Dear Friend,
Setting up personal training packages is key to maximizing your profits while keeping your clients committed and engaged.
Plus, personal training packages give you a way to incentivize your clients to spend more time with you and get more engaged in your programs.
And I’m about to show you exactly how to set up packages successfully…
So let’s get started!
In an earlier post, I talked about how to price your services… you can find that here.
Personal Training Packages 101
There are several factors that go into making a successful set of personal training packages. Here are the keys I use when making packages:
- Decide on what measure the package will be based
- Determine the pricing for the packages that create incentives
- Name the packages to help make them more attractive
- Determine how you’ll implement them
Step 1 – Decide on what measure your packages will be based
When you set up your personal training packages, you’ll need to decide what the package is based on. For example, you can base it on a number of factors:
- Number of sessions purchased (not recommended)
- How often the client works with you (recommended)
- A specific program that occurs over a pre-determined time frame (recommended)
I personally don’t recommend setting up a price discount based on total number of session purchased… here’s why:
Say a person is training with you 1x a week, and they buy 50 sessions at your lowest price. Now they are going to take up an entire year on your calendar at a super low price. That’s a losing proposition.
Instead…
I reward clients for their commitment
If they train with me 1x a week, they pay the highest price. If they train with me 4x a week, they get the lowest price.
Another great model is to have “programs” that you execute over a set time frame. For example, you might have a 2-month program, a 3-month program, even a 6-month program.
The idea is for the client to pay for the program and results. It could be they train with you 3x a week for the first month, then 2x a week for the 2nd month, and finally 1x a week for the 3rd month.
If you do a good job, most clients will want to keep training with you. At that point you can “lock them in” at a special rate so long as they continue training with you. Maybe they pay the 3x/week rate when they’re only training with you 1x a week as a reward for their loyalty and to keep them ongoing.
Step 2 – Determine your prices
Look, you should charge a single-session rate that’s extremely high, which no one would ever pay for.
Why?
The idea is to show a client how much they’ll save by doing a package with you.
I personally charge about $60 for one 30-minute session. However, the price drops down to $40 per session with my biggest package.
You can find my article about 30-minute vs. 60-minute sessions here
I can’t even remember the last time I sold one session. In fact, the least amount of session I’ll sell is six at a time.
When you make your pricing…
You want your biggest package to have very competitive pricing and the other packages to have very fair pricing
Where I live, the average is about $75 per hour and about $40 per half-hour. My rates are higher than average, but it’s because my program is so comprehensive and effective.
You can charge higher prices if you can justify the value in results!
Step 3 – Name your packages
Once you determine the pricing, you’ll want to decide which package you want the majority of your clients to use.
Usually, people will pick the middle package of any product or service. It’s how we’re wired.
I named my packages in the following way:
- The “Introduction” package
- The “Get Results” package
- The “Extreme Makeover” package
I want my client to do the middle package so I gave it the best name. If clients want results, it doesn’t make sense for them to do a package called the “introduction” package. They’ll either do #2 or #3 and I’m OK with that.
A lot of people do bronze, silver, and gold packages, but I don’t think that’s as effective. I think the name should tie into a result.
For example, if you’re doing a 3-month program that get’s incredible results and is specifically designed for weight-loss, you could call it something like “The sleek and toned program.”
If you do a 1 month program that you DON’T want your clients to do, you could call it something like “The get your feet wet program.”
Step 4 – Determine your implementation
Once you have everything ready, you should also have a sheet with the programs on them that showcases each program, covers pricing, and illustrates the value.
Next, you need to decide how you’ll implement them. That means how to get started, taking payments, progress checks along the way, etc.
You should always and only take payment in full up front
People are flaky, and you don’t want to get screwed just because you gave someone the benefit of the doubt.
If you do a payment plan, I suggest you have them pay for a certain amount of sessions at full price, then the additional payments become less as you pro-rate them for their package-rate sessions.
Here’s an example:
- You have a package of 10 session over 2-month at $45 per session
- Total cost: $450
- Client pays for the first month (5 sessions)
- You charge $55 per session
- Total cost $275
- Client makes second payment for remainder
- Total cost $175
You do this so you don’t feel taken advantage of if the client fails to honor their 2-month commitment.
OK… we covered a lot but…
This is just a fraction of what you need to know to create good packages…
There are so many more details you need to know including:
- Who is your demographic…
- What type of gym you are in and how that will impact your packages
- How to keep clients from canceling
- How to get clients motivated so they get results
- What to do when it’s time to renew a package
- How long your packages should last
- And more!
I know it may sound like a lot, but when you discover the step-by-step process of doing these things… it’s actually really easy. In fact, thousands of trainers have gone through my special e-class where I explain step-by-step how to do all of these things…
… and the trainers all create killer packages really easily. The key is understanding everything so you don’t make mistakes and cheat yourself out of clients and money.
Listen, if you are serious about being a successful world-class trainer and making $4,000 or more a month in just 6 months, then you should check out my special e-class.
Sincerely,
Stu
P.S. Leave me a comment. Let me know if you have questions or want to share your experience!