But quick and casual testimoni-


als that you shoot with your phone or club video camera and then upload to your website and social media chan- nels can also be a highly persuasive selling tool. Here are a few tips to help you cre- ate compelling video testimonials:


Pump up a job description Assign a staff person—someone


with lots of energy and who is a good cheerleader—to be your club’s official videographer, suggests McCabe, or get your entire team involved. “Create a contest where the win-


ner is the staff person with the great- est volume, then the next month it’s the person who demonstrates the best cross-section of members, then the person who has the best quality,” she says. “You could also incent members to do the same and offer a free per- sonal training session, or something equally tangible and valuable, as a draw prize.”


Prep your talent Choose a good cross-section of


members by considering their ages, sex, ethnicity, fitness level, etc. Help them relax by explaining that you’re simply looking for honest answers to basic questions about their experience at your club. Spontaneous respons- es are almost always more interest- ing than prepared answers. For many clubs, a casual and friendly vibe is more successful than one that is su- per-slick and polished.


Lay out a plan Ryan Ketchum, a fitness profession-


al and business marketing consultant, recommends these four steps once


your camera is rolling: 1) Ask clients to introduce themselves and to tell a bit of their story. 2) Ask about their strug- gles and frustrations and why they wanted to make a change. 3) Ask what happened once they joined your facili- ty and what service, person or program made the biggest impact. 4) Be sure they share their results along with the emotions they experienced as a result of joining your facility.


Keep it short and concentrated The sweet spot for most marketing


videos is about 45 to 60 seconds, if the speaker and content are truly engag- ing, say some experts. Others suggest this is far too long and that as little as 10 seconds can deliver a strong mes- sage and is more successful at keeping eyeballs focused. “You want really tight clips that are


short and powerful,” says McCabe. Be sure to edit out all the pauses


and dead space to keep it flowing and engaging.


Of course, probe for benefits not features Prospects already know about your


club’s services and features, or they can easily find out. So discourage member comments about your won- derful restaurant, exercise equipment and extended hours. Instead ask ques- tions that spark them to describe their weight loss journey, new friendships and revitalized social life, or improved energy levels. Have them focus on just a few benefits versus overwhelming viewers with too much information.


Get permission Use a short and simple waiver so


Best Testimonial


Ever This unsolicited show- stopping testimonial will make you laugh and then want to rush over to check out this member’s club, Vancouver’s Filippov Fitness.


www.filippovfitness.ca/videos And…action!


If you’re the go-to videographer at your club, skip dead-end ho-hum questions like, “How long have you been a member?” and “Do you like the renovation?” Instead, pose creative questions that encourage mem- bers to tell a personal story that creates pic- tures in listeners’ minds. To keep the content fresh and varied, compile a list of 10 ques- tions, suggests McCabe, and ask each person three or four of them. Here are four of her suggestions:


1. “Imagine not coming here. What would life be like for you without our club?” 2. “How much fun do you have coming to our gym?” 3. “Why do you come here? 4. How do you feel when you leave?”


members understand your plans. Or build testimonial participation into your new-client paperwork. Most people are excited to share their sto- ries and are flattered to be nominat- ed by a friend or staff member. But others are shy and prefer to have their accomplishments acknowl- edged in a more low-key and less public way. FBC


Check out excellent video testimonials here:


• www.gofitnesscenter.com • www.ssfitness.com • micheleramseyfitness.com • On YouTube, search for: Success Story Campaign 2012 Steve Nash Fitness Clubs


January/February 2017 Fitness Business Canada 21


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