Advice to Personal Trainers: How to Virtually Eliminate Same-Day Cancellations

I'm a certified personal trainer and have had my share of same-day cancellations -- until I figured out a way to eliminate this problem.

First of all, do not assume that any particular client is incapable of pulling this stunt on you. Even the most seemingly eager, enthusiastic personal training client is capable of canceling at the last minute. In fact, the very client you think would never do this, is the one who will do it. I kept having this problem, and I devised a plan that would ultimately practically eliminate it.

First, get the new client all squared away. Run their credit card through and pull out your calendar book and make sure they have their daytimer out, and start scheduling in their appointments in advance. Ask what days they want to work out, and about what times, then fill their name in those slots in your schedule book. Make sure they are doing the same thing in their date book.

But this will not be when you lay down the ground rules. You don't want to overload their brain. Instead, you want them to leave your office feeling pumped up and motivated.

It is highly unlikely they will same-day cancel their very first session with you. It will be this first session, that you will give them something to sign. You will cut the session short by about 15 minutes, and they'll probably be glad because you will have worked their butt off anyways.