I wrote about The First P: Protect a few weeks ago. Protect your business. Protect your clients. Protect yourself. Then, The Second P: Promote last Wednesday. Promote with the right purpose. Promote with the right angle. Promote in the right area. Today, it’s all about walking the walk and practicing what you preach. The Third and Final P: Provide.
There are definitely more than “Three P’s” when it comes to the personal training industry and running a successful business. I could talk about words like patience, perseverance or professionalism. I’m betting that we could explore a whole host of other concepts that don’t start with the letter “P”. But, for the sake of offering up some helpful tid-bits of info on what I consider to rank up there as among the most important, I like starting with: protect, promote and provide.
Provide Results
Provide your clients with the best of you! Once you’ve got the promotion thing down, it’s time to make it happen for your clients. In fact, some trainers are so good at providing results that they can skip the whole promotion thing because they’re supporting clients well enough that they a.) keep coming back (with smiles on their faces) and b.) they send regular referrals. This can only happen if your clients see the physical results that they are paying you for and are receiving full mind-body-and-soul support.
We know that personal training is not just counting reps and cheerleading on the side of a treadmill, but you should make sure that your clients know it too. You have to show your clients what it’s all about. Explain the why’s and why not’s, don’t keep all the “goods” (your knowledge) to yourself. And show them in your own actions – lead by example. Take care of yourself so that you can better take care of your clients. It’s a huge responsibility that you take on every day. To provide real results – you have to get real with your clients, your mind and your health.
Provide Growth
For the most part, when a client comes to you they are seeking someone to help them “get healthier.” This may mean they want to lose weight or maybe they just want to be able to be somewhat active again. Either way, they want to improve their health. But, what many do not count on – growing as human beings. As a personal trainer, you’re equipped to help change people’s lives. You help them to see their worth. You help them to improve their confidence. This makes what you do something incredibly special. If you truly care about your clients and you provide opportunities for growth – you will continue to grow your business and your life.
Provide Passion
This “double P” motto – provide passion – is so important to me that it wraps up this series on The Three P’s of the Personal Training Business. This is not only a motto for personal training, but for your life in general. Do what you mean and mean what you do. If serving others through personal training is your passion, than it will shine through to your clients who will ultimately tell others about your dedication and commitment to them personally. This is a sure fire way to bring in new solid business and build lasting relationships.
But, “more” business isn’t always the most important thing. If your passion is to help others live healthier lives, just think about what your passion can do; think about the snow ball effect it could have on everyone you train. If your passion is contagious, then your clients will subconsciously be paying it forward all over the place. Their lifestyles will forever be changed and it will be impossible for them not to share their new-found knowledge and passion with others – you’re the fuel that drives their fire for fitness!
