The Personal Training Sales Education Textbook
for the
Health Club Industry
Tim N. Tierney
The Personal Training Sales Education Textbook for the Health Club Industry
Copyright 2003 by Tim N. Tierney.
All rights reserved.
Smashwords Edition
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Brought to you by
PT Sales Systems
The Leading Personal Training Sales Educational Provider for the Health Club Industry
http://www.ptsystems101.com
Table of Contents
How to Gain the Absolute Highest Value from this Book
1. Overview of the P.T. Sales Cycle
10. Marketing (inside & outside)
Appendix A : A Complete Sales Script for the Personal Trainer
Appendix B : Questioning Technique Glossary
Appendix C : The P.T. Sales Cycle Outline/ Cheat Sheet
Appendix D : The Library of Master Closes
Acknowledgements
This book is dedicated to the incredible people I have came into contact with over the years. Everyone of these incredible people I have met, have become a number of things to me. They are my teachers and mentors. They are my business associates and clients. They are my employers and employees. The list goes on and on, as does the list of names these titles belong to.
More importantly, these incredible people I have encountered over the years have each given me the honor of allowing me to call them my friends. Each one of these persons has played a role towards the completion of this book. I dedicate this book to each one of these incredible individuals. My Heart and Mind goes out to you.
The list goes on and on
Eddie Carrington
Randy Humola
Naqam Washington
Felicia Banks
Howard Brodsky
Tom Dinatale
Frank Ardito
Dome Paroongsup
Laila Milanian
The 50th St. Personal Training Staff
The "Original" Penta Crew
And of course
my Mom Denise, my Dad Dan, and my two brothers Dan Jr. And Jeff.
Introduction
Just as star professional athletes must prepare for their big event; likewise personal trainers must be well prepared for their first meeting with a potential client. Similar to the champion that has a game plan well written out to ensure a win; the personal trainer must plan out every step of his first client meeting to ensure success. Where success to the athletic superstar is scoring points and winning the game, success to the professional trainer is gaining a client that continues on with the personal training program. The professional athlete must constantly drill the entire plan over and over again to help guarantee no mistakes are made on the field. The trainer must follow the exact same ritual in preparation for their first meeting with a potential new client.
The real importance of the above paragraph is fully realized with this known fact. It doesn't matter how much talent an athlete of any sport possesses. Without a full understanding for the rules of the game, the most gifted players will never reach their full potential in their chosen field. To become a master or expert with a certain skill or trade, first, one must become a master of the basics or fundamentals involved in the art. Then extraordinary results will surely follow.
The Personal Training Sales Business Model is a comprehensive sales system for the Personal Trainer. This textbook translates this complex business model into a simple step-by-step process for the trainer to immediately implement in his/her own health club or gym facility. All the knowledge you need to master this exciting game is now at your fingertips. It is now up to you, to learn these rules and complete the mastery of your chosen profession, just as every other great champion has before you.
As you read the next pages, you will come across a great deal of information containing tips, techniques, and skills that are all crucial in becoming (and of course, remaining) a Personal Trainer.
The techniques and steps contained in this book are useful only if you apply them every chance you get. Not only while you are at work, but while you are relaxing at home or hanging out with your friends. When you are able to do this, the information contained here goes from useful to extremely valuable. A wise man once told me, "To become an expert in anything, you must make it part of your life." To become a successful personal trainer, you must become an expert not only in the fitness field, but also in the art of persuasion and communication.
Do not under-estimate that last sentence. If you are entering this field for the first time and this is the first book you are reading on the subject, I have to say you are going about it the wrong way. The foundation that needs to be built starts with extensive fitness and exercise knowledge ranging from anatomy to physiology; and exercise selection to exercise theory. These are the pillars of knowledge that should be used to build your foundation.
Remember, your clients will see your true intentions. If the majority of your education centers around sales, then they will see you as a salesperson. If, however, you first build a sound education of the above topics and then follow that up with sales and communication training, your clients will see you as someone who is truly trying to help them, and that I hope is why you are reading this book. Not to sell more people, but on the contrary, to help as many people as possible.
When this book was written, taken into account were the differences one can encounter in different health club facilities with different management applying different systems and procedures. The P.T. Sales Cycle is not meant to replace or substitute the management's program or direction. The valuable skills and techniques in this book are used to enhance the personal trainer's performance in any environment or setting.
The result of a properly implemented P.T. Sales Cycle will be directly seen in the number of clients the trainer works with in a day and the pay check amount. These numbers will increase. They will increase dramatically, if you wish. Use the P.T. Sales Cycle to choose where these numbers stop. As a personal trainer, a salesperson, and an entrepreneur you have the power to make this decision.
The differences between health clubs may occur in different states, or between clubs in the same town, but with different owners. The way the facility is managed and the amount and type of members using the facility are just a few of the many variables that can change from establishment to establishment.
The great thing about the skills and techniques of the P.T. Sales Cycle is that they are universal in every health club or fitness related setting, making this system ideal for any personal trainers wishing to put themselves at an advantage over the average trainer. Although the information contained here is valuable to all personal trainers in every aspect of the health and fitness field, trainers in the health club or commercial gym setting were the primary focus of this book.
By narrowing the field of vision, more exact and detailed information was able to be given that is more relative to the personal trainer in this type of environment. The goal of this book is to allow the personal trainer to immediately implement the P.T. Sales Cycle into their client-building process. This goal was most effectively achieved by keeping this strict focus. With that being said, personal trainers who train privately can still greatly benefit from the tips and suggestions by simply customizing each step of the cycle to their unique situation.
We can further narrow our focus by excluding all personal trainers who are happy with their current situation. They are the trainers who are comfortable with where they are or are letting fear stand in their way of success. We can surely exclude them from the focus of this book as these are radical action steps that can be carried out only by the most goal-oriented trainer who is willing to constantly improve themselves through taking action. This book is not for the personal trainer that is content with their current clientele. This step-by-step process is for the true professional, and only they will see the full value of this book.
The best way, and only way as I see it, to help more people and make more money is to Sell on Purpose. I feel I can speak for the personal training community as a whole when I say that we are in this business to help people. We are here to change that person's life for the better, and if we make a little money in the process; well that's just icing on the cake.
The knowledge contained in this book will help you accomplish the above goals. This book will make the entire picture clearer to you, so that you will be in better position to help more people and make more money. This near full proof system that has been created and about to be presented to you has been broken down to such an exact science that the results will literally amaze you and your peers.
How to Gain the Absolute Highest Value from this Book
The information contained in this book is not be handled as if it were a best-selling novel, that you read once or twice and rest it on the bookcase for the rest of its time. No, this book is to be handled as a book of reference. Think of it as an instruction manual for putting a piece of furniture or equipment together. A quick read will only get you so far with the construction before the steps you quickly memorized begin to fade in your mind.
That is why the pages must stay open for your constant reference and study. Being able to check your progress with a proven plan of success makes the assembly of that piece of furniture that much smoother.
Likewise, with the P.T. Sales Education Textbook by your side, your communication and value-building skills will increase at a dramatic rate and make a very strong impact on your performance as a personal trainer.
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Each step of the P.T. Sales Cycle has a Script Page of different scenarios and actual written scripts that are given as examples. The simple memorization of these questions and conversations will increase your effectiveness as a trainer immediately.
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This is to be used in conjunction with the Action Pages that are blank for you to fill in with your own custom scripts and ideas. Whether you choose to build upon the given examples or customize your own script using the steps of the P.T. Sales Cycle, the value of these sections will quickly be realized.
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The high effectiveness of this customized sales process can not be stressed enough. To ensure your continued improvement as a personal trainer, Development Questions have been placed at the end of each chapter encompassing the steps of the P.T. Sales Cycle. These questions should not be used to grade yourself , but rather to make you aware of the areas that can be improved upon by constantly practicing, drilling and rehearsing this in depth material.
By adding your own ideas and scripts to this textbook, you are making it far more valuable than any other book on the market. This statement is an unquestionable truth, simply because by contributing to this book personally, you are making it far more relative to your situation and environment than any author of any other book could do, including myself.
With the most valuable asset a trainer can now own in your hands, you will have an advantage over your competition and consumer. How you choose to use this advantage will separate you from the average and mediocre to the ranks of the true professional and undeniable champion. I wish you success in your journey, and great focus in your reading.
CHAPTER ONE: Overview of the P.T. Sales Cycle
The P.T. Sales Cycle is composed of five steps that lay out the different components of the first workout or meeting with your potential client. By following and constantly improving on each step, improved performance will definitely follow. A larger clientele resulting in higher a income will, without a doubt, be more readily available to you.
Although this book contains hundreds of different sales and value-building techniques and questions, the main focus surrounds the steps of the P.T. Sales Cycle. This is a proven system that has been carried out by the most successful personal trainers in the fitness industry.
There was no 'one' person behind these techniques and skills, it was an accumulation of facts and practical experience that led to the organization of this unique sales system. The P.T. Sales Cycle proves more valuable to the personal trainer than any other piece of information or process when it comes to building their clientele.
The P.T. Sales Cycle is designed to guide the trainer through the initial formal meeting with a prospective client. A prospective client, in this case, is any person who has a desire to change something about themselves. This initial meeting can come in the form of a consultation and/or workout. Some health clubs are also known to offer fitness testing as their consultation.
The P.T. Sales Cycle can be applied to any program although an actual workout with the prospective client is ideal. That is why the P.T. Sales Cycle focuses on an actual training session. It is a common industry standard to offer a complimentary workout session to all members of your establishment. If you are not doing this, then start now.
The importance of the "free workout" cannot be stressed enough. Whether they are new to fitness or just need some pointers on targeting problem areas, the complimentary session introduces and presents the personal training program to the consumer. Every person, whether new or old to exercising, can benefit from the advice of a fitness professional. It is during this time that you are able to fully utilize the steps of the P.T. Sales Cycle and bring out the full value of your service and yourself.
There are two important indicators that need to be compared to determine if your potential client will become a paying client.
Price vs. Value
The trainer has to raise the value level higher than the price. Then, and only then, will the client part with their hard earned money.
By introducing the potential client to the personal training program with a complimentary session you give yourself time to raise this value level to the point where price or money will not be the issue. The reason for this investment of your time is obvious.
The price, in most cases, is pre-determined by your workout facility. If it is you, the trainer, who sets the price; a final figure must be drawn up and written in ink after figuring the costs of operation and desired compensation.
If you can raise the perceived value level above the set price, then a paying client is sure to follow. The steps to do this are simple and clear when a full understanding of the P.T. Sales Cycle is realized.
PART ONE
The Skills and Questions that lay the foundation for the P.T. Sales Cycle
The Communication Skills lay the foundation for the P.T. Sales Cycle. These are the skills that make the P.T. Sales Cycle so effective. They can also be called Relationship Building Skills, because without them, a solid relationship is very difficult, if not impossible to build. When these skills are used properly, the trainer has a distinct advantage in establishing rapport and building trust early on in the new relationship.
The personal trainer who reads the P.T. Sales Education Textbook in its entirety and implements its teachings step-by-step will possess the knowledge to go into any environment or club setting and excel as a personal trainer by helping people realize their goals and signing them up for personal training. You will choose your income, no one else.
CHAPTER TWO Questioning Skillfully
The majority of the words that come out of your mouth should be questions. Questioning techniques are vital to gathering valuable information from your potential client. It is with using questions that the full power of words are realized. What you say, and when and how you say it will determine the answer given to each question.
In the P.T. Sales Cycle, every question has a purpose behind it, making it not only a step-by-step process, but a strategic business model. Every question presented in this book will be explained thoroughly with each appropriate step of the process.
Open and Closed Questions
Every question is either an open or closed question. Every questioning technique that is presented in this book falls under one of these two categories. Which group of questions you ask depends on where you are in the P.T. Sales Cycle.
Open Questions
Open questions encourage people to talk and more importantly to talk about themselves. Open questions work well in the Profile because they prompt people to explain how they feel about something.
One of the main goals with these questions are to bring feelings and emotions to the topic of discussion and to the surface of their conscious minds.
Open questions often start with the following words:
• Who
• What
• Where
• When
• Why
• How
Ten Great Examples of Open Questions
1) "What do you do for work?"
2) "When did you join the gym?"
3) "What are your goals?"
4) "Why do you want to achieve these goals?"
5) "How long has it been since you last worked out?"
6) "Why now?"
7) "Who is supporting you in your decision to exercise?