Fitness testimonials are still one of the best ways to connect to your next customer. If you can get your customer to create a video answering these questions I’m going to share with you – whether they do it on their phone or you record it on yours or in the social distancing Zoom or Skype recordings of the moment, video is gold. If not video, then get them to write it and ask if you can use their picture with it. If not their picture, their full name. If not their full name first name and last initial. And age is also relevant when you’re gathering fitness testimonials. Another strategy is to ask a question in your Facebook group. Your paid program probably has a private Facebook group. Ask questions: How has _____ helped you? How has _____ helped you the past few months get through COVID19? How were you feeling before you got started? What almost stopped you from doing _____? How to Edit You can ask permission of these people to use their posts OR you can screenshot them and block out their name and profile image. It still shows in real time and in a believable representation, someone else- not you – took time to add a comment and we’ve come to believe that if it’s from Facebook it’s legit. What doesn’t work? Fitness testimonials you’re talking about what someone else said. You can make that up and whether you would, you did, or you didn’t, if your customer really doesn’t believe enough in your services to do a video, write a letter, send some kind of tangible proof they are raving fans and recommend you, then it’s probably not a good fitness testimonial. The more like your ideal client the subjects you choose for your fitness testimonials are the better. If you’re choosing to ask clients that aren’t like your ideal clients you’re wasting your time. Outstanding Examples There’s definitely a reason you might want to choose someone people aspire to be, someone in the public eye that people know and respect. Maybe they show how someone as busy as the mayor or the president of the university can do it, so the watcher will think, I can too. But if they’re too different, too eccentric, they aren’t in the same income category or educational status as your ideal customers, then it won’t do you as much good.  How to Get Started with Your Fitness Testimonials So, you want to first go to any of your prior clients, the ones who got great results – and remember great results aren’t always a before and after picture. Sometimes it’s reducing or stopping medications or gaining confidence and not something as visible as losing 25 lbs. Then you want to make sure you ask for what you really want – video first. If you don’t get it, at least, you’ll have a default if they won’t do video, you can ask for a written or social media fitness testimonial instead. Let them know you’ll send them the questions you’d like them to answer so you make it really easy for them. That way you do make it easy for them and you take control of the content you’re going to get. Tell your client that you’d really appreciate it if they use the question to start their statement. So, if you ask, What almost stopped you from starting with this online membership? They would say I almost didn’t join the membership because…. Personalize Focus on problems you help in your questions, too. If you work with people who have back pain, or fibromyalgia, or osteoporosis, get specific with your questions. How were you feeling in regard to your back pain before you started? How was your strength before you began personal training? Then once they answer, you may prompt them with… How is life different for you now? It’s really nice if you’re there with them and doing video but if you can’t be try to either write it or use a voice message. You can create a voice message on your phone and just have them pause and record their responses. They can send them all to you and you can edit them to create one video or keep the short clips to use in a variety of ways. Summary There you have it.