Never Stop Selling
Before you shut yourself off at the thought of “sales,” know that the most effective fitness sales tips have nothing to do with what you traditionally think of as sales techniques. They have one thing in common: a focus on meeting the needs of the customer, not making a sale at all costs.
This is especially true when selling a gym membership. A gym membership is a recurring expense, not a one-time interaction where you make the sale and never see the person again. If you don’t meet the needs of your members they could become dissatisfied and leave. Far more important than making a sale is matching the product or service with what the customer needs and wants.
So how do you know what your members want? You have to ask.
In this post we’ll explain:
• Why it’s important to find out what your members really want
• How asking the question could result in increased profit
• Fitness sales tips for implementing these customer-centered sales techniques
But first, an analogy!
The New Car Scenario
Imagine you need a new vehicle.
You head down to the dealership and take a look around. You don’t have a specific make and model in mind, but you know you don’t feel comfortable driving large vehicles and usually stick with something that’s easy to maneuver. The moment you arrive at the dealership, you are greeted by a salesperson who eagerly asks how he can help you.
“I’m looking for a new car,” you tell him, “I’m here because a friend recommended this place.”
The salesperson jumps in headfirst with his tried-and-true sales techniques and shows you a large SUV that’s on sale.
“Fifty percent off! It’s the best deal on the lot!” he says.
Although you said you didn’t want a large vehicle, it’s such a good deal you convince yourself you’ll get used to it. Two hours later you’re driving off the lot with your new SUV.
What a bargain!
Driving home, you feel so exhilarated by your purchase you hardly notice your white knuckles gripping the steering wheel. Over the next few weeks you keep trying to talk yourself into going out with your friends and getting out of the house, but you’re afraid you won’t be able to park downtown, or you’re too nervous to take your vehicle on the highway, or you always drive so slowly you can feel everyone glaring at you. We won’t even talk about the mailbox you nearly hit.
The new car smell just doesn’t make up for the fact that you wish you would have gotten something you’re more comfortable driving.
How can this type of dissatisfaction be avoided?
During the initial conversation, prior to ever showing you a single vehicle, the salesman should have asked, “What would you feel comfortable driving?”
And when the response was, “I feel most comfortable driving a small vehicle,” he should have walked right past the amazing deal on the massive SUV and instead showed you the full-priced car you actually wanted.
In the long run, the customer is 100% satisfied -- rather than leaving excited and later falling apart. This is particularly true in an industry like yours that requires a monthly retainer. Would you buy the SUV again next month and the month after that? No way!
Hopefully at this point you see a parallel to the conversations taking place in your gym!
When someone comes into your gym for the first time, ask them: “Would you feel more comfortable training one-on-one or in a group setting?”
The answer to that question opens doors for both clients and gym owners. The job of a trainer is to identify what a client needs, and then deliver it in a format the client wants. If we fail to do our jobs as trainers, our clients will be selling their huge SUV after only a month or two -- which in your case means quitting the gym.
The Importance of Asking
Do not let perceived comfort and confidence fool you … ASK THE QUESTION!
You’ve heard us preach about numbers and data to make decisions – here’s some data for you.
A single 30-minute personal training session can fetch upwards of $60! As clients progress, you can combine comfortable clients into small group-based 30-minute personal training sessions which will have an even higher return! That, coupled with recurring monthly group memberships, is a potent combination and WILL increase your ARM (Average Revenue per Member).
The beautiful thing about this is the motivation for doing it has nothing to do with money or shady sales techniques. You are instilling confidence and delivering what a client NEEDS to be successful. It’s a win-win.
The goal is to slowly build confidence in an individual or in small groups, and then if the client’s needs or goals change, transition them to group classes -- or keep them as private training clients if that’s working! Your gym’s membership will grow with confident, comfortable clients, and as they move into group classes, it frees up time for your coaches to facilitate additional individual sessions and small group training for others.
Demonstrating the benefits of one-on-one training early on provides ample opportunity for continued growth. Clients see value in one-on-one training because you delivered what they needed AND what they wanted. Asking this question isn’t just for new members!
Continue asking the question at various membership stages. When you think they might be ready to progress into group classes, ask it. When they are struggling to attend group classes, ask it. When their progress is plateauing after 18 months of dedicated membership, ask it! When they are training for a competition, ask it! Many members don’t need continuous one-on-one training, but coupling one-on-one training packages with recurring memberships will help them reach higher training goals and will significantly increase ARM.
Is it for everyone? Absolutely not! But if you never ask, you will never know who really wants it!
Customer-Centered Fitness Sales Tips
In reality, the best sales techniques aren’t really about sales. The key is meeting the needs of the clients and ensuring they are set up for success. How do you accomplish that? Start by asking questions. It’s as simple as that!
Use these example questions as a guide:
• Tell me about you?
• What got you here?
• What are you currently doing?
• What do you want to achieve?
• How will it feel when you reach your achievement? What will you be able to do?
• Would you feel more comfortable training one-on-one, in a small group setting, or in a larger group setting?
• I’m so excited you are ready to progress into group classes. Why don’t you continue with a one-on-one session each week so we can keep refining skills and developing good habits?
• Why don’t we schedule a few one-on-one sessions so we can finally knock out (insert goal or problem area)?
Once you ask one, two, or all of these questions, you’ll have a much better idea of what would make your client comfortable. Remember, a comfortable new client is a happy member on a retainer for many months and years to come!
Empower Your Client
There’s a reason the car salesman example above hits home with so many people. We’ve all dealt with a sleazy or pushy sales person at some point in our life, and we know how terrible it feels. People recoil at conversations that apply pressure without prioritizing their needs and putting them first.
You will benefit from guiding your potential members and new clients through a path to solve their problems with expertise and openness. Because you’ve already asked the questions above, you know what problems they need to solve! If the person you’re selling to agrees to be a member, will his or her life improve? When your interaction is over, will their life be going in a better direction than when you began? If you can say yes to both of these, you’re empowering them to be the best version of themselves.
Align What You Offer with Their Values
Right off the bat, you know they value their health, their appearance, their strength, their weight, or something of that nature. This is about more than just what you say, but also how you say it. More than likely, an informal conversation about their specific goals, like losing 10 pounds, is more appropriate than a formal presentation on the health risks of obesity. Maybe this person isn’t concerned with their weight and values being strong instead. When you’re speaking their language, which often involves mirroring their language and tone of voice, you’re setting both you and the customer up for success.
When you are able to use the tips and tools we offer to serve your client’s needs and increase your ARM, you’ll find it a lot easier to keep the passion in your profession. Take a deep breath, implement our customer-centered fitness sales tips, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You’ve worked hard for it! And remember, if you ever need a little help- we’re here for you!
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