What is the Best Way to Communicate with Your Fitness Clients?
As a fitness professional we all know that working with clients online is a real personal business. Communication is a massive factor–but how much communication is the right amount, and what information is important? Obviously, not all clients are the same, but there are a few ways to help the communicative process.
Daily Meal Check-ins
With the integration of MyFitnessPal in Trainerize, I have found that getting my clients to add a more detailed screenshot of the specific meals they eat is a good way to connect with them daily. I usually do this via email, and find it creates conversation and accountability. This diet check-in can usually create conversation regarding the daily fitness routine, as well. For example, after the meals are emailed to me, I will follow up with, “How did the push-ups go on the shoulder today?”
The language of the correspondence is also very important. Nobody wants to come across like they can’t speak or write English, but a lot of the time I cringe when I see the language spoke from other trainers. (Trust me, sometimes I write too fast, and cringe at my own). Simple grammar, spelling, and professional language go a long way present yourself as credible.
Video calls and check-ins
My thoughts on video check-ins are: absolutely. To build trust, having your client perform the workouts via video (Skype, FaceTime, or similar) goes along way. Let’s be honest, it’s easier to blow off the workout or maybe not give a 100% from the trainer’s end if you don’t know who the person is. Words on a screen don’t cut it from my perspective. A phone call can also work, depending on the individual.
Groups and messaging
It seems that private Facebook groups have become quite popular among a lot of Online Trainers. Granted, it makes a lot of sense (there’s a built-in community already there, it’s easy to use, etc.), but how many of you are using it in conjunction with Trainerize? I am finding that keeping everything under one platform is the way to go–training, messaging, meal plans, and check-ins are all done using Trainerize. This creates an easy flow of communication and information from one spot.
In the end, setting the proper workouts for your client is just a fraction of the work that needs to be done to ensure success in the industry. Finding that personalized communication approach that works from both ends, will not only benefit your client to seeing results, but help your bottom line moving forward.
