Empathizing Through Sincerity

All too often the process of pitching a prospect takes on a robotic, generic tone. Instead, set your gym apart by being genuine.

The best way to do so is to put yourself in the shoes of the person across from you. After all, they bravely stepped out of their comfort zone to specifically seek you out for help. Be appreciative that you have the ability to possibly change somebody’s life through your product.

However, in order to do this, there must be a point in the process where a prospect (and new members) are motivated and encouraged correctly to succeed.

Getting on somebody’s level and taking the time to understand exactly what they need — instead of informing them of the bare minimum that you can provide — will present the opportunity for you to over deliver, rather than over promise. In turn, you will make your facility unique to your prospects.

In order to discover the true “why” behind a prospect’s goals, you need to display genuine concern. Have a conversation, instead of just going through a step-by-step rehearsed pitch.

Use your service standards that you pride yourself on to your advantage. Show value in what your facility is all about. Use phrases such as, “Thank you for sharing that with me” and “I’d love to hear more about that.” Display genuine concern for the prospect’s struggles.

Being able to pick up on cues allows you to provide a personalized experience to each member and prospect. If they state that they have hip issues, introduce them to a trainer. If they share they’re having issues decompressing or relaxing, suggest they try a yoga class. Offering suggestions shows that you are genuinely trying to help.

Finally, have systems in place to ensure that every staff member is working in congruence with others to create success for every person in their fitness journey. By empathizing with a prospect or member in a sincere way, your sales with improve.

Ethan Smoorenburg is a personal trainer and manager of Anytime Fitness in Upper Lafayette, New Orleans. For questions on sales he can be reached at ethan.smoorenburg@anytimefitness.com.