EP#30 Trainer Spotlight Series: Meet Megan Cooper
FITLETE Radio | A Personal Training News and Fitness Industry Q&A Show
Innovative Client Attraction and Retention Strategies in Personal Training
This chapter explores effective methods for attracting and retaining clients in the personal training sector. It emphasizes the significance of brand recognition, referral marketing, and delivering a top-notch client experience to ensure long-term success.
FITLETE Radio Trainer Spotlight Q&A Series: Episode 30
Guest: Megan Cooper
Welcome to episode 30 of FITLETE Radio’s Trainer Spotlight Q&A Series! This episode is all about Megan Cooper-owner, founder, and powerhouse behind Studio Me Fitness in Northeast Minneapolis. Dive into Megan’s own words as she shares her journey, philosophies, and a few laughs along the way.
Meet Megan Cooper
* Megan is the owner and founder of Studio Me Fitness, a gym in Northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota.
* Studio Me specializes in helping people get out of pain and live active, healthy lives.
* The gym has been running for nearly 11 years and is currently expanding from 2,500 to ~6,000 square feet.
* Megan wears all the hats-trainer, business owner, manager, and still works on the gym floor. She loves every minute of it.
* She never set out to be a business owner or personal trainer. After a lifetime in sports and a college tennis career, Megan found herself missing the team atmosphere and stumbled into group fitness, which opened her eyes to a new passion.
Megan’s Journey
* Originally on a pre-dental track with a biology degree, Megan got burnt out and missed the camaraderie of sports.
* Group fitness started as a side gig while she worked a full-time corporate job. She eventually got certified in personal and group training.
* Learning is a core value for Megan-both personally and at Studio Me.
* She juggled both her corporate management role and the gym for two years before taking the leap to go all in on Studio Me Fitness in 2014. It was scary but worth it.
A Funny Story from Megan
* Megan and her husband are avid cyclists and once tackled 150-mile rides together.
* To solve the problem of mismatched biking speeds, they tried a tandem bike-Megan became “the engine” for hills, while her husband handled endurance.
* On one memorable ride home in the dark (after a long day and a couple of drinks), Megan actually fell asleep on the tandem bike. Her legs kept pedaling, but she was completely out-her husband had to yell to wake her up!
* Megan jokes, “I’m like a light switch. I’m either on or off. If it’s nothing, then I am likely sleeping.”
How Megan Attracts and Retains Clients
* Studio Me now enjoys strong brand recognition after a decade of hard work.
* Referral marketing is huge-this year has seen the most referrals yet.
* Megan networks with local and women-owned businesses, runs workshops (including with their in-house physical therapist), and even uses old-school direct mail to reach new movers.
* Social media and Meta ads are part of the strategy, focusing on quality leads and nurturing them through emails and personal touchpoints.
* Retention is a top priority: Studio Me keeps client churn under 3% (industry average is 6%) with a “complete wow experience” that starts before a client ever steps in the door.
* Every new member gets a personalized welcome, videos, tours, and ongoing engagement from a dedicated client experience manager.
Megan’s Client Assessment & Coaching Philosophy
* New clients go through an onboarding day that feels like a workout and mimics Studio Me’s warm-up process.
* The assessment focuses on movement quality, mobility, and stability, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
* Megan’s approach is holistic: Studio Me uses the “seven pillars of living your best life” as part of their ME Method. These include movement, nutrition, sleep, hydration, and fun-among others.
* Goal-setting is ongoing and revisited quarterly, ensuring clients are coached on lifestyle habits, not just training sessions.
In Megan’s Words:
“We’re truly coaching them versus just training and leading them through a session.”
Tune in to hear Megan’s full story, her passion for helping others, and her unique approach to building a thriving fitness community!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studiome_fitness/
Website: https://www.studiomefitness.com/
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thisweek.fitletes.com
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