Proper phone etiquette is essential in order for a health club to convert potentially interested callers into new members. Do you have the proper training and resources in place to make that happen?
A well-marketed health club can spend up to $100 per qualified prospect, just to get the phone to ring. Advertising isn’t cheap these days. But an inexpensive and effective way to attract more dues- paying members into your club may be sitting right in front of you: the person who answers the phone.
The proper training and a little bit of technology can go a long way to help ensure your sales goals are met and that your prospective members indeed become new members.
Phone etiquette 101.
Make sure your staff conveys the message you are trying to communicate to your prospective members with courtesy and a smile. Here’s a simple hint that should make a difference for you: If your staffers actually smile when they answer the phone, their tone will naturally be more positive and callers can hear this. The simple act of using facial muscles to create a smile helps deliver an upbeat and personable greeting. A positive, energetic greeting always makes a good impression.
Make sure your entire staff knows your club’s address and how to find it. They should commit this information to memory before they ever work their first shift at the desk. I’ve called many clubs asking for a street address or directions only to have a staffer turn to someone else for the answer. This creates a poor first impression and wastes the caller’s time.
Skip cutesy announcement-style greeting phrases. “Thank you for calling Zootime Fitness, where we get you in shape morning, noon and night.” This makes your desk staff sound like they are delivering a canned script, so skip it.
Use non-threatening questions to establish rapport.
Asking a few basic questions up front can begin the process of understanding your prospect’s needs. Example:
What are your fitness goals?” Or “What appeals to you about our club?” Substantive questions, as well as specific discussions on membership pricing options, are best saved for the prospective member’s first visit to the club. But asking a question or two helps your staff to engage, listen and talk with your callers instead of at them.
When you connect with your prospects in this way, you communicate the message that you are genuinely interested in them as people, not numbers on your sales quota chart. These rules may sound basic, but you would be amazed how many clubs don’t have a pleasant, informed, caring person fielding inquiries from prospective members.
Implement a phone on-hold solution.
While we want to avoid putting people on-hold whenever possible, it happens every day. Up to 90 percent of callers are placed on hold at one time or another when they call a club. Use this to your advantage.
You’ve spent the time and energy training your staff, but if callers are placed on-hold while the desk staff finds a salesperson, you’ve just missed a golden opportunity to engage that caller. With a phone on-hold, you can get callers excited about the amenities, programs and profit centers your club offers.
Using an on-hold message will help you sound infinitely more professional than having callers hear a poorly delivered message or worse, silence. You’ve got a captive audience, so seize the moment and make it work for you.
When evaluating a phone on-hold provider ask the following questions:
Do they have experience in this industry?
Are they capable of delivering an effective message for a fitness club? Are car dealerships and pizza joints their bread and butter? If so, move on.
Can they update my message quickly?
We work in a dynamic industry and you should use the phone on-hold to get the word out to your callers about all the cool new stuff you have going on in your club. Ask if the provider can update your message within a day or two. A lot can’t or won’t, and the best providers are moving to new, faster message delivery technology using the phone or Internet.
Is there a charge for the equipment, or for message changes?
There shouldn’t be. If you are paying for either one, a low monthly rate isn’t worth it in the long run.
With the proper training, attitude and technology in place, your club can see a boost in both membership totals and profit center sales. Make sure your staff is properly equipped and that they have these tools at their disposal to help your club compete and succeed.
Marc Gonzalez is the Director of Sales and Marketing for VoiceScapes, Inc. He can be contacted at 800.505.5573, or by email at marc@voicescapes.com, or visit www.voicescapes.com.
