The inverted exercises got me thinking. I was on the Pilates Arc (love those things, no, not a paid endorsement) doing over the barrel work and it looked like I was walking on the ceiling. So, of course I started to play with that idea, imagining doing Pilates exercises upside down and just generally thinking…well…upside down. Then it struck me:
I’ve been encouraging instructors to take on all different types of clients – those with ADHD, those who may be obese, those on a budget, etc, etc.. Being open to the wide variety of clientele out there is great, but how do we get that clientele to want to be with us? If we don’t know where to start to get an obese client comfortable or a teen with ADD to do breath exercises, what must THEY be thinking?
Being upside down gets my thought-juices following, apparently.
There isn’t a magic bullet answer to this question. It’s simply a matter of putting yourself in their shoes and thinking like a client. Have you ever been in a new situation? One in which you were totally, utterly unfamiliar? Maybe your first time in a foreign country where you didn’t speak the language… Or maybe walking into your home for the first time with your newborn… Situations like these make us nervous, apprehensive and maybe even a little sick to our stomachs. This is how these new clients feel. So, what would you do to alleviate their nerves?
Smile. Nod. Welcome them in. Answer their questions. Show them around like you would your own home. Use terminology they understand (no, not everyone knows what her transverses is). Be inclusive. Make comments that show you understand how they feel: “I remember the first time I walked into a Pilates studio…” Ask them how their day has been up to now. Make eye contact.
Getting new clients – those with issues or without – in the door requires more than doing good marketing. It’s about being a receptive, empathetic person. When we put ourselves in someone else’s shoes, we understand where he is coming from and, most likely, how to help him relax. If you need to worry about potential situations like getting an overweight client on the reformer, make that your second priority. Your first priority is providing the warm, welcoming entrance so your new clients want to learn. And come back.
What other ways do you use to “think like a client”? Share!