5 Questions Every Trainer Should Ask New Clients (and Why)

The questions you ask during a new client intake set the tone for the entire relationship. Asked well, they uncover hidden goals, reveal medical context, surface FSA/HSA opportunities, and tell the client they're working with a pro.

Here are the five questions that should be in every intake form, and why each one matters.

1. "Have you been diagnosed with any chronic conditions?"

Why it matters: This is the single most important question for FSA/HSA-friendly training. Conditions like chronic back pain, type 2 diabetes, obesity (BMI 30+), hypertension, osteoarthritis, heart disease, and depression all qualify clients for reimbursement when paired with a Letter of Medical Necessity from their physician.

What to do with the answer: If they have a qualifying condition, casually mention the FSA/HSA reimbursement path. Don't push. Just inform.

2. "Are you taking any medications I should know about?"

Why it matters: Two reasons. First, safety — beta blockers affect heart rate response, GLP-1 medications affect energy and recovery, blood thinners affect what kinds of contact you can do. Second, medication often signals a documented condition, which signals reimbursement eligibility.

What to do with the answer: Adjust your programming. If they're on something significant, ask if they have any limitations from their doctor.

3. "What does success look like 12 months from now?"

Why it matters: Most trainers ask "what are your goals?" and get vague answers ("get in shape," "lose weight"). Asking about a specific time horizon forces specificity. It also gives you a benchmark to track and celebrate.

What to do with the answer: Write it down. Reference it at month 3, 6, 9. Clients stay way longer when they can see progress against a personal benchmark.

4. "Have you worked with a trainer or done structured exercise before?"

Why it matters: Tells you their starting point and their relationship to exercise. A returning client needs different messaging than a beginner. Someone who burned out on a previous program needs a different approach than someone who just had a baby.

What to do with the answer: Adjust your tone, programming intensity, and check-in frequency to match.

5. "Are you currently using or interested in using FSA/HSA dollars for your training?"

Why it matters: Direct, professional, opens the conversation. Most clients have never been asked this and don't know the path exists. Your asking signals that you're a serious professional who works with serious clients.

What to do with the answer:

• "Yes, currently using" → Make sure they have FSA/HSA-compliant receipts (use a free generator)
• "Interested but don't know how" → Refer to DoctorNoted for the LMN packet
• "Not interested / N/A" → No follow-up needed; you've planted the seed

The Bigger Picture

These questions do something subtle but important: they communicate that you're running a professional service business, not a hobby. Clients who feel they're working with a professional pay more, stay longer, and refer more.

The bonus: questions 1, 2, and 5 specifically uncover reimbursement opportunities. Every conversation you have about FSA/HSA is a conversation that lifts your business 15–25% over time.

Adding Them to Your Intake Form

If you're using a paper or digital intake form already, add these five questions. If you don't have a structured intake yet, it's worth building one — even a simple Google Form is fine.

The trainers we work with who use structured intake report:

• 30% higher first-month retention
• 2x more conversions to training packages from initial assessments
• Significantly more FSA/HSA-driven recurring revenue

---

Want a complete trainer toolkit? Join the program — includes intake form templates, FSA/HSA scripts, compliant receipts, and referral tracking.