28 Reasons to Fire Your Personal Trainer - A Long Overdue Rant

Are you a personal trainer wondering why a client just stopped showing up? It could be one of the many usual excuses offered, but more likely its something YOU may have done.

I've been with one personal trainer or another off and on for almost 30 years, so I'm definitely speaking from the client perspective. But before I launch into my list, let me just say, people like me NEED and appreciate people like you.

I've been seeing my trainer, Lynette, at BFit Fitness, for close to ten years. And before finding the trainer of my dreams, I had to kiss a lot of frogs, trainer-wise, that is. So don't be a froggie or you WILL get fired.

The following list includes behaviors I've witnessed and experienced first hand. You see, we pick up on physical clues while we're training, that you may not be aware of.

I hope you find some ways you can improve your client interactions to become a personal trainer who keeps his clients for years to come. So here ya go. You might be losing clients if...

1. You're that personal trainer on the phone during your training sessions.

Nothing says, "You're Not Important" better than you being on the phone while you're training a paying client.

2. You talk to everybody BUT your client in the gym.

So this is the person who is paying your salary for the hour or half hour, surely its worth getting to know that person, build a rapport, give them a reason for hiring you again.

3. You make your clients count reps when YOU should be counting.

How am I supposed to COUNT when I'm dying?

4. You're not in shape!

You're a personal trainer, your body is your billboard.

5. You talk about topics that may turn your clients off (insert religion or politics).

 6. You are late for appointments.

DEAL Breaker. Period.

7. You "no-showed" on a client appointment.

BYE Felicia!

8. You give an "exercise list" to your client...while you're at the gym...for them to follow.

I. Just. Can't.  Are you a virtual personal trainer?

9. You don't inquire about your client's eating/nutrition habits.

Ok, you're not a nutritionist, I get that.  But if you're not offering some basic advice or reading material, you're not helping.

10. You genuinely don't care about your client's progress.

We can sense it.

11. You flirt with your clients.

If you're doing this, its basically sexual harassment and fodder for a short career.

12. You don't greet your clients when they arrive.

I can't tell you how many gyms I've walked into where folks were just too busy to say, hi!

13. You don't follow up or stay in touch with clients you haven't seen in a while.

Guess what? They've probably found a new trainer. You might want to have a system  (try Hatchbuck, its gotten rave reviews) for following up with a client you haven't heard from in 21 days.

14. You have bad personal hygiene.

#CheckYoSelf

15. You smoke cigarettes and/or eat poorly.

I don't need to say anything about this one, do I? You're a #personaltrainer #forchrissake.

16. You #gossip about other clients.

Here's one that can easily backfire on you.

17. You show no enthusiasm while training.

18. Your client spends the majority of his/her time on the treadmill while you do....whatever.

I've seen lots of clients switch trainers because of this one. Don't be that guy/girl.

#19. Your workouts are PREDICTABLE and boring.

We come to you for fun, energy and your expertise. Please keep it fresh!

#20. You have cancelled more than one appointment.

This is a super easy way to lose an unmotivated client. Just keep canceling, canceling, canceling.

#21. You don't take a client's physical limitations into account.

All it takes is one client injury to get you to learn to listen to them.

#22. You belittle a client because YOU know what's best.

The energy all around is so much better when you motivate!

#23. Your gym is messy and/or unclean.

Nothing like walking into a gym that smells like one, right?

#24. You have disputes about appointment dates/times or money, because you don't keep accurate records.

Now here's an easy way to lose clients and money with only, "the customer's always right" to fall back on.

#25. You eat during training sessions.

Watching someone eat, that's inspirational, huh?

#26. You're not current on industry's trends.

That time your client walked over to the other trainer and asked for his card.

#27. You bully your client.

Works on some, not most. Probably best to check this attitude at the door.

#28. Your client's body isn't changing!

That's why check-ins and weigh-ins are essential. What're you using for tracking? Try one of these highly rated (customer tracking) software.

If you're not paying attention to the impact these actions have on your client, well, that says a lot about why clients may be exiting.

Word of mouth is powerful in the fitness community. With personal trainers charging anywhere from $30 to 100 or more per hour, people want your undivided, personalized attention or they'll find someone who will.

And if they don't get it, they either walk or run to someone new.  So what did you think?  Maybe you've had a client nightmare you'd like to share?  Leave your comments!

I added this one because it's just every kind of PRICELESS!

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