How do we work with long-term clients to maintain their interest and focus over the years? What defines a long-term client? What should we focus on in building sessions for clients who have been working with us for many years?

 

In our episode "Building Sessions with Long Term Clients", season 5 episode 16, we discuss what it takes to work with a client for years to retain their interest, focus, dedication, and trust, and what goes into building and nurturing these relationships.

 

What is a long-term client?

 

A long-term client is someone a Pilates teacher has been working with regularly for at least a few years. This is someone who has already become comfortable with the foundations and basics of Pilates. We've likely been with them through many various life stages, and they've known us through changes in our lives as well.

 

Over time it can be easy to blur the professional boundary with some long-term clients as we become friends, and it is okay to be caring and close with clients, but at the same time when they are in the studio, we need to maintain a professional boundary to make sure they are getting what they need from their sessions. Simultaneously, it is important to be aware of the relationship we're building with one-on-one clients, as it is not just the Pilates they are coming to us for, but also a comfortable and supportive relationship that is nurtured over the years.

 

A client's session is both about the Pilates journey and about the relationship we foster with them, especially for long-term clients. Remembering things about what they're going through, their kids' names and special occasions can all add a personal touch that gives the client a sense of connection to the teacher and a reason to continue returning. We don't want the personal level to take over their Pilates, but we also can't overlook the relationship elements, the human level of wanting connection. Especially in private sessions, we're not just shouting general cues and directions at the client, but working with them on an individualized and personal level.

 

Based on what we hear and see from a client, we are developing their session personalized to them, which allows them to feel comfortable in the studio where they can be challenged and grow, and where they know that they will always feel better if they come in for their sessions even if they're having a bad day.

 

How do we continue building a client's sessions for many years?

 

Often with long-term clients, teachers will want to learn many exercises to give them new things to keep them from becoming bored. However, continuously throwing new things at a client isn't truly the key for long-term clients. We're not trying to entertain them, but rather challenge them in the work at the appropriate level for them. It's okay to repeat exercises, and the challenge point in each session doesn't need to be flashy and exciting but can be very simple and basic. The challenge point of their session is specific to each session and can be anything from a very athletic exercise to something very basic such as finding a balance point or loading into the arms. We personalize the session for them each time, giving them challenges specific to their needs and goals.

 

We can pick various tools to subtly change the work without needing to stress about constantly finding new exercises. We can change the rhythm, flow, or pace of exercises that clients are already familiar with, creating new sensations within the movement that they already know. Changing the pacing, focus, timing, and angle of movement, or adding some extra coordination elements can create little changes that build from the foundations the client understands, changing how the body feels in the work or giving a new idea to think about.

 

Revisiting the basics is another key element for long-term clients that is often overlooked. As we come back to basic exercises we can observe their new understanding, body connections, and motor control skills that weren't there when the client first started. Looking back on these exercises can show someone how far they've developed in their Pilates practice which can be very exciting.

 

Experiencing progress keeps clients interested, and since Pilates is more qualitative than quantitative, it can be more challenging for a client to see their growth in Pilates versus other practices that are more quantitative in nature such as weightlifting. As the teacher, we can verbalize and show the client what they can now do that they might not have been able to previously. Similarly, sharing the excitement in these new wins continues to foster the relationship with the client, strengthening the bonds of the long-term client with their teacher.

 

Every client initially comes into the studio for some reason, and in a client's intake session, we often discuss these goals to tailor their sessions. After many years, goals change and develop, so it can be beneficial to look back to why they came to Pilates in the first place, reconnect to the initial goals to recognize that growth, and reset new goals for future session planning.

 

Many teachers assume that if a client has been practicing Pilates for a long time they are supposed to achieve a high level of perfection within the practice. Just because a client has been with us for a long time does not mean they will become a picture-perfect Pilates practitioner. And just because a client can't achieve certain traditional exercises does not mean we aren't building their sessions well. It is always about the unique needs and goals of an individual client, and some clients will never be able to do certain exercises. Instead, we want to focus on their successes within their practice, finding new connections and movement patterns.

 

Often clients will share stories or comments and unintentionally give us information about what needs to happen that day. It's important to pick up on those moments to build from there. To do that we have to be present in the session with them, and if we're not we miss those moments. Being able to pick up those details reinforces for the client that we are there with them and for them, and that we are focused on their needs, creating individualized sessions. This is one of the most important elements of working with a long-term client and is key to keeping them moving, challenged, interested, and growing over the years.

 

Many of these changes that we're aiming for take a long time. Building new connections in the body, repatterning movement habits, developing motor control, finding new sensations, and physical understanding all take time and patience. The long-term client has the time to develop these building blocks with us so we see the progress over time. It takes years of movement patterns, and full body repatterning.

 

How we nurture and build the relationship with the client keeps them returning to the studio to continue developing and growing through their practice. Continue listening to them, celebrating the small wins as they build toward the bigger goals, showing and telling them how we're seeing their journey.

 

There is no simple formula for how to work with a long-term client, as how we build a client's session is unique to the individual teacher and the client. However, the difference between a new client and one who has been with us for years is the developed relationship with them. Building their sessions individualized to them, listening to them, being present in their sessions, and remembering the personal side of the relationship keeps the client engaged, feeling supported, and excited to come into the studio each session, for even more years.