club
tours
HOW TO
DO A TOUR
The tour is the all-important culmination of the sales process – an opportunity to turn a prospect
into a long-term, profitable member. But what makes for the perfect tour? Kate Cracknell investigates
SHARING THEIR THOUGHTS
Y
ou might have a state-of-
the-art gym with brand
new kit and all the bells Rob Beale, group health and fitness manager, David Lloyd Leisure (DLL)
and whistles anyone Neil Burton, COO, Holmes Place Central & Eastern Europe
could hope for… but so may your Danielle Dormer, membership sales manager, Central YMCA
competitor down the road. So what’s Naomi Ellis, GM, Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing, Nottingham
going to make you stand out? Patrick Ferguson, group membership sales manager, The Club Company
Connecting with prospects Terry Gibbs, national sales manager, Leisure Connection
emotionally, rather than relying on Mike Hill, MD, Leisure-net Solutions
your club’s physical offering alone, Rich Hutson, sales director Asia, Fitness First
is key: a warm welcome and a Andy Kay, director, thirtysevendegrees
personalised tour, based on a needs Craig Lynch, sales and marketing manager, GL-14
analysis, go a long way to creating Ian Mahoney, MD, Reebok Sports Club
that all-important fi rst impression. Dawn Sansom, group sales and membership manager, DC Leisure
We talk to operators for their Rachel Shelton, group marketing manager, SLM
thoughts on touring best practice. Dave Wright, MD, Feelgood Fitness/CEO, Creative Fitness Marketing
preparation & systems Andy Kay: Set your business up to sell.
Ian Mahoney: There should be scripts All areas need to scream out that this
and systems for everyone in the club, to club is a great thing to be a part of. Being
lead all enquiries smoothly through to a neat and tidy isn’t enough. Imagine
tour – and these should be regularly you’re selling a house; it’s this sort of
tested. To conduct the tour you have to thought process you need to apply to
do your homework. Know what you’re the tour. An owner or general manager
talking about, prepare answers to should stand in reception or walk
possible questions, rehearse. Be through a club to get a sense of whether
prepared and be professional. it’s running well.
Neil Burton: The club manager must
personally lead the sales process, with
an hourly ‘walkabout’ to check all the
systems are being adhered to.
first impressions
Rich Hutson: Most people are very
uncomfortable going to a health club for
the first time, but a great membership
advisor has the ability to put the
potential member at ease before, during
and after the tour. When setting an
appointment, let your prospect know
Call the prospect to chat you’ll be waiting for them outside the
about targets so you can club. This gives a great first impression
tailor the tour to what and makes them feel more comfortable
they want to achieve when entering the facility. And have a
52 Read Health Club Management online september 2009 © cybertrek 2009
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
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