The majority of customers today join a fitness club with a weight loss goal. Previously, people joined a gym to become physically fit and joined a diet program to lose weight. Thankfully, nutrition companies worked their way into the fitness industry, mainly through supplement lines. Customer expectations evolved, leading them to believe their goals can now be realized with their gym membership.
However, a belief system remains that fitness and nutrition should be presented separately to not jeopardize the sale with a higher ticket price. Or worse yet, many are choosing to not present nutrition to a customer during the club membership sale, leaving it up to a trainer or other team member to present in the future, when goals are not being met. Nutrition should not be used as an add-on service, as this is where the majority of the population struggles and desires professional support.
How can you position nutrition at the actual point of sale? Most importantly, the mindset of the sales staff needs to shift to believe that without addressing both fitness and nutrition, the new member simply cannot reach their goal. Additionally, take time to build rapport, find out what the new members’ goals are and how to best position what you offer as fulfillment, and finally, don’t decide for the new member what they can and cannot afford.
Three simple suggestions to sell nutrition at the point of sale:
- Bundle nutrition programming into a membership or training package without too many options that overwhelm the new member during the point of sale.
- Charge an enrollment fee, filled with valuable benefits — with dollar amounts attached. One benefit should be nutrition-related, positioning you as a “giver” invested in their success.
- Include a short-term nutrition program (challenge-type) at no cost to high-end training packages or elevated memberships as an incentive to purchase.
In addition to positioning nutrition into the initial sale, it’s notable that many salespeople struggle with selling features over benefits. Understand customers don’t buy features, they buy benefits and solutions. Sell the vacation, not the plane ride.
Example of a features sales strategy: “Susan, if you join our club, you’ll notice how clean we keep it. Our staff is certified and highly respected. We recently upgraded all our equipment. All our trainers can help you with your nutrition — they each do their own thing. We’re diverse and the best club in town!”
Example of a benefits sales strategy: “Susan, to ensure your safety we place tremendous emphasis on our gym’s cleanliness. We have an elite training team, making sure you’re safe and comfortable on the gym floor. We have all the equipment you’ll need to reach your fitness goals, as well as a simple and proven nutrition solution that’s easy to implement, and allows us to guarantee you’ll be feeling and looking great in no time. I hope you see us as a great fit to support you as you focus on your health!”
Focus on selling the problem you solve, not the services you offer.
