Consistency as an independent fitness + wellness Pros

Clients and patients book a session with you for the experience, but come back for the impact of your work.

Consistency is, arguably, THE thing that drives results for your clients and patients as an independent fitness and wellness professional. It’s science: a specified input, over time, yields a predetermined output.

However, actually being consistent as a wellness professional may be the thing that you’re failing at in your business. Let’s face it - running a private practice successfully is a lot, and many fail at some point to juggle all of the competing demands.

You’re not a machine

None of us is a machine, but in the AI age our tools and technology increasingly are. Our culture often demands that we think and respond with attention LIKE a machine (for a deeper dive on “attention,” check out this insightful OpEd on the Battle over Attention in the NYT. ). Even using a Pilates studio for rent as a private trainer, trying to run your business - see clients, get new clients, manage your own self-care, network etc, - simply being present can feel elusive.

Physiologically, our brains are hard-wired to seek comfort and stability. Every expert independent personal trainer who rents space knows this when thinking about calories in and calories out: we crave the status quo, and plateaus are an inevitable part of the human experience. Stability is useful, in fact, for daily function. That is, however, unless it is change that you seek - then the dread of the word ‘plateua’ creeps in.

By being boringly routine in *some* areas, it frees up bandwidth to be spontaneous in others!

Is your business reliable?

It is no wonder that brands that are SUPER consistent are winning - you know exactly what you’re gonna get at Starbucks, sunday church, tying your shoes, brushing your teeth, and so on. But, even in a wellness rental space, the brands that have systems and protocols in place which allow them to be super consistent are huge players that tend to be large corporate entities, and in the boutique fitness space - which has won market share for community, reliability and individuation - a “waffle maker” approach to customer experience can feel at odds w/ a more human approach.

How do you, then, for example, if you need a physical therapy treatment room for rent, build a compelling brand for your biz, one that is consistent and reliable to your customers, WITHOUT losing the human touch?

Let’s dive in!

What is NOT consistent:

changing schedules every week (too much work, devalues consistency, distracting)
pricing that promotes one-offs
changing the program every session
too many communication channels - are you going to talk via text, email, IG DM, phone or…?!

What DOES consistency look like:

a repeat weekly schedule
pricing that promotes long-term habits
not getting spread too thin
prioritizing high-value items
routine, accountability, habits
commitment, packages of sessions, memberships
repeatable systems
using scheduling tools to help hold yourself accountable to your own goals

The EXTERNAL value to your clients:

consistency drives results
it builds trust
peace of mind
reliable brand reputation
ease of referrals due to the trust, reliability.
a grounded experience

The INTERNAL value to you:

less time distracted
more time on what matters
reduced context switching
more money due to time efficiencies
more bandwidth for engaged connections
increased flexibility to play and roll with things as they come up

Consistency drives peace of mind

Time and time again, we’ve seen expert fitness and wellness professionals exhale - literally- once a commitment is made.

One insight we’ve heard from our strategy sessions with independent pros who are working on their business: consistency is not at odds with flexiblity. They actually work in tandem, like a ying/yang: by being borlngly routine in some areas (ie always doing scheduling tasks on Fridays, sending client check-in notes on sunday afternoons, doing meal prep on the same day/time), it can free up bandwidth, flexbility, and the ability to improvise or be spontaneous because you’ve prevented those other admin tasks from creeping into your schedule and stealing your attention at other times!

As a hub for fitness and wellness Pros in NYC, our trainers and therapists rent wellness space for their clients - from a Pilates studio rental, a private gym, clinic room for rent, massage rental, class rentals and more. What we’ve seen for ALL of these experts over 15 years is that balance the above is critical in order to love what you do for the long haul. No matter what your dream, being consistent is key.

Time and time again, we’ve seen expert fitness and wellness professionals exhale - literally- once a commitment is made. Whether it’s their client buying a 20pack instead of doing one session, they choose to rent a clinic room full-time rather than hustle all over town for individual hours, or they block off a recurring schedule they can rely on for the year. Using a massage room for rent for an hour is a solid start, but leveraging a smart and strategic approach that allows you to really show up can unlock your private practice - and your enjoyment of it!

Practicing what we preach: we have recurring events to help independent pros grow their business, monthly Arrive Hive gatherings, the Arrive Spotlight series, Making Moves Labs, quarterly strategy sessions for members, and more. We’d love for you to join us to level up!

What are some things you can do, consistently, to grow your business?

Are you showing up? How to build a brand people trust