Sales you say? What exactly is sales? That’s simple — it’s fulfilling a person’s need to solve a problem, right?
While in many cases this is 100 percent correct, let’s consider this: A person seeks out a fitness membership for a few reasons, but the number one reason most people come is to look and feel better.
The funny thing with this is our industry has created an almost “field of dreams” expectation with accomplishing this goal. We build the bigger, better mouse trap, but is it enough?
In our clubs, when we meet prospective customers, the very first goal is to make the person feel welcome. We’ve dubbed this the “Cheers” effect.
After all, sales is simply rapport building. Once they “know, like and trust” you, a customer is more highly invested in you and your club.
The quicker you make a genuine effort to welcome someone, smile, learn their name and begin to ask questions about them, the faster this “trust” process occurs.
Now they’ve decided to walk into or call our fitness center through one of a number of sources. Our job is to make this person feel welcome and help them come to a decision they are comfortable with. Many clubs play the volume game, which for some may work, simply because of national branding or fancy marketing. But, the majority of us have to hustle for every member.
Sales is all about relationship building. For this there are books, tools and hot button words to use in your aid, which can be found all over the internet. However, never forget that no matter what tools you use or study, the first step in applying them is to keep in mind your customers are people who need to make a decision. They have feelings, baggage, budgets and much more, that are far more important than your sale.
With this in mind, work on your interpersonal skills as much as the mechanics. Believe me, you will see a huge difference in your sales.
Marcus Shanahan is the owner of R2 Total Fitness, R2 Management Group and PHIITClub, powered by the Patented PHIIT System. For more information email mshanahan@r2managementgroup.com.
