The key to selling new members is confidence in your product-for you and for them. Here’s how to close the deal.
In working with health club sales, many times, the number one fear for people is asking for the membership sale. Everyone is always anxious to talk about the results the members get, how happy they are, the great facilities and even the great membership special they currently have going on, but the very thought of asking a prospect to join today seems to make many run for cover.
“I don’t want to appear too pushy,” says one health club owner who also does membership sales.
“If they want to join they’ll say so,” says another. “Right?”
“What if they say no?” another says.
Although these health club salespeople understand that asking someone to join does not make them beggars, the very idea of asking gives them some sweaty palms.
To help rid salespeople of this fear, I have utilized a two-part solution that works like this:
First, conduct a lifestyle needs-assessment questionnaire with the potential member to find out if there is a good fit with your health club and the fitness solution that you offer.
During this initial conversation, there is no talk of the cost of membership. The only question that needs answering is: Do you have a way to help your health club guest solve his fitness problem? Can you get them results? It’s that simple. Need + solution= potential membership sale to your health club.
But even when you know the potential for the membership sale is there, asking can be scary for many, unless you know how to ask in a way that feels natural to you. Here are some phrases that might help you ask for someone to join your health club today-comfortably.
>>> Now that you know what our health club can do for you, shall we get started?
>>> It looks like our health club is a good match to get you the results you’re looking for-shall I go ahead and get the paperwork started?
>>> You mentioned that you wanted to start losing weight right away-does that mean you’d like us to begin today?
>>> I’m glad you think the Gold membership package is the one that will work best for you, because it’s the one I would recommend. Shall we go ahead and get you started?
>>> Yes, the new Pilates program begins next week. Would you like to take care of your enrollment right now?
>>> If you have no more questions, there’s just one left for me to ask: When do we start?
>>> Now that we’ve found the best days for you to work out, can we go ahead and get you started?
>>> I’d really like to work with you on your program. Can we get you started?
>>> It looks like we’ve created the right fitness solution for you. Are you ready to move forward now?
>>> Earlier you said that you’d like to start getting results by springtime. Working backwards, that gives us two weeks to get everything in order, so I’d recommend you do your first workout on Tuesday. Does that work with your schedule, or would you rather begin working out on Monday?
Remember, asking for the membership sale is the natural conclusion of a successful needs analysis and health club tour. If you have the solution to your prospect’s fitness problem, all you have to do is say so and ask when you can get started, so then all that’s left to do is fill out the paperwork.
Yes, there is a chance your club guest will backpedal, but all that means is that the fitness solution you’ve offered isn’t quite right, so go back to working on resolving the problem, and ask again. Sell on benefits and results-that’s why they came in to your club in the first place.
Now, go ask for the sale.
Jim Thomas is the founder and president of Fitness Management USA Inc., a management consulting and turnaround firm specializing in the fitness and health club industry. He can be contacted by email at president@fmconsulting.net or visit his website fmconsulting.net.
