Getting clients to commit to training, or to sign up for longer-term services can be a steep uphill battle—like cranking up the Stairmaster to work up a sweat. Their internal doubts about their ability to remain committed, a track record of giving up after only a few weeks, or even the up-front financial costs can all deter clients from moving forward with their fitness.

But as fitness professionals (and rational humans), we know that results don’t happen overnight, and getting clients to make long-term investments in themselves is the best thing they can do. So how do you get them over that initial hurdle and help them commit to training with you?

Sessions—and more specifically, session packs—might just be your answer!

How You Can Use Session Packs to Increase Your Impact

Session packs are a brand-new Trainerize feature that we launched in August. You can pre-sell packs of paid appointments—AKA session packs! You can deliver personal training, run assessments, facilitate goal setting sessions, or really anything else you’d like! And session packs are (you guessed it) a set number of sessions that are sold together for one pre-set price—basically they’re a bundle of you!

Session packs are ultra-flexible; as a trainer, you can customize them to best suit your clients’ needs. You decide how many sessions to include in each pack, what to charge for each pack, and what’s included in your sessions.

With session packs, you know clients are committed for a set period, and it allows you the opportunity to work with them long enough for them to start seeing results, which will keep them coming back long after they finish their first pack of sessions.

Pricing Session Packs

Obviously with all this flexibility, prices will vary. Rates can fluctuate based on location, experience, and the trainer’s personal opinion. As a result, there’s a wide range in pricing models to choose from. Using a scaled pricing model can be a great way to encourage clients to purchase more sessions at once. Plus, it signals to clients that they’re getting more bang for their buck. For example, 10 sessions in a pack at $1500 = $150/session; 15 sessions in a pack at $1875 = $125/session; 20 sessions in a pack at $2000 = $100/session. It’s a bit like a certain big box members-only warehouse; the more you buy, the more you save!

However you choose to set your prices, the key is to make sure the programs are successful, you provide a great service, and your clients really love using Trainerize so that they consider continuing on and purchasing one of your other online training packages.

Personalize Those Packages

Customization is another huge benefit of session packs. During sessions, you can coach clients on the best nutrition practices, lifestyle habits, and much, much more. The push of motivation provided by a fitness professional with a great attitude adds an unparalleled personal touch. Your clients will notice! That personalized approach is what will help them achieve the results they seek and seeing results will motivate them to keep training with you in the future.

Session packs are all about one-on-one time between the client and trainer. With all that time together, it would be almost impossible not to develop a connection with someone as wonderful as yourself! When clients feel a bond with their trainer and genuinely enjoy their training, they’re more likely to continue with it. And same goes for studios—clients are more likely to get into a groove at your gym if they come back a certain number of times.

Selling Sessions

Session packs are a great way to challenge the myth that personal trainers are a luxury service, only for the rich and famous. (Online training is another great way! 😉) Session packs allow for the development of unique approaches to help your clients reach their goals affordably.

Consider providing your clients with a sneak peek at how a session might look and feel by using a video call for your initial consultation and goal setting session; this will make them less apprehensive because they’ll understand what they’re buying. It will also start the rapport building with you from day one. In this session, you should include information about who your session packs are ideal for (i.e., everyone because they can be customized), some details on the features available (e.g., online sessions, habit coaching, nutrition plans), and obviously, the price, and what the price breakdown looks like (e.g., $125 per session when you buy 5 sessions, $100 per session if you buy 10 sessions).

Be sure you’re upfront about exactly what clients can expect during their sessions, and how they can expect to change and evolve over time (if at all). A great way to sell session packs is to link them to goals and milestones. For example: if your client says they want to lose 50lbs, based on the training programming you want them to follow, let them know that you feel you can get them half-way to their goal in 3 months, so you’d recommend a pack of 15 sessions, and you’ll use them one per week for those 3 months, plus one check-in/progress tracking session at the end of each month.

Finally, it’s important to be reasonable with the size of session packs you’re pushing! This is especially true for clients who express concern about upfront pricing! Stick to pack quantities that will help clients start to see results. Then, they’ll get hooked on your training and gain momentum to keep going.