Free trials are an amazing way to convert leads. In fact, they’re the number one tactic that I use to get more clients. Free trials are so effective because they’re a great way to remove a lot of the barriers potential clients face!
Barriers like:
Technophobia
When a prospective client is feeling intimidated about technology and prefers a more “traditional” approach.
Price
Whether it’s big or small, a price tag can stop people from even considering your services.
Trust
Prospective clients might not know what your training style is, if you’re a good fit for them or if they trust you enough to guide them in their fitness journey.
To set up free trials for my prospects, I followed these simple steps from the Trainerize blog, which have been helpful in attracting new clients, knowledge and opportunities for my business.
Think about it! While someone is looking for a fitness solution, they may be more likely to commit to something that’s free—especially if it’s a program that will help them get closer to their goals! Not only does a free trial give prospective clients an opportunity to test you out but it also gives you, the trainer, a chance to collect warmer leads, nurture prospective clients and show them the real value of your services. How could anyone say no to that? Simply having a way for people to get their foot in the door and saying yes to your offering can be a huge win when it comes to converting leads and growing your business.
The best way to deliver free trials with Trainerize
A really effective method is to automate the entire free trial process with the help of Zapier and Mailchimp. This is a great method that I learned from the Trainerize blog! Zapier and Mailchimp have been essential to ensuring nothing slips through the cracks. Automation allows people to sign up for your free trial, automatically create an account for them in Trainerize, and seamlessly deliver the program, while also adding their information to your email list—talk about effective! An automated process removes repetitive work and allows you to focus. Focus on training, motivating and supporting your clients, I mean!
Attracting people through other channels like social media, email newsletters or ad campaigns is also a step in the right direction when it comes to conversion. Once someone downloads your app, sets up an account and starts training with you for free, you have a greater opportunity to show off your services, what sets you apart from other businesses and how you can help them in reaching their goals.
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How long should my free trial be?
Depending on your offerings, you could do short trials. Something like seven to 14 days allows the user to check out the app, get a feel for it and sample some workouts. You could also go for a longer trial of 30 to 60 days. A longer approach will give leads a chance to develop a liking for your style, build a connection, and start to see some serious results!
I’ve tried short and long trials and though there are pros and cons to both, I personally have found more success with the longer trials. They provide an opportunity to offer more value to prospective clients, which in turn attracts more people. This is key, especially with online promotions in social media, email campaigns or blog posts. Someone who might be skeptical of you but is serious about their health will feel more compelled to act when they see such an offering.
From leads to paying clients
Longer trials result in likelier clients. This process gives you a chance to show off your services and build a more authentic and genuine relationship! It’s not about selling but about offering the chance to see results at no cost. If that wasn’t enough, these types of trials can also create tons of good content opportunities like testimonials, transformations, and feedback that you can use to market your services.
When people are in their last few weeks of a free 60 day program, feeling more energized, getting closer to their goals and seeing results, converting them into paying clients becomes much easier. At this point, I like to jump on a plan-building session with them to highlight their wins and recommend the next steps. They now see the value in having me as their coach, they become more confident about their ability to follow through with a plan and they get excited when they see what keeping up with their training can do for their lives and overall wellness.