Before I get into the biggest key to selling more coaching, I want to discuss some important items, to help ensure we are all on the same page.
Coaching versus training. I get all of my clients to start saying “coaching” and calling their trainers “coaches.” Trainers hold clip boards and count repetitions. Coaches change lives. Coaches motivate, inspire, educate, hold accountable, get tough, listen and care about results. If you exist to help change lives, you are a coach. Start calling yourself a coach, and put those five letters on the back of your work shirt.
One-on-one versus group. Traditional one-on-one personal training in most markets will cost a person around $400 or more dollars per month. Compare that to small group at around $175, and you can see why all gyms need to embrace small group.
Classes versus sessions. Call them classes if they are led by an instructor, are free, and are things like Zumba, yoga, and Pilates. Sessions are led by coaches. Sessions deliver results, and sessions cost money.
The two biggest factors that determine how successful you can be at selling coaching are:
- Percentage of members you get in front of your coaching salesperson.
- Percentage of members your coaching salesperson can close.
Of those two, the first one, in my opinion, is the most important. Now, don’t get me wrong, if you get tons of people in front of your personal training person, and he or she can’t close a window, you are going to sell coaching to nobody. But, I know that any personal training salesperson who is willing to try, who is not afraid to ask for money, and who truly believes in the power of the product being sold, can close at least one third.
Too many gyms simply don’t get enough new members to book that critical next step appointment.
You need to get 70 percent or more to make this commitment. When I owned a gym, we consistently hit over 70 percent every single month. First, my staff knew how important it was to hit that benchmark. What you make important becomes important. Second, they were incentivized to hit that number. Third, and most importantly, I trained them on ways to get new members interested and excited about this next step.
Assessment and workout: You can call it whatever you want, but after years of changing the term, I have settled on this phrase. You can call it a “free workout” if you want, but free loses value. Make it appear as part of your membership, because it is.
The workout portion: Don’t poke, prod, pinch or even weigh folks. Put them through an actual strength workout, including warm up, of about 30 to 35 minutes. Email jason@jasonlinse.com with “workout” in the subject line and I will shoot you back the one I recommend.
On the tour: I teach sales staff to ask three very important questions on ever tour.
- What are your fitness goals?
- Why are those goals important to you?
- How are you going to reach those goals?
That third question exists to help set up the future appointment for the assessment and free workout.
“Okay Heather, your goal is to lose 20 pounds because you want to look and feel better, and lower your blood pressure. How are you planning to reach your goal?”
“Um, I was going to come to the gym three days per week and walk on the treadmill.”
“Okay, Heather, that’s a great start. We like to start all of our new members with an appointment with a coach. You get to talk about your goal, experience an awesome workout, and talk about a plan that will work for you. How does that sound?”
“Sounds great!”
Keep changing lives.
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Jason Linse is president and founder of The Business of Fitness, a consulting company. He also owns a personality assessment company called People Plus+ Fitness. Contact him at jason@jasonlinse.com or 612-310-1319 for resources on scheduling more tours and personality assessments, or visit www.jasonlinse.com.
