Super-size Your Sales

Getting a new sale is a great feeling, and we can sometimes be so enthralled with making the sales that we miss out on what could be a super-sized sale.

The fast food industry is great at asking us: Would you like to add fries to that? Would you like to add a drink to that? (For an additional cost, of course). Although we are essentially on the opposite end of that dynamic (health versus bad food), I do think this sales strategy has some merit and some relevance for the fitness sector. How we use it and when we use it are the crucial elements.

The first thing that I must say is that a customer is more likely to purchase more at the point of sale — this is a known fact. This is often overlooked with all the excitement of getting the sale, and as a result we could be missing out on additional revenue.

But, a super-size offer shouldn’t be added just like the fries, as a “throw away” comment. By this I mean the question should be asked as a legitimate offer that could help the member reach their goals.

Understanding our customer and matching their needs to our products at the point of sale will create a super-size sale. It also gives us greater credibility and a greater chance of success.

The way to approach this situation is not to get to the sale and then forget about the up-sell. Make sure you have some prompt to remind you that you need to ask if they want to “super-size” their membership. This is one of the biggest issues that I see when training new salespeople.

Secondly, don’t start throwing things out there such as, “Would you like to get a t-shirt or some personal training with that?” This needs to be addressed during the needs analysis and throughout the tour.

If you have discussed that they may need some additional help to get into a habit of exercising and that personal training may be beneficial, then they will be prepared for it at the point of sale. Match up their needs with the super-sized services or products that you have, and explain the benefits.

Paul Conway is the owner of Crown Fitness Club. Email him at crownfitnessclub@aim.com.