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sales manager for Star Trac’s Canadian operations. He enjoys presenting fea- tures on equipment like the E series total body trainers with integrated media, iPod connectivity, large 15” screens as features and the new eS- pinner™ with embedded touch screen computers and virtual master instruc- tor which offers a unique level of inter- action and user-experience.
Do your homework to speed the sales process
Still, he offers advice to his custom-
ers to help facilitate the sales process. He knows that in this economy, the sales landscape has changed. With limited travel, reduced budgets and a heightened sense of accountability for expenses, the sales process is a more strategic affair with less time and fewer resources available for woo- ing clients. Relationship-building is based more on time saved than time spent. He advises his clients to do their
homework, too, and be prepared with the right information and questions that relate specifically to their busi- nesses, including defining their clien- tele and who they perceive themselves to be. This allows someone like Hillier
buyers are investing their time and money in the
right direction.” ~ Paul Hillier, territory sales manager
“With a real give and take, I can make sure my
4. Motivational: “I want to keep go-
ing.” This is a constant challenge in the fitness industry. When exercisers feel empowered and successful, they want to use the equipment again, achieving personal goals and seeing results.
5. Rewarding: “I want to use this
again.” This is about maximizing the desired effect and delivering a reward- ing user experience.
“We take these five elements and
apply them to our design, and, if at any point we can’t make these bench- marks, we go back to the drawing board,” explains Dilts. That’s the reason Star Trac
spent two years working on their Inspiration™ line of strength prod- ucts, which will be officially ready
48 Fitness Business Canada May/June 2009
for market this summer. The team unveiled its preliminary design 18 months ago, inviting people – includ- ing the competition – to try it out and offer feedback and suggestions. At the recent IHRSA show, the team did it again and looked for the feedback that would ultimately shape the final prod- uct and be compatible with Star Trac’s total design approach. Recognizing that differentiating its
products from the rest of the competi- tion is becoming a greater and greater challenge, creating innovative prod- ucts and being able to articulate in- novative features and offer compelling differences helps the Star Trac sales team complete the client-centric circle. Developing a “slam-dunk, gotta-
have-it” winning product, is helpful to someone like Paul Hillier, territory
to focus on meeting their needs and guiding them in a purposeful way, rather than offering a dollar figure to someone simply tire-kicking or price shopping. “The magic parameters are space
plus money plus time,” notes Hillier. “If I don’t know these three things, it makes the process far more difficult in getting to the core of the customers real needs for their facility. But if you come with as many parameters estab- lished as you possibly can, you’ll find improvement in the speed and qual- ity of information I can provide you. The ideal is someone who is prepared, who has some knowledge of what they want, but is still open to suggestions. With a real give and take, I can make sure my buyers are investing their time and money in the right direc- tion.” FBC
Kathryn Korchok is a freelance writer who loves to workout (her favourite is the elliptical), play tennis, hike and practice yoga. Contact her at
kathryn.korchok@gmail.com.
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