Staying Connected with Personal Training Clients During Covid-19

Although Covid-19 and social distancing have separated us from our personal training clients physically, we can still do our best to maintain these relationships through the use of technology. Though this may seem time consuming, reaching out to clients is a step that could very much pay off in the long run. Checking in demonstrates to your clients that you genuinely care about their well-being which could lead to more referrals, and even new open doors for your business such as online training. These are your paying customers after all, so be sure to take good care of them. Staying connected with clients should be a top priority for you and your business. What are some of the ways to stay connected with clients?

Send a Text Message or Make a Phone Call

The first choice is the most obvious one, send your clients a text message or drop them a phone call. Check in with them – ask them how they are doing, how they are handling the situation. Be careful not to speak to them with the intention of expanding your business but rather speak to them as a friend or family member. You should empathize with them and show that you come from a genuine, caring standpoint with your client’s health and well-being in mind. This is something that can separate you from other personal trainers and could lead to a lot more referrals. If everything seems good and healthy on their end, only then should you ask about their training and gauge their interest in starting online personal training.

Posting Regularly on Social Media Accounts

Use social media to your advantage by posting regularly on mediums such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or even YouTube. One idea is to create a simple post updating all your clients on how you are doing, what your plans are, and you can even share the fact that you are accepting online clients. You could also create an educational post, teaching clients some of the ways they can still maintain their training through body weight exercises, stretching, running, etc despite being stuck at home. You should also utilize social media to keep track of how your clients are doing. Maybe they’re struggling with weight management issues or are taking the opportunity to really crush their fitness goals. Social media is a great tool that you can use to stay connected with clients and to promote your business as your posting, sharing and retweeting activity could attract new potential clients.

Send a Personalized Email

Sending emails is a great way to get your message across to clients. You can attach images, videos or simply send a check-in note. Clients are looking for human interaction and will appreciate a note from their trainer. This is especially true for those who are sheltering in place alone. A few words can go a long way to brighten someone’s day or to let them know they’ve got a friend through all of this. Especially as a trainer, many of your clients will be looking up to you for guidance and strength. Trainers are often seen as a steady guide and life coach in many respects. It’s not uncommon for clients to look up to the trainer, especially when it comes time to being strong. Emails will always have their place in client-trainer communications, but the thing to keep in mind with emails is the delay before they’ve read it. They may not see your message for a few days or weeks. With texts, phone calls or social media, the communication is real-time and facilitates a much more engaging dialogue.

Can You Train Clients While Keeping 6 ft Apart?

Now what if a client offers the suggestion to meet up and train while still social distancing at least 6 ft apart? This is entirely up to you and your own comfort levels but there are some important questions to ask yourself.

• While the 6 ft apart rule will decrease your chance of getting the illness, are you really going to maintain the distance throughout the entire session?
• What if your client needs a spot or if they are doing the exercise improperly?
• Could you still train without the use of specific cues to improve their technique or to help encourage recruitment of the right muscle groups?

Also keep in mind that training while maintaining a distance of 6 ft apart will depend heavily upon your client’s health condition, as well as the structure of the exercise regimen. If your client is healthy, fairly independent and you know they can perform all the exercises in a safe and effective manner, then use your professional discretion to determine whether it is safe to continue training together. However, if you know your client has significant health concerns, has balance issues or will have trouble performing the exercises properly without the benefit of a spot or physical cues, then perhaps you should only program using exercises that are not so physically demanding or delay training until after the quarantine is over. At the end of the day, the health and safety of both you and your clients should be prioritized over all else.

Should You Wear a Mask and Gloves While Training Clients?

The Coronavirus can remain on surfaces for a prolonged period of time, and you have no idea who your client has been in contact with and who those people have been in contact with. You can see how the risk is exponential. Someone could have the virus without knowing and inadvertently spread it for 2-14 days until symptoms arise. By then, who knows how many would have been infected by that one individual. Wearing a mask and gloves is a good idea, especially if you were training someone older or with a weakened immune system. Just be sure to keep in mind that these items are not 100% effective at keeping you disease free, so it’s always to put safety first and take caution where it’s due.

Remember to Stay in Touch

Staying connected with your clients throughout the pandemic will demonstrate a great level of client service and attention that will retain or even build your client list once things have cleared up with the virus. Take advantage of the latest technology and reach out to your clients whether it be through texting, calling, social-media, email or even in-person if you maintain the right social distancing guidelines and protocol. Note that not all clients may be as “tuned-in” to tech as you may be, so keep that in mind when communicating or reaching out to your clients. Even if you are able to train with your clients, safety for you and them should be the number one concern. Showing your clients that you care about their safety during the high and low times will help your business grow. Are you training with clients during the Covid-19 shutdown? We want to hear your ideas and how you’re thriving during these times.