Novice Trainer Could Use Your Help - Please :)

SoccerTrainer11 · 07-23-2009, 12:59 PM

Hi - I'm a first time poster, but have lurked for several weeks and learned a great deal from this forum. I am asking for some advice, because I have only trained for 1 1/2 years and at the same place. So I don't know what is typical of the industry.

Some background - I work at a "big box" gym. In the short time I've worked here, I've had 4 different managers, and every few months, senior management changes the personal training department significantly. This always affects our payscale. Last August, the 3rd manager changed our 1-hour training sessions to all 30-minutes sessions. So now, even though I have the same number of clients as last summer, I'm training half the time. Our PT and membership sales have dropped steadily in the past year.

The current situation - 3rd manager is gone, and we now offer both 30-minute and 1-hour sessions. Senior management once again changed the PT dept. in early June. We now have 60 days (possibly 120 days if management chooses) to get our training up to 30 hours per week or we'll be let go. Until we get there, our pay is 40% of the cost of the session, and we are required to perform 10 member assessments per pay period (receiving no pay in return) in order to have the "opportunity to sell our services." Once we get to 30 hours, we will receive 50% of the session. If we happen to fall below the 30 hours, our pay will fall back down to 40%. They also will no longer be paying us commissions on any PT packages we sell. We receive no other benefits.

We have 6 trainers at my location, and only 2 are anywhere close to the 30-hour benchmark, and they've just hired a new trainer yesterday. My immediate boss is also allowed to train clients, even though her job is to sell packages and other administrative duties. I am struggling to get members to sign up for the free assessments - probably because most know they are going to get a sales schpiel for PT at the end. Upgrading some of my current clients (who need it of course) has been difficult. Over and over, the objection is money/recession.

I am incredibly stressed and worried about losing my job, which I do love. I have a mortgage and an unemployed husband (a victim of the recession times 2). I suck at sales and prospecting, and I am shy and introverted, which does not help. This kind of pressure - this negative incentive plan they have in place - paralyzes me rather than motivates me.

My questions -

Is this amount of change common in the fitness industry?
Is this new pay policy common or fair?
Any ideas for how I can deal with the situation and improve my sales skills in the "big box" gym environment?

Thank you for reading this far and for any advice you can give.

John Izzo · 07-23-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoccerTrainer11

My questions -

Is this amount of change common in the fitness industry?
Is this new pay policy common or fair?
Any ideas for how I can deal with the situation and improve my sales skills in the "big box" gym environment?

Thank you for reading this far and for any advice you can give.

1.) Yes, the amount of change is common if each manager is not meeting his/her quota. I have always been leery of management that constantly changes. Its not good for staff morale and in the eyes of the members, looks very "shiesty".

2.) The pay scale is common for a big box gym...howver, not fair and not in the least motivating like you stated. In my years as a trainer and manager for a big box, I also found the pressure unmotivated and usually, found it hard to train clients under such conditions.

3.) For your currently situation, I'd get the clients you have now to work for you. Perform assessments on them (unless you mean orientations) and propose that each client refer a friend or fellow member to you to do the same. I like the 30 minute training sessions, but again, that is so the club make more money off of you. Ask the manager if they will accept ideas. Usually managers like this that are "not allowed" to think outside the box or challenge upper management don't last long, but if you show them that some ideas may bring in dollars, they will look for other means to make you money. 40% a session is nothing...lets say you are charging $60 a hour session. That means you are bring ing home about $24?? You may even bringing less than that.
There is no point negotiating recession and sales with managers. They have quotas and you have to meet them. The point is to get comfortable selling so that you are not uncomfortable.

SoccerTrainer11 · 07-24-2009, 01:07 PM

Thanks for your reply. I actually just ordered your book on Amazon and should receive it today! I appreciate your insight.

Jean-Paul · 07-25-2009, 08:56 PM

I advise getting out of the big box. Or at least phasing out of it. Get some specialized certification(s) of some sort, be it golf performance, youth training, boot camps, etc, and leverage your time better by either having a bunch of people paying for your time at the same time (make 100-150 per session), or by charging more per hour (if you can help a golfer hit farther and play pain free he'll be your fan for life, and you can charge between 100-150 per session if you can establish yourself as an expert in the field).

As for the sales part, you will just have to get over your shyness. Introversion only means that you get your energy from within rather than through contact with people. You can still be very effective in sales with a little training. Sounds like you have the motivation right now.

Try a local toast-masters group. Get in front of a crowd and start talking about your chosen field. Throw yourself headlong into this challenge. Make your fear into your strength. The confidence you will gain from facing your fear will make you a formidable sales person because in the end that is what you are selling... Your confidence in your abilities. YOU.

Now get out there and show us what you got!

SoccerTrainer11 · 07-26-2009, 10:14 AM

Thanks Jean-Paul for your suggestions.

Unfortunately I risk losing my job if I train outside the gym, and they refuse to offer PT with two or more people at a time even though members ask about it constantly. I'm stuck there.

I am definitely planning on a specialization cert like you suggested. And you're right, I need to work on my confidence and pushing past my fear of approaching and talking to people about buying PT.