Adam Arnett, the CEO of Element Personal Training, shares essential elements of the sales process.
It’s very important to have a standard sales process for your sales team to follow. When you have a proven step-by-step process you will be able to onboard new employees more efficiently and coach them more effectively.
Here is a successful step by step process that works within every type of health club.
Meet and greet. The old advice of “make a friend, make a sale” is as true today as it has been in the past. The first minute of the appointment is important in making your prospect feel comfortable by building some rapport. The salesperson should try and find some common ground with them.
Set expectations. Once rapport has been established, it’s time to get your prospect into the buying frame of mind. Before you go into the next step, make it very clear to the prospect what they are going to experience with you during the appointment and that you expect them to make a buying decision at the end of it. For example, “Mr. Jones, I am going to find out what your fitness and health goals are and explain how our trainers provide solutions for them. Then you will experience what it’s like to be coached by a trainer for 20 minutes out on the floor. After all that fun, I am going to ask you to make the decision to hire a trainer. Fair enough?”
Question and educate. This step should take about 10 to 20 minutes. We have all heard, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” That will always be true. Asking the right questions will uncover the reasons the prospect wants to be in better shape and all the issues they have in achieving it themselves. Once you know and uncover them this is the time the salesperson should explain how the trainer is the solution. Very important for them to assume the sale at this time and speak as if the prospect already has become the client. Starting answers with, “Your trainer has…” or “You and your trainer will…” is a way to have the prospect see the trainers as their solution.
Floor experience. Likely you’ve never bought a car without first test driving it. Have the same importance for your prospect to test drive working with a trainer. The floor workout should touch on the prospect’s top three body areas they want to look better or feel stronger. Make this a fun and energetic experience. The salesperson should always be asking, “How does that feel different,” “How is this different from your usual routine?” and “Do you feel more motivated working with a trainer?”
Closing time. Once the workout is done simply ask the prospect, “If I can make hiring a trainer to achieve your goals affordable, are you ready to say commit today?” If they say yes, then present your packages. If they say no, then you should have an objection handling technique to use at that time.
