In the last few months, I have seen a few great articles and comments on articles about all of the new trends and gadgets in exercise equipment. While many of us who have been in the industry see eye-to-eye on what a joke some of these new contraptions are, the general public is not laughing.
Because of scripted claims of success, great advertising and attractive models, people are buying in to the hype! But don’t blame the consumers. They don’t know any better; they are simply looking for something to get them where they want to go.
So the question becomes, how do we as professional trainers steer them away from the hype, redirect them in the right path and pick up a client at the same time? I feel we have some very creative minds in our reading audience, but let me throw a suggestive process down that may cover those basis and a few more.
First, contact the manufacturer of the equipment being used in your club. Ask them who the local sales representative would be and a contact number for them. Contact that manufacturers’ representative and ask them if they would be willing to come to the club and host a seminar on how to properly use their equipment. Ask them to explain the biomechanics of the movement, how the proper form should be or even how to properly adjust the equipment based on height of the user.
If the representative agrees to the seminar, the second thing to do isadvertise it. Let the people in your club know there is a seminar coming for them on how to use the equipment and get the most benefit from their workouts. Talk to as many members as you can, put up a sign, and basically cause a stir! Maybe even use a signup sheet to reserve their spot with a contact number so you can remind them.
Once the day has arrived, the third thing to do is take notes. Take a note of not just who showed up but who had questions, who looked puzzled and who looked like they were just lost! This will become your marketing list after the seminar to follow up on for additional help.
What we have now is a third party coming in to help with the education of our members. Because they are a third party, our members may let their guard down a little and we can see how intimidated they may be by the equipment or just how lost they are using it. The more the representative educates them, the more they realize what they didn’t know and the value of what they can learn. Imagine if a member learned this much in a 45-minute seminar, what would they learn after three months of training with you, and what kind of results would they see?
Utilize the contacts you have, and bring your members back to the basics. Maybe we will see fewer of these gizmos enter the homes and health clubs as a whole. The education has to start somewhere; make it with you. Happy training!
Mike McDaniel is an authority of leadership, goal-setting disciplines, sales strategies and corporate physical fitness. Mike can be booked for speaking engagements, sales training or consultant at www.askthewhyguy.com.
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Oct. 14 2009
