New Year’s resolutions are right around the corner. It’s time to get prepared for how you’ll manage new and existing clients when they share their New Year resolutions with you. You’ll have plenty of challenges that you and your clients face come February, once the excitement of resolutions wears off. Now is the time to be proactive to ensure your clients reach their goals. What are some of the best ways you can help your clients? Whether you’re an in-person or online personal trainer, here are five steps to take to ensure clients stick to their New Year’s resolutions in 2020: 

1. Make Sure Their Resolution is Attainable

The first and most important thing is to go over their goals and make sure they are actually realistic. Once you’ve come to an agreement on a long-term goal or two, set micro-goals. These are broken down into both process (what steps they’ll take to get there) and product goals (focuses on the destination). Their long-term goal is a product goal. You’ll want to make sure they set smaller product goals along the way as well. For example, if they want to lose 20 pounds by 2021, set benchmark goals throughout the year such as that they’ll lose 8 pounds by March 1st by doing cardio on their own twice a week and strength training with you twice a week.

2. Set Their Resolutions in Trainerize

Once you’ve determined measurable, actionable goals with your client, you can write them down in Trainerize so they are reminded of them. Once you are in your client’s profile, you can click on the goals tab to create a nutritional or general goal. Set up a consultation with them and write down all the short and long-term goals you have agreed upon.

3. Set Up a Reward System

This won’t be the best route for every client, but many clients are motivated by rewards. Once you’ve set up their goals you can ask them if they are motivated by rewards. If they are, include those with their goals so they can have something to look forward to. For example, your client may be more inclined to stick to their program if their significant other plans them a weekend getaway once the goal is reached. It can be as large or as small of a reward as needed, but typically bigger goals need pretty big rewards so they are motivated to stick to it.

4. Build a Support Network

Set up groups within your client base so that people can connect and motivate each other. You can even create challenge groups within Trainerize so everyone in the group is committed to a particular program together. The extra motivation, support, and camaraderie that comes with being a part of a group will keep them accountable, even when they are feeling unmotivated.

5. Check-In & Measure Progress

The work isn’t over once you’ve discussed and written their goals down, you then have to make sure they actually stick to them! Schedule regular check-in calls, especially with new clients that are starting or restarting their fitness journey from scratch. Also be sure to communicate regularly via chat to keep them motivated and answer any questions or concerns they have between calls.

Continue to measure progress and point out their personal bests. They’ll also be able to see every time they log into the app. One great motivator you can use is tracking an exercise that may be particularly challenging for them, so they can see the improvements they’ve made over time. Nothing feels better than going from a few kneeling push ups to being able to do 10 full push ups! You can even send them the graph of their progress for particular exercises so they can visualize how strong they’ve become.

There will be hurdles to face along the way when you’re helping clients stick with their New Year’s resolutions. However, if you are prepared and realistic with your clients, you can keep them accountable and excited for the end result. With support, proper planning, and utilizing all of your resources, you can keep your clients happy and successfully reaching their goals throughout the year!