna improve the persons look / health / lifespan / posture / core / waistline and golf swing all in one…. by doing this, this, this and that.
Actually, a way to get much better results in terms of sales is to just listen to what the person wants, show them you understand, sell them on their hot buttons ( selling them on what they WANT ) and then giving them the nutritional and exercise guidance that they NEED to get there.
Like this, it's simple…
LISTEN to them and find out what THEY WANT
Show them that you CARE ( and if you don't care, then… well, that's like REAL bad… but I'm pretty sure 99% of the readers of this blog do DO care about their clients getting what they want)
Sell them on WHAT THEY WANT
Then in the workouts, give them WHAT THEY NEED so can get WHAT THEY WANT.
Seriously, most people could care less about the certifications, years of experience and knowledge of anatomy... a FEW do… and these things CAN play a big factor in how good of a trainer you are, but they won't help you sign people up, and a lot of trainers put way to much emphasis on this stuff, and talk about it way too much during the initial consultation and trial workout… that it actually hurts their conversions by quite a bit.
The 20 year old girl who wants to look better ONLY wants to hear about looking better… and she wants to know that you CARE that she does in fact end up looking better.
The 45 year male entrepreneur who wants to have more energy and hit the golf ball farther only wants to hear about how much more productive he's gonna be when he has more energy ( he's thinking 'more energy = more productivity = more money he's gonna make' ) .. and how your workouts are gonna help him one-up his buddies every Saturday morning on the golf course… and he wants to know that you sincerely care about making this happen.
You? … they could pretty much care less about you ( or me, or any other trainer for that matter), they could care less about your certs, your years of experience and how you can name every muscle in the human body.
They just wanna know you can get them where they wanna go, and they wanna know you care about getting them there
And about the dude on the date that night at Nick's, I wonder if he hooked up with her or got a second date?… somehow I doubt it
Like I said, if you're a long time reader of this blog you've probably got this one handled… but a little reminder of the basics is always nice.
Would love to hear your comments below.
Comments on To Make More Money… Just Listen »
hey chris,
always great content. you get so focused on the more involved things with marketing and getting more exposure, a little reminder of the simple stuff is always great. Keep it up buddy.
Josh Henri
Solid Ground Personal Training
Gresham, OR
I didn't really realize this at when I was studying to be a trainer. Making your clients really believe that you really care. Is one of the most important things in training. Plus, I think clients work a lot harder for you, when they like you.
Yeah, I think the 'sell them what they want, give them what they need' principle ties into the fact that 'logic is your worst enemy'. The worst thing I see guys do with girls is try to IMPRESS them.
If you know you have a six-pack - tell her to enjoy it while it lasts because you're about to have some pizza.
If you're well-dressed and make loads of $, tell her you live with your parents and have to be home by 8pm.
Nothing's more beautiful than going on a date with a girl and not talking about yourself ONE bit. Let her find out that you drive a Bentley when she sees you drive off after you refused to kiss her on the first night.
And of course all this goes with your clients as well. Disqualify yourself from 'needing' them as your client and they will be naturally attracted to your service, practically begging you to swipe their credit card.
As usual, i could not have said it better myself Chris. Last week I actually went to 12 gyms in my area and posed as a potential training client. I'm in the process of opening a studio and I was initially going out to maybe learn some new closing techniques and what I heard from these guys blew my mind! In fact I got 12 lessons on how not to close clients. I said I was getting ready for a fitness comp and I needed an "advanced trainer" who has trained bodybuilders in the past. All I heard was the long list of letters behind their name and how long they've been training. When I told them that I didn't give a sh*t if Jonny was a Kinesiologist, they told me I was "undereducated in the game of bodybuilding"….this actual comment came from a dude who lives on a stability ball. Brutal!
Anyway, Chris is right. The bottom line is Listen to your prospects, get them emotional and sell to those emotions. There's a reason Chris always talks about, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" because half of what Carnegie talks about is listening to people. People LIKE people who listen to them….and people BUY from people they like, 'nuff said.
I see that to often. What is the point of having a "conversation" with someone if you will not let the other person get a word in, such a waste of time. You could just talk to yourself
Great tip Chris!
This client-centred approach applies to every single session with a client, as well as the initial consultation. Keeps client focused on their goals, and constantly reinforces in client's mind (subtly of course) that it's your well-crafted sessions that are moving them towards their new muscular/slim/shapely body.
One of my clients told me a story about their previous trainer who would talk endlessly about his love-life throughout the session, while sitting eating doughnuts. No kidding! Needless to say, that trainer didn't last long.
Hey Chris
Couldn't agreed more with what you blogged. Many fitness professionals I know are so into their qualifications and ignoring the fact their clients' need is the most important.
Hey Chris,
Yes, that was perfect. I just read a book by John C. Maxwell and in his book Becoming a Person Of Influnece. The only way your going to get people to follow you is by listening. When I meet with new clients I make sure I find their NEEDS and WANTS from my program then we can get on to getting them results
Hey Chris,
Spot on as always.
Guys and girls take note… this ain't just about listening to your clients. It's also about listening to your wife, husband, mum, dad, friends, family.. etc.
Your ability to shut up and listen and genuinely care about that person in front of you has a huge impact on your business and on your life.
As trainers we are also seen as leaders. We lead our clients to the promised land (or it is assumed we ought to be doing that) and if we haven't it is usually due to a break down in communication. Either you didn't listen to your client or they haven't listened to you.
Remember this… Whatever influences YOU… DOES NOT necessarily influence your client. You have to find out what influences them and exactly what it is they want. Oh and by the way… their first answer is usually not the true answer. It's like an onion… you may need to peel a few layers to get to the core.
To do that all you need do is ask questions… and as Chris said LISTEN… and truly listen. Be totally present for your client and give them the attention they won't get from your competitors and you will have a client for life.
By the way.. alot of people will tell you what they don't want str8 up… you ask.. "So why are you here" they say "well I don't want this big gut anymore" …
Your response might be… ok great.. what else don't you want?
and they will happily continue to tell you what they don't want… until you break there pattern and say ok great so NOW.. what do you want.
Ultimately what we all want is to feel good… our clients come to us why? to lose weight, or lose fat, or drop 10 pounds, or look better, or have more energy, or be more attractive… there are hundreds of reasons… but in the end it all comes down to 1 thing.. feeling good.
Now! To really listen to a person is to step into their world and by that I mean stepping into their shoes so to speak.
Ways to do that?… Well one key way is to use their language… as Chris mentioned above… and they will feel really heard by you
Other ways might be tonality or body language. 55% of all communication is body language and being present and really connecting with your client also means assuming their body language to a certain extent.
If you are the dominant, often loud and dynamic type and you have a new potential client come in who is shy, small and meek and you behave like you normally would and fail in the areas above… you won't convert them.. and even if you do they won't stick around unless one of you makes a change. Either they step and and are loud too or you meet them in their own world by toning it down a little. Or you really end up understanding who they are and how they function inside their head.
That's not to say you pretend to be someone you are not… it just means you are respectful of their world and the way they do things which then gives you 100% more chance of being able to influence them long term.
Anyways there is so much we can discuss about communication and rapport etc. it isn't even funny.
Bottom line… Listen, understand and appreciate their world/words etc. and ask questions that will have your client go inside themselves to look for the answer… cuz that's where the honesty lies.
All the best
AT
Chris,
you are absolutely right. People don't care how much you know until the know how much you care. One really good sales book that has helped me a ton in truly trying to understand where a person is coming from is by - Mahan Khalsa - Let's Get Real Or Let's Not Play-definteley worth reading if you want to step up your sales game…
As alway great content Chris.
thanks,
jamie
Oh man ,this is soooo true.I hear trainers rambling on all the time and then you look at their client and they are of daydreaming and losing interest!
Great reminder tho Chris, it is good to get back to basics and keep it simple!!!
People should read and reread the book
How To Win Friends and InFluence People
great way to remind us and keep it fresh for those
of us that know the prinicples of human behavior and
the psychology of influence Chris.
I remember how way back when i first started i would throw up
on people by telling them big words about muscles in the body and the function and late i figured out that i was not speaking their language.
once i changed that and they was sincere and they realized i really did care about them and what they wanted they then cared and asked me for my 2 cents.
Great post Chris.
Merrick is right, the Dale Carnegie book is amazing and I know Chris references it a lot. It is stuff that you read and seems so simple, but yet so few people practice these things that they are amazing when you actually see them in every day life! Who would have thought something as simple as CARING and LISTENING would make you the most popular trainer around?
I missed Alberto's post above when I made mine, but he is absolutely right that you need to SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE! I used to scoff when I would see people use terms like "flatten your tummy" and call them low brow, but the females looking to lose weight wanted to hear exactly that!
Talking about strengthening their core and building isometric strength endurance to ensure a healthy back and functional movement … you totally LOSE the person!
Dude, That was so funny- Super irritating guy and I def. felt bad for that poor girl having to listen to most likely made up stories while he gave her no personal attention at all. When we try out new trainers workouts usually we see alot of muscle names going on when its not at all what we look for in a quality trainer.
I totally agree with you on how we as trainers should ask more questions about the prospects goals and not talk about ourselves, like our experience or how many certs and degrees we have. Majority of our prospects don't care about us when they first meet us.
I have learned to let the prospect talk 70% of the time and ask them questions about them 30% of the time. Who doesn't like to talk about themselves?
My sales have increased because I asked the prospect so many questions on why they want to lose weight and they end up talking so much that they end up convincing themselves to buy training.
This is definetly a technique that works very well.
This makes a large impact on client retention as well, when you listen to them and show you care now only is it A LOT easier to close a client but also to keep one.
Thanks bro!
Great post.
A key point that has to be made though is that just because they may not want you to tell them all your fitness and anatomy knowledge and such, DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT IMPORTANT!
I think a few trainers get this idea that just because they can't 'sell it' to clients, they don't need to know it at all.
BS!
It's like Michael said - sell 'em what they want and give 'em what they need. You have GOT to know what they need in order to be a good trainer.
Throwing all your fitness knowledge into the garbage and reading nothing but business books is NOT the way to get your clients the results they want.
Great advice Chris. AlbeRRRto is right… "How to Win Friends & Influence People" is an awesome book. In my opinion the most important section is "Six Ways to Make People Like You". In the last week I have read that one section at least eight times. What I have found is that the more I absorb it the more I apply those principles to my own life.
Great stuff.
Chris M
One of my favorite things to do when i go to the gym is watch trainers train clients. Once in a while you can pick up on a new exercise or a new twist on an old favorite, but I just think it's funny sometimes to hear that stuff that comes out of their mouths– trying to impress or show their stuff.
"Yea just flex the bicep femoris all the way up to the pathagorian theorum and then your neurotransmitters will exacerbate the equalibrium of the antithesis of the algorithm."
Okay, so that was an exaggeration, but you get my point….
Great post Chris. Love it as always.
Hey Chris…here is how I've heard it explained "People Don't CARE How Much You Know Until They Know How Much You CARE!" You are right on the money with this one and so many others. Thank you.
I hear you Leanne! I have been training for 25 years and that seems to be one of the things I see/hear with new trainers. The other thing…sitting down and looking around the gym and looking incredibly bored. I often wonder what their retention is!
Great post as always, Chris…
Simple wisdom from a master
One of the best blog posts I have read recently. Great content Chris and so many awesome comments. . . Adam, Michael, Merrick and everyone, thanks guys!
Personally, I have worn out my old Tony Robbins PowerTalk tapes which present insightful info regarding all of what was addressed in the post/comments. Can't believe I bought that set of tapes over 10 years ago, but the info is still kickass. Check your local library, they might still have them, but probably on DVD by now.
Also remenber what an old boss of mine used to say about using the K.I.S.S. principle. Dazzle your clients with results first then you can impress them with all of your credentials later.
It is all about what the client wants to hear! We are psychologists, psychiatrists, trainers, nutritionists and friends to these people. You need to listen to your client and support them in their quest. I emphasize this to my trainers and I wont hire people with out a personality. ALl the certs in the world dont mean squat if you cant relate to your people. You can explain how the krebs cycle works and bore them to death or you can make a connection with them and guide them down the road to results.
It is essential that you know what youre doing and what you are talking about as well. I asked questions all the time about anatomy physiology,nutrition, etc. If I didnt know what I was talking about my clients wouldnt take me seriously.
You build relationships in this business, some which will last for life.
@Steve Hey man thanks for the good words.. You're spot on with TR's Power Talks… Totally relevant today and always will be.. they are available on CD now but not dvd as they were always audio based… having said that TR has recently started DvD stuff with the Frank Kerns etc. of the world…
@Perry.. couldn't agree with you more… it's funny how easy it is these days to become a Personal Trainer yet as you mentioned we are soooo much more than that and you list those examples…
In essence we all should be charging a minimum 500 per hour lol..
And given we are looked up to and seen as leaders it is vital we continue the path of growth and development be it exercise, nutrition, marketing, blogging etc. when it all comes down to it something you learn from this blog as an example could have a dramatic impact on the lives of one of your clients.. perhaps a marketing tip for their business etc. you just never know
and always look to add continuous value… and listening intently as we have discussed here is one key way..
Cheers
AT
Hey Chris
Killer info! Sometimes we can get carried away with our selves in the fitness world and forget the crucial basics, i am guilty of this…thanks for bringing me back down to earth buddy!!
Cheers
Lewis
listening is one of the greatest any humanbeig can possesed im working daily on my listening skils and is paying up big time. thanks a lot for this great reminder.