Refer-a-friend
Possibly the most tried and tested incentive method around; encouraging your existing clients to refer a friend to your service and offering them a reward for doing so. Offering something as simple as their next session for free or a discount on their next bill can push your current clients to mention your services to all of their friends and colleagues.
Top tip: Make your terms clear i.e. your client will only have a free session once their referral has paid.
Loyalty cards
Customers are always looking for a reason to come back to you so, why not implement a loyalty scheme? Think of it like a Tesco points card. Each time your client pays for a session they earn a stamp and when they’ve achieved the set number of stamps, they get a reward. For example, pay for 10 sessions, get one free.
The best thing about loyalty cards is that they’re extremely easy and affordable to produce, and you can set the terms and expiry date. Remember, the best loyalty programmes work if the free item is attainable, so don’t make your clients wait too long for their reward.
First-time discounts
A great way to quickly generate a lot of interest around your personal trainer business is to offer a first-time incentive or discount, but keep it limited. This can help to generate interest and excitement very quickly. Try offering a free first session for the first 5 people to call you or 10% off to anyone who books in before Halloween. Yes, you’ll be giving away your time for free at the beginning, but it gives you a chance to meet potential clients in person, wow them and get them coming back for more.
New Customer Rewards
Have you ever been to an event or shop opening where the first so many people receive a gift? Those free gifts always leave an impression, so why not offer something similar to your own clients. If you have any branded products or personal trainer clothing such as t-shirts with your logo and business name, offer these as a reward to your clients. Not only will you make your clients feel special, by using and wearing your ‘gifts’ they’ll be marketing your business free of charge.
As a final point, it’s important to remember that, if you fail to deliver on any incentive, for example, if you run out of free giveaways or if you can’t commit to the free sessions, you’ll be failing on your promise and letting your clients down. When creating new incentives, you must be realistic in deciding what you can deliver.
Do you already use incentives to get more personal trainer clients? Share your tips with us on our Facebook page!
