Selling is part of running a personal training business. At the end of the day, you are also a business owner. And like any other entrepreneur, you will also need to market and sell your personal training services.
However, selling is not easy, especially for someone without a sales background, or even a sales script. And one of the biggest challenges you will come across is sales objections. Ideally, you would want every prospect that you approach to say yes to your offer, and you can close the sale away. But, this is not the case.
Some of the prospects that you will approach will come up with various excuses or objections, as to why they can’t sign up for your personal training services. But, walking away from every prospect that raises an objection is not the solution. Instead, you need to learn how to identify and handle these personal training sales objections.
In this guide, we will walk you through the most common sales objections that you will come across, as well as how to handle them. We will also give you some steps of overcoming sales objections so that you can close more sales.
1. Common Personal Trainer Sales Objections and How to Handle Them
Sales objections are part of the sales process. And, you will come across several of them along the way. Here are some of the common personal trainer sales objections that you may encounter and how to handle each one of them.
1.1 I’m Busy at the Moment
Time-related objections are quite common in sales. Therefore, you can expect to encounter this objection quite often. The approach you will use for this objection will depend on the prospect’s response.
First, if the prospect claims that they don’t have enough time to engage in a conversation at the moment, you can request whether you can get in touch with them later on. You can then agree on a set date and time when you can continue with the conversation.
Second, if the prospect claims they are too busy at the moment to find time for a workout, you can try to sit down with them, and see how much time per week they can manage to commit to a workout.
Once you’ve pinned down the amount of time they can spare for a training session, you can then walk them through some of the services you offer. You will also use this opportunity to show them how you can help them achieve their health and fitness goals, using this available time.
Even if the prospect can only commit one hour per week, you need to show that this time is enough to work with them and help them to hit their fitness goals. You can even decide to throw in a guarantee at this point to hasten the closing of the sale.
For example, you can offer them a three-week guarantee, when they can start seeing results. And if they don’t see any noticeable results, they are free to cancel and you will refund them.
Most fitness prospects will feel comfortable creating time for a workout out of their busy schedules when the results are guaranteed. However, ensure the guarantee you offer is a reasonable one.
1.2 You Are Charging Too Much
Pricing is another common objection that you will encounter as you approach personal training prospects. Often, this objection comes from those prospects who may be willing to sign up for your services, but they may feel that the price should be lower. So take a moment to think about how much to charge your clients.
The first step in overcoming this sales objection is by highlighting how the prospect can benefit from your personal training services. For example, you can highlight your experience in helping other clients, your credentials, your unique selling proposition as well as guarantees that you can offer. You can also make your pitch more convincing by showing them testimonials or reviews of satisfied clients.
If the above approach fails to convince the prospect, you can offer the prospect different pricing packages. For example, if you normally charge clients per month, you can instead offer this prospect a discounted, one-week or two-week trial offer. With such a package, you may eventually manage to convince the prospect to sign up for your services, since the pricing now looks affordable.
1.3 I will Need to Consult Someone
You may also come across some prospects, who will say they will first need to consult someone. That someone can be their boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband, partner or parent.
If you happen to encounter a prospect who says they will need to run the decision through someone else, you can handle this objection in two main ways. First, you can request the prospect whether you can meet that individual with them so that you can discuss the matter further. In case they agree to this suggestion, you can then arrange an appointment. During that appointment, you can offer a free trial session for both individuals. And, you may even end up signing two clients, instead of just one.
Second, you can offer such a prospect a money-back guarantee for the first 14 days after signing up for your personal training services. Some prospects who may have been hesitant to sign up for your personal training services may jump on this offer, since you’ve given them a means of opting out, in case their partner advises them otherwise.
1.4 I Want to Check Out Other Personal Trainers First
Some prospects may also tell you they want to check out other personal trainers first, before signing up for your personal training services. Normally, there are two types of prospects, who will reply with this objection.
The first type of prospect has no interest in signing up for your personal training services. They are simply using that excuse so that you stop bothering them.
The second type of prospect who will tell you they want to shop around may be willing to sign up with you. But, they are not unsure whether they will be getting the best value for their money.
If the prospect you’ve encountered falls in the latter category, then you can work with that. To convince such a prospect, you need to clearly show the prospect that your personal training services deliver the best return on investment.
You should use this opportunity to emphasize what sets you apart from the competition. For instance, it can be an extra service that you offer, at no additional cost. Also, you may have a unique certification, which has equipped you with a special set of skills that other personal trainers don’t have.
Also, this will be a great opportunity to bring out the testimonials, from some of your past clients. Show the prospect before and after pictures of some of the clients you’ve helped to achieve their health and fitness goals.
1.5 I’m Not Fit Enough
If someone hasn’t stepped inside a gym or hasn’t engaged in physical activities for a long period, they may tell you they are not fit enough to join your personal training classes. And, this is perfectly normal.
It’s your duty as a professional fitness coach to try and convince such a prospect that their fitness levels are ideal for your personal training sessions. In case they have a health condition or they are obese, you can explain to them how you will work with them to help them achieve the results they are looking for.
2. Steps to Overcoming Sales Objections
Whether a prospect indicates your services are too expensive, they want to consult their partner, or they want to shop around first, you shouldn’t give up on them. Regardless of the objections that a prospect raises, here are steps to overcoming personal trainer sales objections.
2.1 Listen
Whenever you hear a sales objection, you may be tempted to jump straight in and respond right away. But, you should avoid this approach as much as possible. Instead, give the prospect ample time to speak as you listen keenly. Listening keenly gives the impression that you have the prospect's best interests at heart. And this will increase your chances of closing the sale, once you’ve handled that objection.
2.2 Understand Their Concerns
What a prospect says and what they intend to mean can be two different things. Hence, it will be advisable to paraphrase their concerns so that they can see the issue more clearly. You can also ask some additional questions to seek further clarification. And by doing so, you will now be reading from the same page.
2.3 Respond Appropriately
At this point, the prospect has already raised their objections and you are confident that you’ve understood the issue. At this stage, you should do your best to address the concerns they’ve raised. If possible, you should address their problem right away. But, in case you need to collect more information, you should tell them the same and ensure you follow up on time.
2.4 Provide a Solution
After you’ve clarified the issue, understood their objection and responded, it’s now time to provide a solution. Ask the prospect if they are happy with the solution you have offered. And if the prospect is fully satisfied, there’s a high chance you will end up closing the sale.
3. Wrapping It Up
Objections are an unavoidable part of the sales process. And, you will encounter them frequently as you sell personal training to prospective fitness clients. By identifying them and responding appropriately, you will move closer to closing the sale.