What would make you choose a Personal Trainer over another?

CoachBoone

The thread on different PT qualifications has made me think what exactly do people want from their personal trainers?

What would make you pick one personal trainer over another?

Do you want basic degree's?

Do you want further study?

Do you want recommendations?

Should a good PT have done further study in Motivational Psychology? Sports Psychology? Nutrition? What further study do you think would be important to a PT and his/her clients?

Should they be up to date on any new fitness regimes/ training programmes?

Should they appear fit and healthy?

Does any further study pale in importance to personal recommendations?

Roper

Can't speak for what people in general pick but it is a question I ask people out of curiosity after a couple of sessions with me. Usually they just say because it's different, a bit of fun and I'm cheap*. Not neccessarily in that order.

I think most people would be more interested in word of mouth, reputation if you will, then after that qualifications. In saying that I operate outside of the "fitness" circuit in gyms etc. so maybe there's another experience there.


*I'm not cheap. I need at least two drinks first...

cowzerp

Most people choose there trainer based on friendliness and wheter they seem to know what there doing..been approachable been the main thing.

Transform

results, results, results - people just want to go to someone who has gotten a rep for getting results, period!

Yeah I'd have to 150% agree with Transform. If you are getting them results, they are happy and they are then your walking billboards.

amazingemmet

What would make me choose a trainer?

Results

Roper

LOL I just remembered a friend of mine's wife saying that she wouldn't go to one of the trainers in the gym because he gets the best results. She didn't want to work that hard True story!

Transform

Roper wrote: »

LOL I just remembered a friend of mine's wife saying that she wouldn't go to one of the trainers in the gym because he gets the best results. She didn't want to work that hard True story!

wouldn't want her as a client then. More than likely will not come regularly and would cancel more often than not

CoachBoone

Would it be fair to say that picking clients by the chance of them seeing excellent results would be a good way to build your business.

Excuse the cynicism but its just a thought. Much like an insurance company tries to take on as many "good risks" as possible.

Obviously the factors to which makes a candidate likely to be successful are varied but Im sure common denominators are as blatant as the factors are varied?

Thoughts?

Transform

well it would help but you would be surprised as to the ones that stick at it at times.

For me its working with the influential clients that is best for business i.e. those that are on tv, doctors, developers etc. i must say i was very lucky to work with a clients who went on to drop a ton of weight (well 3 stone really) and as she was well know on the who's who of dublin social scene it made business farrrrr easier for me. Oh and she worked her ass off and diet is great which kind of helps.

CoachBoone

Transform wrote: »

well it would help but you would be surprised as to the ones that stick at it at times.

For me its working with the influential clients that is best for business i.e. those that are on tv, doctors, developers etc. i must say i was very lucky to work with a clients who went on to drop a ton of weight (well 3 stone really) and as she was well know on the who's who of dublin social scene it made business farrrrr easier for me. Oh and she worked her ass off and diet is great which kind of helps.

Amanda Brunker? Obviously not gonna matter if you dont wanna say.

And yes I agree it would be hard to vet the ones who are likely to stick at it, and that would be a personal judgement which could be just as effective on your revenues as any other business decision. Still, I feel it could be an important thing for young PT's to look out for? or at least research into?

Seems to me that it is a very word of mouth profession? Agreed? If thats the case though, then any bad results would do more damage to your business than good ones? Often heard statistics that a typical dissatisfied customer will tell eight to 10 people about his or her experience. One in five will tell 20 or more? And thats not taking into the account the viral nature of marketing in todays marketplace?

Or is it a case of being typically irish and to lazy/scared to complain?

Also, who regulates the PT profession?