As personal trainers, we know that the holiday season brings its unique set of challenges – client disengagement and an array of distractions are just the tip of the iceberg. But here’s the twist: the festive season also presents a golden opportunity to strengthen client relationships and grow business. Why? Because this is the time when your guidance and motivation are needed the most.
In this article, we’ll dive into strategies that will not only keep your clients on track but also help you stand out as a personal trainer who means business, even amidst the holiday cheer. Remember, it’s all about maintaining that crucial client engagement, and I’m here to show you exactly how to achieve that with finesse and effectiveness.
Understanding the Holiday Mindset
Who doesn’t love the holidays? The work involved may not be fun, but the meals are usually fantastic, aren’t they? My point is that if you’re going to connect with your clients and keep them on-point, you’ll need to understand where they are coming from. That means trying to understand what they are thinking and be sympathetic to them to help motivate them.
As Andy Rooney(1), famous for his segment in the show ’60 Minutes’ once said, “One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.”(2)
The holidays, as fun as they are, tend to impact client motivation and commitment levels. That’s why you, as their trusted personal trainer, must help motivate them and help them keep their commitments to themselves through the holiday season.
Remember, the holidays are like a giant wave. If you fight it, you’ll get pulled under. However, if you grab a surfboard, you can ride the wave all the way. With that bit of analogy out of the way, consider how you’ll keep track of all of the communications between you and your clients. I’ve got an idea. Let’s look at the Elite Trainr app for managing your client’s communications (and workouts, nutrition tracking, and more).
Leveraging Technology for Engagement
During the holidays, when clients start bending schedules, it can become a challenge to keep track. Furthermore, if you’re growing your clientele, it can become even more of a challenge.
For maintaining track of clients, the best thing you can do is get started with a robust platform – that is, an application built specifically for the purpose. Let me introduce you to my app, Elite Trainr.
You can use Elite Trainr for managing not only your client communications but also building and deploying workouts, tracking client fitness goals and nutrition, and more.
Personalization and Customization
Earlier, when I said more, I meant you can also have a brandable dashboard to manage your clients and invite them to interact using the app as well. When they log in, they’ll see the logo and branding you’ve input for a best-in-class experience.
You’ll have unmatched professionalism with a professional dashboard supported by over 3,000 animated GIFs for simple workout creation and deployment during the holidays.
Client Communication Strategies – A Deeper Dive
In the past, I’ve used different methods to keep in touch with clients. On Elite Trainr, everything you need to do this is all in one convenient place. However, there are strategies that you can employ using Elite Trainr that will help better your goals over the holidays.
Using Elite Trainr’s communication features, try these strategies to get higher buy-in from your clients during this holiday season:
- Incorporate Festive Activities: Suggest incorporating holiday-themed workouts or challenges to keep things fun and engaging—for example, a ’12 Days of Fitness’ challenge.
- Set Realistic Goals Together: Acknowledge the holiday season’s challenges and set achievable goals. It could mean maintaining current fitness levels rather than focusing on improvement.
- Encourage Mindful Eating, Not Restriction: Educate your clients on enjoying holiday treats in moderation rather than imposing strict dietary restrictions, which can lead to a negative mindset.
- Celebrate Achievements: Recognize even small victories. This positive reinforcement can boost morale during a potentially overwhelming time.
- Plan for Post-Holiday Regimen: Help your clients look ahead and plan for after the holidays. It creates a sense of continuity and purpose.
Get More Out of Client and Fitness Trainer Communications
Here are some strategies I’ve used that you can try to ensure your clients are on track:
Maintain a Regular Communication Schedule
One of the most essential parts of your communications should be keeping a regular schedule regarding client communications. When clients are expecting a contact point, it’s easier to deliver the right message and ensure they hear it.
According to studies(3), people spend between 50 and 80% of their workday in communications with others. Communication is at the root of everything we do, so don’t neglect it and set a scheduled contact check-in.
Try using the Elite Trainr app as your branded platform – you can easily keep track of client communications and do your scheduled check-ins, too, all in the same app.
Promote Your Brand With Motivational Messaging
A communication strategy that works really well is to ensure you maintain consistent branding while delivering a motivational message. For example, you could schedule a daily motivational quote or phrase to keep your clients motivated and show your branding to them at the same time. Consistent branding, included with a positive message, can be a powerful influence.
Speaking of consistent branding, that’s one feature that you need to know about in Elite Trainr. The application enables you to input your branding. It’s what they call ‘white labeling’, and what it means is that you look like a fitness rockstar with a professional logo, making the dashboard branded and looking professional to your clients when they open the app.
Offer rewards or Introduce Challenges To Promote Engagement
I mentioned making festive activities earlier, but making challenges is a great idea. You can create custom workout challenges inside the Elite Trainr app, taking advantage of the 3000+ animated GIFs. The sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can do with this app to help you maintain client buy-in over the holidays. If you’re not using it yet, you (and your clients) are missing out.
Elevating Holiday Fitness: Your Blueprint for Holiday Success
You’ve got the strategies: festive activities, realistic goal-setting, mindful eating, celebrating achievements, and planning post-holiday regimens. It’s like having a secret recipe for client engagement. Remember, you’re not just a trainer; you’re a coach, a motivator, and a beacon of inspiration.
Your task? Harness the power of communication, branding, and technology. Make each interaction count, infuse your brand’s essence into every message, and use Elite Trainr to streamline and amplify your efforts for the best buy-in of the season.
Further Reading You’ll Find Useful
- The 17 Best Winter Workouts To Keep Fitness Clients Motivated
- Coaching Through The Holidays: Tips To Keep Your Fitness Clients On Track
- Ignite Your Fitness Career: How to Get Personal Training Clients Fast
Article Sources
- Wikipedia Contributors. 2023. “Andy Rooney.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. November 30, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Rooney.
- “BrainyQuote.” 2023. BrainyQuote. BrainyQuote. 2023. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/andy_rooney_676226.
- Klemmer, E T, and Fairmont Snyder. 1972. “Measurement of Time Spent Communicating.” Journal of Communication 22 (2): 142–58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1972.tb00141.x.
