8 Tips for a Successful Personal Training Demo

1. Preparation equals Professionalism

If you go in for any dentist or doctor’s appointment the receptionist will immediately obtain your file for the Doctor to review and add notes to prior to making any kind of prescription. Similarly a good demo starts with the Trainer reviewing the client’s fitness consultation journal and any Fitness Consultant / Trainer transitional note sheets. To take it one step further, a Trainer should speak with the Consultant prior to each demo to get a better understanding of what the client’s driving wants are and what the major stumbling block is in terms of committing to one of the packages. During the demo the Trainer should have the consultation journal on their clip board and should be adding appropriate notes to the file to assist in the second sales presentation or to use as follow up during the next presentation.

2. Role Play your Key Questions beforehand

Have a list of key questions prepared to use strategically throughout the demo. Questions like “do you think you will remember all these stretches on your own? And do you push yourself this hard when you are working out on your own?” are just as important if not more important that the technical part of the workout. The ability to ask a series of problem, implication and need payoff questions during the personal training demo will allow the client to understand the difficulties and problems associated with trying to attain results on their own and will also allow them to come to the conclusion as to why your solutions are of benefit to them. Review our 30 Minute Demo Sample sheet with unique exercises and key questions spread out throughout the workout. Whether you use that specific model or develop your own exercises, the most important thing is role playing the dialogue with your staff and by yourself before every demo.

3. Use a Variety of Exercises and Progressions

If you review our 30 Minute Demo Sample Sheet you will immediately see that it has nothing to do with putting people on machines. Your demo must include a variety of movements that challenge the client and educates them in terms of mobility, flexibility, intensity and safety. This will also expose numerous weaknesses in terms of core strength, balance, mobility, flexibility and conditioning which will be a fantastic set up for the first conditioning phase of a well thought out periodization plan. Selling personal training for machine based workouts is a major challenge because clients usually have the impression that they can do these types of workouts on their own after only a few sessions of instruction. It’s imperative that you improve your level of knowledge to develop a wide range of challenging programs that continue to stimulate your client’s minds and bodies. If during and by the end of the demo the client believes they could do the workout on their own and just wants you to write out a program card, you need to immediately seek out a new way of training.

4. Provide Educational Handout Materials

Have a handout prepared to give the client at the end of your demo that is not program based. Handing out a program card is totally contradictory to the belief that personal training is much more than written workout programs that they could get on line or pick up in any fitness publication on the news stand. The handout should cover off the basic principles of working with coach from intensity, variety and education, the benefits of multiple phases of training to avoid plateaus and boredom, increased muscle and metabolism, etc. It gives far more ammunition the next time you meet the client because they will be reminded of the main reasons why they are struggling to attain results on their own, and through trial and error will be far more receptive to purchasing training on their next consultation or Member Assistance Session.

5. Enthusiasm is Contagious

You demo has to be entertaining and fun no matter what exercises you’re trying to demonstrate. It’s so important to maintain eye contact, to avoid all distractions and to give your client 100% of your attention and effort. Statements like “I would love to workout with you, or I can’t wait to help you attain your goals” are exactly what get clients excited about the possibility of training with you. Having a bottle of water ready at the start of the workout and a protein shake delivered to them post demo is an important way to create the full experience. We all know that people today are paying for the experience as much as they are the product so what are you going to do to stand out from the rest of the Trainers out there?

6. Create Mental Pictures throughout the Demo

Unless the client can take ownership of the workouts and literally picture themselves training with you and hitting their goals, the value will not be as significant. You need to feel the client out throughout the demo and add these questions to your key problem and implication questions. Questions like, “can you picture yourself training this way, hitting your goal and getting ripped? “What do you think about and envision 3 or 6 months from now when we’re training like this and changing up your workouts frequently?” or “Can you picture yourself working out with me and having these intense workouts as you see the inches and pounds shed off?”

7. Assume the Sale

Remember that you are going to need to leave at least 15 – 20 minutes at the end of the demo session to confidently ask for the sale again and complete some basic paper work. Of course if you don’t ask for the sale, as far as I’m concerned you have not completed a personal training demo according to the Pro Fitness Program. It is our obligation as fitness professionals to make the best possible recommendation to get client’s results and our prescription should be based solely on selling truths. When you go to cash out at the grocery store the clerk never asks you if you want to buy the vegetables. Our doctors never ask us if we want to take the medication or accept the diagnosis and prescription. Therefore if you want to be successful and convert 50% of your demos to clients you have to get in the habit of simply making the recommendation and assuming the sale. “This is the best possible plan to ensure that you accomplish your goal, we’re both excited about what this looks like, so let’s get started and I’ll the program registration form and book in your appointments.”

8. Set up Future Member Assistance Sessions

In the event that client is still not ready to get started with you on a personal training package don’t ever miss the opportunity to advance the relationship. When you provide them with your handout of the all of the key elements of success required to attain proven results for life, ask them for the opportunity to continue with the relationship. “I’m very interested in making sure you continue to come to the facility and get some results even though you’re not investing in coaching program at this time. Can I call you or email you occasionally to provide with some updates and any current fitness information that I put together? As well if I get a cancellation and have an opening and you happen to be in the club at the time, would you mind if we talked about how you’re doing and I could help you with a few exercises and pointers?” You have to be able to demonstrate before you can assert and ask for the sale. If you’re not willing to give up some free time and work hard with the people who do not buy initially you’re not going to have a successful personal training business and you won’t be properly living out your vocation.