Coping with loss (of clients)

Loss of clients, loss of earning that is.

So you decided to be a PT, you gave up the day job and took the plunge into a new role. At first it was hard to get clients then all of a sudden your list was nicely populated and you felt good about yourself and your future.

Then disaster strikes..aaagghhh! A client leaves – what do you do?

1. Don’t despair/panic

The world is not going to end and there are other clients out there just waiting to hear about you and train with you

2. Ask the client for their reasons (if you can)

Make sure that this does not come over as aggressive in any way but ask them so that you can make any changes to your sessions/business in the future if needed. Remember that a client who wants to train for an event or lose weight for one may not always continue with you afterwards, although a lot do.

3. Make the change

As identified above if it is warranted.

4. Move on

Don’t wallow in self pity even if the loss was down to something you did or didn’t do and should have. Move on, you can’t find any new clients if you just lie in bed feeling low.

5. Be ready

It is inevitable that clients will come and go. Be ready. Make sure that you are marketing your self all of the time, not just when you realise that you may be losing/have lost a client.

When I lost my first client I felt physically sick – it felt like a really hard blow, but I asked why and found it was not my fault but a financial issue and the client hoped to be back in the future when it was sorted out. (These are hard economic times folks and we are a luxury for most of the population. Those of us who can survive this climate and be ready for the upturn will not only survive but prosper.)

Anyway, must go and do some more marketing – bye for now!