No one has time to re-invent the wheel over and over again.
But if you’re trying to sell a program that’s called bootcamp in the early morning and after work, just like every other fitness trainer and club, every time you do it you have more competition.
Unless there’s something new, shiny, and fun about your program or you have the best and only trainers in town … who serve a VERY SPECIFIC niche better than anyone… you’re going to have a dropping participant rate every time.
A couple things to clarify that are your problem to fix…first, before you even read further:
- If you’re just throwing a net out to catch “anyone” who wants to workout in the early morning or at 5:30 after work… 2005 called and wants it’s program back. Those days are over. The more specific you are the better. An early morning session for working moms who want to lose fat and learn how to lift weights to lose weight …is much more specific than an “intervals bootcamp.”
- Overdeliver. Work on not just being a paid personal training class going on in the room next door to the free session that looks just like it. A customer can’t tell the difference. And if you don’t have a BOOM answer to how personal training is different, you lose. If you can’t say how it’s different…if every one in your agency can’t say how it’s different, why do it?
Now…if you have that junk in the trunk out of your way… jump down to this:
Bonuses are the answer.
So you have a program that serves a specific niche and has a name that tells exactly what it is… that you offer 5 times a year. That’s what I did as a personal training director, and as a personal trainer before that. Two eight week programs in spring and fall and one over the summer.
When you discover what people want and create a program based on those wants and needs, do it again and again. Then breath life into it every time with a new set of bonuses.
Here’s why bonuses don’t work for most trainers: they don’t want to go to the work of creating them. Or spending extra time. What?
You create a cool bonus ONE time that you can use for many people… then re-purpose so that it becomes a freebie later to attract the same kind of market (that you create a different bonus for). That one little time spend is a valuable tool in making the game bigger for you and the results so much better for customers.
What makes a compliment to your program? What would get them even better, more effective results?
In the case of a personal training program, nutrition is a natural.
- You don’t have to write a cookbook! Just collect recipes … from other trainers…members…dietitians… or from cookbooks or blogs (and ask permission then give credit).
- Or give a “free” breakfast smoothie at the end of every session to the VIP bonus recipients.
- Give coupons worth $$$ for massage, swim lessons, shakes… valued at something worth it.
- Give more time. Do a once a week coaching call with your entire group..to talk about nutrition or sleep, stress, or have another staff member do it.
So you can see above there are two steps to determining awesome bonuses that are going to get people MORE excited about your old programs:
1. Choosing a bonus that makes it more effective, simplifies the steps, guarantees the ease of sticking to it…
2. Deciding how to deliver it (pdf book, live coaching time, webinar, phone calls)
Now’s the time (if you didn’t do it two weeks ago) to be determining your bonuses. If you’re not full but already offering registration and have some in it…it doesn’t matter. You give one to everyone already in and to those who register after you advertise the bonus.
The best know how to make a good program – that’s rock solid all by itself – attract more customers by adding extras.