Friday, March 2, 2018

Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Begin with alternative evaluation. 

When people choose a fitness coach there are a variety of factors that play a role in who they choose.  For example, coaching style- do they customize macros and training and check in with you, or do they send you a cookie-cutter meal plan and send you on your way.  Credibility, is this coach credible with certifications and or a degree or experience.  Price, lots of coaches are extremely expensive, so that's probably the largest limiting factor when it comes to hiring a coach.
How/where do they buy? 

In today's day and age most fitness coaching is done remotely so people purchase and communicate with their coaches online.  When paying, coaches typically charge the full price up front which could be a limiting factor for some, so some coaches also allow for monthly payments.  But most payments are made with a credit card via the internet, whether that's venmo, paypal, etc.
Post-purchase evaluation. 

Primarily the results the client does or does not achieve will determine their satisfaction with purchasing coaching.  In addition, the personal relationship developed between coach and client can make or break the client's happiness.  Things that would make the purchase seem like a bad idea are if the coach doesn't act professional, respond in a timely manner, or show genuine concern for the client.  Also, if they provide the client with a cookie-cutter plan that is not customized to the clients needs, or if they don't take the client's preferences into concern when designing their program.  It's all about the relationship, the service, and the results.
 Draw conclusions.

The prospective fitness coaching clients likely do lots of research into the people they consider hiring.  They get familiar with their training and nutrition approaches, look for previous client testimonials, determine the coaches credibility and then compare pricing and weigh out the pros/cons of each possible coach.  They also consider with pricing whether they want to purchase a customized plan or a simple workout/nutrition guide that are not customized and less expensive as I mentioned in previous posts.
After all that is taken into consideration and the client chooses a coach, the post-purchase evaluation is determined by the quality of coaching they received, the relationship built, and the results and overall experience of working with the coach.

2 comments:

  1. I think you pointed out a very interesting point when it comes to personal training, their happiness isn't directly linked to your coaching, but more so their results. I also think it's important to create a great bond with your clients, that way if they aren't getting the results as quickly as expected, they may be more willing to be patient and stick with you.

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  2. Great points! I especially thought it was important to note about the reputation of the trainer. Whether it be, like you mentioned, looking into their training and nutrition approaches, or looking at their past clients, people definitely want to know what they are getting into with a trainer. Therefore, it would be useful for trainers to make their practices and past success stories known.

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