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There’s no shortage of topics to debate in today’s world.
I don’t have a horse in the race on any of the above, except:
Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing your team – or side of the fence – with any topic I always say the real right answer is… …it depends. It’s rare for something to be so clear-cut and definitive; there’s always a degree of nuance and extenuating factors to consider. Seriously, Pluto’s a planet. Dangers of the Discount TrainerI’m going to just come right out and say it: I’m not a fan of trainers offering discounts for their services. Now, I say this with a grain of salt because I completely understand (and respect) that it’s a delicate matter and that there’s a number of factors to consider. For example, I think it makes a lot of sense for larger, commercial gyms to offer discounts. In Boston, like any major city, there are several notable, big chain commercial gyms vying for people’s attention (and wallets):
In addition there’s dozens of mid-level commercial gyms (not chains, but pretty big) peppered throughout the city, not to mention a CrossFit box in every major neighborhood. That’s a lot of competition and it makes sense that many of them would offer a free consultation or discounted introductory rates on training to entice more people to join. Moreover, and as Cressey Sports Performance business director, Pete Dupuis, has noted in the past: Roughly 30% of people who are offered free consultations actually end up taking advantage of them.
As a small business – and more to the point, as a gym that only offers personal and semi-private training (no open gym or classes) – I don’t have the luxury of hundreds (if not thousands) of people paying a membership fee just to walk through the doors. Why would I offer my services and time at a free or discounted rate when I have bills to pay? I can hear the cacophony of pitchforks now.
To that Point1. Try walking into a hair salon, attorney’s office, or, I don’t know, Gringotts Bank and ask someone for 30-60 minutes of their time in order to sample the goods and to see if “you’re a good fit.” HAHAHAHAHAHA – no, seriously, do it. 2. This is my livelihood, not a garage sale. Sorry not sorry. To that end, I don’t want to sit here, come across as some crotchedy old bastard (GET OFF MY LAWN!), and rag on the notion that you should never discount your rates as a trainer. I mean, only Sith’s deal in absolutes, right? Some Pros or When to Offer Discounts1. You’re NewIf you’re a new trainer or coach in the industry, need experience and more eyes on you – particularly in a crowded commercial gym scenario where there’s a few dozen trainers vying for the same thing – then it makes sense to offer some discounted training to build your client roster. It’s not beneath you to do so. I did it. When I was a commercial gym trainer I’d often offer free 15-30 minute “Deep Dives” for on my own time for members:
Hey, it was 2005. As a result I got more eyes on me and would often have members reach out to begin training. For the more mathematical minded in the crowd, you can also think of it this way courtesy of Finnish coach, Joni Jaakola of Optimal Performance:
2. One-Time Special OffersMy friends over at Mark Fisher Fitness in NYC are huge proponents of offering special one-time only offers of 20-25% off packages when people attend a special class or charity event. I like this idea. If you’re already making the time to be at a certain place at a certain time, go for it. Offer free shit – training, tickle fights, whatever. People attend a class, you get their names, you offer the offer, and then you follow-up with a PHONE CALL (or text) – people just delete email – for a few weeks to remind them of when the offer expires. 3. It’s AugustIn the fitness industry, August (in the Northern hemisphere anyway) is…the…worst. It’s a dead-zone. Gym floors often resemble the barren, desolate wastelands of Mordor. BTW: I’m fucking killing it with the pop culture references in this post today. Except in this case it’s because people are on vacation in Martha’s Vineyard (and not so much because of the whole Sauron thing). So, I get it. Sometimes you have to discount your rates to attract people’s attention and to get bodies on the gym floor. Totally legit reason. However, my buddy and I were headed to get some pizza after a killer squat session last week when we walked past this sign located at the main entrance of a gym chain here in Boston: Now, admittedly, I have zero insights into this business’s numbers or the inner workings of their operation, maybe they’re crushing it, but to me this is what’s wrong with offering discounts… …especially ones this, shall we say, aggressive. My Take (the Cons)Again, offering discounts is not wrong or altogether a waste of time. There IS a time and place and a way to implement them that can and will behoove your business as well as the (potential) client. That said, it’s important to remain aware of the concept of anchoring. If you’re a fan of behavioral economics – such as myself – and read a lot of books on the topic as it relates to decision making and marketing this should be a familiar term. Via Wikipedia:
Photo Credit: https://www.terrynwilliams.wordpress.com In the case of the above offer ($15 for 70 minutes of training), the more the discount gets away from your full price, the more problems and reticence you’re going to have – from the consumer – when you reveal said full price. [embedded content] 1. Creates Price Sensitivity & Unsustainable ExpectationsThis is the double-edged sword of anchoring. “Anchor” your price too far removed from your actual rates and you run the risk of creating a bevy of price sensitive clients who are going to jump ship to the next trainer or gym who offers an even better discount. Canadian nutritionist, Steph Hnatiuk, agrees:
2. Creates Discounted EffortPigging back on the above, in my experience I have found that discounted prices sometimes (not always) creates a culture of discounted effort. Humans are very loss adverse. This refers to people’s tendency to prefer avoiding losses to acquiring equivalent gains: it is better to not lose $5 than it is to find $5. If a client pays my normal rate they have invested in themselves. There’s a degree of “buy in” from the individual to the tune of if they don’t show up – and I enforce my cancelation policy – there’s an inherent loss there. And people hate loss. Even more than the Patriots…;o) Investment = people (usually) go out of their way to put forth some effort. They show up. $15 sessions = “meh, charge me, I won’t be in today.” 3. Creates AwkwardnessThe less mental gymnastics I have to do as a business owner, the better.
I prefer to keep things simple: – I use Google Calendar to book my sessions. – I use Excel to write my programs. – I have an assistant who tracks all client sessions (and to let me know who needs what when). – I almost always wear pants. Too, when it comes to training packages, I also prefer simplicity and go out of my way to not offer a bunch of different options because I don’t want to have to deal with that dumpster fire. If I charge Client A “x” (a discount) and then Client B who is charged “y” (no discount) finds out about it, and is like “dafuq, Tony?”, it makes for some awkwardness I’d rather avoid. Me touching my wife’s butt in public = awkwardness I can handle. Me not shaving my head for two weeks = awkwardness I can still handle. Me explaining why two clients are charged two different rates = no thank you. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2019/08/dangers-of-the-discount-trainer/
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AuthorI have 5+ years experience working as a medical transcriptionist. When I am not working, I enjoy sports like playing basketball or judo. I love making friends and connections. Archives
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