We know that new sales are easier to achieve when we have made a connection with the prospect. Sometimes because we are too busy trying to get the sale or in too much of a rush, we forget this important process. Sales and retention can be enhanced significantly if we get this right and therefore, it is worth revisiting with your sales teams. To make the connection we need to get customers not only to connect with the business, but more importantly we need to make the connection with them.
Connecting with the Customer
A good way to connect with a customer is by using an old sales technique. In sales your first step is to build rapport. To do this you call them by their name three times in fairly quick succession. For example:
“Hi Paul, how are you today?”
“Let’s take a seat over here Paul, and we can have a chat about what you are looking to achieve.”
“So Paul I see that you are not currently exercising at the moment?”
This works in two ways. First, you get to create a personal connection with the customer who feels good because you use their name. Second, you will probably retain their name better, as the quick succession of name use firmly fixes their name in your brain.
Secondly you need to find the customer’s “sweet spot.” This is something that they are really interested in and love to talk about. I remember showing someone around a club and I was asking lots of questions. I recall he said that he enjoyed scuba diving and once I started to ask more about this subject I could see his eyes light up — I had found his “sweet spot” and we had made a connection. I showed him around and related everything back to scuba diving: This machine will be great to get you shape for scuba diving, etc.
The next day he came in and showed me his pictures that he had taken when diving in the Red Sea. We become good friends and we talked a lot about scuba diving and other things. I had made the connection, made the sale and made a friend.
Paul Conway is the owner of Crown Fitness and is also a consultant with Retentionetix, which is a consultancy that assists gyms in improving sales and retention. He can be contacted at paul@retentionetix.co.uk.
