Ideas for gym floor lead generation

[heroeslair]

Hey guys!
I have been a PT for awhile now (i'm 31yo, can't figure out how to change my age) and the gyms I have worked at all gave out regular consults and that was an easy way to keep business going. The gym I currently work at gives consults to you for the first three months but then leaves you to do your own thing afterwards. This was fine until they added an extra eight trainers in the last 6 months (think its at 18 atm).

In the past I have been able to floorwalk and pick up clients when I need to. But, recently I have lost a few big paying clients due to financial reasons (One buying house, other getting married, Ones in japan for 8 weeks), so I need to get my ass into gear. The problem is that all the trainers floorwalk and all the new people go to the new trainers. When I go to do my floorwalk and mention training They completely shut down.

So, my question is: Have you got any methods for lead generation inside the gym or even some good floor walking tips outside of being friendly and building it up over time.
I used to do a "win 5 pt sessions" promo at my previous gym and they worked amazingly but as this gym it did nothing.

Would be awesome to get some advice. The way I used to do things doesn't seem to work at this gym (has about 5000 people, much bigger and more competition than the other gyms I worked for).
Thanks

[KyleAaron]

In the past I have been able to floorwalk and pick up clients when I need to. But, recently I have lost a few big paying clients due to financial reasons (One buying house, other getting married, Ones in japan for 8 weeks), so I need to get my ass into gear. The problem is that all the trainers floorwalk and all the new people go to the new trainers. When I go to do my floorwalk and mention training They completely shut down.

1. "I stopped talking to people."
2. "The others talk to people."
3. "Now when I try talking to people, it doesn't work."

You're out of practice. I don't care how full your schedule is, you need to,

1. talk to one new person every day
2. teach one new person some movement every day - choose one, teach it to everyone
3. do not offer them personal training
4. after each encounter, go away and write about it in a little notebook, like "May 13th 0700, Jen, 30s, office worker, recently watched Twilight, was on treadmill, wants to lose weight and stop her back hurting, talked about food and showed her goblet squat."
5. when you see that person again, greet them, and make mention of something they told you before, "Hey Jen, seen the sequel yet? How's your back now, are those squats helping?"

You do that and you become known as the trainer who wants to help everyone, and they start asking you for PT. There will be some people you talk to for six months before they ask.

And next time you get busy, don't slack off.

[heroeslair]

Thanks, yes I have to admit that I slacked off! Was too occupied with my online business and less about gaining new clients offline.

I've been aiming to talk to 3-5 people a day and have been doing so, but I have been talking about training probably too soon with them.
Also have been writing them down.
If you have any other tips that would be good, otherwise I'll keep pushing forward.
Thanks Kyle

1. "I stopped talking to people."
2. "The others talk to people."
3. "Now when I try talking to people, it doesn't work."

You're out of practice. I don't care how full your schedule is, you need to,

1. talk to one new person every day
2. teach one new person some movement every day - choose one, teach it to everyone
3. do not offer them personal training
4. after each encounter, go away and write about it in a little notebook, like "May 13th 0700, Jen, 30s, office worker, recently watched Twilight, was on treadmill, wants to lose weight and stop her back hurting, talked about food and showed her goblet squat."
5. when you see that person again, greet them, and make mention of something they told you before, "Hey Jen, seen the sequel yet? How's your back now, are those squats helping?"

You do that and you become known as the trainer who wants to help everyone, and they start asking you for PT. There will be some people you talk to for six months before they ask.

And next time you get busy, don't slack off.

[KyleAaron]

If you were a newbie then there'd be other tips, but the fact is you have done this successfully before, so you can do it again. Always go back to where you started and do what worked.

I have seen this with a lot of trainers, including myself - you spend 1-2 years building things up, then slack off, but the sheer momentum of client referrals and reputation keeps things climbing for another year or so, then 3-4 years in things start declining. You have your tight little crew of clients, but that crew has a core of 3-4, they're the ones who've come for ages and always welcome newbies and show them what's possible. But 1-2 of that crew leave for whatever reason, the remaining 1-2 lose interest, and things start to fall apart.

It's like the guy who sprints the first 1km of the 5km race and then because he's in the lead, slows down - but then the plodders come up behind him and pass him.

You have got to always treat it is you did in the first year or two, keep talking to people, keep spreading the word, keep trying to grow. The absolute worst thing that'll happen is you'll have to pass some would-be clients off to other trainers, or have a waiting list. Keep the energy up, keep plodding along.

[heroeslair]

Yeah you are correct. I got comfortable and have survived well with those core clients, but then lost a few. Need to keep the ball going this time round.
Thanks for your time!
Appreciated

If you were a newbie then there'd be other tips, but the fact is you have done this successfully before, so you can do it again. Always go back to where you started and do what worked.

I have seen this with a lot of trainers, including myself - you spend 1-2 years building things up, then slack off, but the sheer momentum of client referrals and reputation keeps things climbing for another year or so, then 3-4 years in things start declining. You have your tight little crew of clients, but that crew has a core of 3-4, they're the ones who've come for ages and always welcome newbies and show them what's possible. But 1-2 of that crew leave for whatever reason, the remaining 1-2 lose interest, and things start to fall apart.

It's like the guy who sprints the first 1km of the 5km race and then because he's in the lead, slows down - but then the plodders come up behind him and pass him.

You have got to always treat it is you did in the first year or two, keep talking to people, keep spreading the word, keep trying to grow. The absolute worst thing that'll happen is you'll have to pass some would-be clients off to other trainers, or have a waiting list. Keep the energy up, keep plodding along.