Utilizing a "position of power" is one of most effective methods of positioning yourself as an expert in your field. Approaching a situation from a position of power is simply art of assuming that whoever you are talking to already perceives you to be an expert. Remember that a person's perception is their reality, so as long as other person believes that you are an expert, then in their eyes, you are!

For example, let's use story of a talented personal trainer who is applying for position of Director of Fitness Programming at a small but successful local gym. We will call our imaginary professional Joe Trainer, and we will say for record that Joe does indeed hold an effective track record in personal training industry. His clients have benefited from his knowledge and guidance, and he has successfully changed many people's lives in a positive manner. However, Joe Trainer has never been a "Director of Fitness Programming" before. Is he qualified for job?

Let's review Joe's history. He has worked or worked out in dozens of gyms over years. Joe has utilized all manner of fitness equipment, from paint cans in his garage when he was a teenager, all way up through most modern computerized workout machines available in some of today's fitness facilities. Joe has put together hundreds of different workout programs for hundreds of different people over years, and we have already determined that his client track record is excellent. Joe has also been called upon many times over years to recommend fitness equipment purchases to his many clients, including a cost to benefit ratio analysis (in other words, if equipment is worth money). Joe has also been exposed to many different lines of nutritional supplements, dietary guidelines, and he has even taken aerobics classes and yoga from time to time.

Has Joe Trainer ever been a "Director of Fitness Programming" before? No. However, is Joe Trainer qualified for that position? Most likely yes! However, now Joe has a dilemma. He has scheduled an interview with local gym, he really wants job, but he is nervous about fact that he has never really been a "Director of Fitness Programming" or a director of anything at all, for that matter. Joe now has 2 choices.

Choice number one is for Joe to go to interview, ramble on uncontrollably about hundreds of clients that he has successfully trained, babble about how many different gyms he has been in, and go into mindless detail about why he thinks Supplement A is better than Supplement B.

Do you think Joe will get job? Let's try a different approach.

Joe mentally prepares for interview by reviewing many different ways that his experience will benefit facility. He puts together a few examples of how he successfully recommended or used one type of fitness equipment more effectively than a different type. Joe puts together mental notes about how aerobics and group exercise classes have added success to his training programs over years, and how incorporating a cross training approach has kept his clients motivated and continually seeing results from their training programs.

By this point, Joe's confidence in his ability to be a "Director of Fitness Programming" has increased, and he honestly believes that it is not him who is being interviewed, but it is he who is interviewing facility. Joe doesn't need this job - he has proven his ability to make a living as a personal trainer dozens of times over years. He is applying for this position because he believes that he can be a great asset to facility, and he wants to expand his experience in field. In fact, facility would be lucky to have him! For that matter, he may already be considering countering posted pay scale with an increase if they want to hire him. After all, he is Joe Trainer, and his success record speaks for itself!

Now, do you think Joe will get job? Pretty safe bet.

Is Joe Trainer in first example any different than Joe Trainer using second approach? No - we're talking about same person. What is different then? Joe's belief in himself - and more importantly - Joe's ability to show facility how they would be missing a great opportunity if they didn't hire him. It is Joe who is interviewing facility, not other way around. Joe assumed a "Position of Power" before he even got to his interview. He walked out with a new title and a nice salary, an increased confidence in his own abilities, and opportunity to mold an entire staff of personal trainer into successful, results-oriented Fitness Professionals!

This same concept can also be applied when negotiating with potential new clients. Remember that you are fitness professional. You are one with knowledge and experience that client needs. You are not asking them to be your clients, but rather you are giving them opportunity to become your clients.

Conclusion

As you can see, as Fitness Professionals in ever-growing field of health and physical fitness, we have many tools at our disposal when it comes to positioning ourselves as experts. However, we have an equal amount of responsibility to not utilize these tools unless we are 100% confident in our status as experts in our chosen disciplines. Use your knowledge and your tools wisely and appropriately, and you will see your professional and personal success grow beyond your wildest dreams!

Flexibility

Although a trainer's day is usually dictated by a preset schedule, if you paint yourself into a corner with your calendar, you will quickly find that some of your clients can't stick with their program because their schedule is just not that black and white. In today's world of ever-changing landscape of professional as well as personal lifestyle factors, many people have trouble doing same thing day after day, and week after week. In order to keep your clients happy and on track with their programs, you must "roll with punches" and exhibit some flexibility when it comes to scheduling and training issues.

It is a very good idea to have a running cancellation policy for your business, and it is an equally good idea to educate your clients on need for regularity in their training program. However, being so inflexible that you charge a client $50 every time they get a flat tire, have to work late, or have a family emergency will quickly eliminate any professional bonding that your clients may have previously felt was a part of your working relationship. Enforce your policies, but be realistic about fact that life is just not as black and white as it may have been 20 years ago.

Forward Thinking

This is as much of a sales technique as it is a great customer service tool. In a nutshell, it means that you should always be planning for future when it comes to your clients. Talk to them about how you are going to start running with them once they get their weight down enough for their knees to handle stress. Explain to them how much fun it will be when you can start taking them through new training protocol that you put together. Get them excited about how good they are going to look on beach this summer after several more months of working out with you, or about how their cousin Sally is going to be so envious at Christmas time this year when she sees how much weight your client has lost.

All of these things plant seed for your clients that you are thinking about their future, and not just taking them through a workout. Let them know that you have great plans for them in future, and that you can't wait to see their results when they get to a certain point in program that you have them on. Again, your clients are people, and they want to be made to feel important, needed, and respected.

Over-delivering

Over-delivering value to your clients is probably most important technique out of any that have been listed so far. It is last in our list of customer service secrets so that it is one that you remember most!

Over-delivering is just what it sounds like - giving your clients more value for their money than they originally expected to get. In fact, all of items listed above are great examples of over-delivery. Do you think that when your clients hired you they expected to be getting gifts on their birthday, expected you to be excited about graduation of their children, or that they could vent to you about their mother-in-law during training sessions? These are all examples of infinite number of ways that you can over-deliver value to your clients.

In addition to what has already been listed, you can get much more specific with your over-delivery efforts. Each of your clients has a very well defined fitness goal that they are diligently working towards. As a fitness professional, you should be regularly keeping up with latest news stories about health and fitness, as well as getting Continuing Education Credits.

Put that information directly to use for your clients! How impressed do you think your client would be if their fitness goal is to be a competitive swimmer, and you take a course on training competitive swimmers? What about if you have picked up some clients who are over age of 55 and you start reading books and clipping articles on Senior Fitness? How about a bonus training session that you give your client when they reach a goal? What about if you have a client who is on high school wrestling team, and after working with him for 2 months, you offer to do a free class for his entire team? The teenager becomes a hero because his personal trainer gave up some winning tips before big meet, and you get a boat load of free publicity!

Conclusion

The pattern developing here is clear, and above examples are only sketches of things that you might consider. Remember that every successful personal trainer runs a business, he or she doesn't just workout with their clients. Get under hood of your business, tinker around with wiring, and find ways to "WOW" your clients everyday!