MANAGEMENT SERIES
Reciprocity principle: If a PT offers free advice, the member is more likely to spend with him in the future
Marketing using phrases such as ‘the most popular club in town’ also tap into this principle known as ‘social proof’. Finally, the principle of liking states that people prefer to say
‘yes’ to those they like and have a relationship with. But the important thing with all these techniques is that it must rest on a strong ethical foundation for it to work.
Go with the flow As soon as your team has mastered the buying or influencing principles, they should be taught to follow a sales process. This comprises the greeting, the information gathering, the presenting and the closing.
Top tips on selling memberships
• HELP, don’t sell. Gain details about a prospect,
• Practise what you preach. You’d be surprised
then solve their problem.
• Be prepared. Most of the work happens before
• Know your competitors. Take time to know the
you meet your prospect. Role-play the club tour, know where you’ll take them, what areas hold most appeal, etc.
• Focus on the process and don’t prejudge the
relative pros and cons of your facility. Speak respectfully about the competition, but then point out how your facility offers better value.
at the referrals and respect you earn if you work out in your own club.
• Ask questions. Don’t fall into the trap of the
outcome. Stay focused on the needs of your prospect, not your desire for a sale. Don’t eliminate steps to save time.
• Sales is often described as a transfer of enthusiasm
• Be accountable. Ask yourself questions on
from one person to another. Be happy about what you’re offering.
how you can improve, and never stop learning.
museum tour: the more you overwhelm your prospect with information, the more likely it is that you’ll create objections. Find out as much about them as you can, and then guide them in their decision-making.
The ultimate intention in the greeting is to build rapport and
trust: people will then believe you’re trying to help them and will listen to what you say. Using people’s names, letting them know your name and creating that initial connection through conversation is the easiest way to achieve this. The second step is information gathering. Rather than
trying to push or sell something that’s not in line with what the person wants, ask and understand what they’re trying to achieve, and why. A simple acronym – H.E.L.P. – will help you gather the relevant information from a prospect. H stands for how they Heard about the club. E is for their Experience. L informs you about their Lifestyle and P stands for the Problem. The easy part of the sale is presenting the club and solution
in line with what they want: if they’re serious about wanting a solution, they should buy it. For example: “From what you’ve told me Mary, you want to tone up the back of your arms so they look good in a dress. This tricep machine would be ideal.” But you should never start presenting until you’ve gathered
the correct information. One of the major reasons why members leave a club is due to ‘expectation violation’ – being sold something that’s unrealistic to their lifestyle and habits. Finally, it’s important to ask for the sale. If you’ve correctly
gone through the previous three steps, held rapport and presented the solution – and they know it’s the solution – the natural progression is to ask if they’re happy to go ahead.
Helping, not selling Many people in the fitness industry hate the term ‘sales’, yet it pays their livelihood. So why not look at it from a different angle: your sales team should be helping people achieve what they want, rather than selling something they don’t want. ●
Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM, historically a fitness sales and marketing company that has served the international fitness community for over 24 years. He regularly speaks at international conferences such as IHRSA, Filex and Club Industry and has presented at UK conferences such as ukactive, LIW and CIMSPA. He’s also the owner of 11 health clubs across two continents, a board director of ukactive, founder of IOU (Independent Operators Unite) and the creator of MYZONE. Email:
Dave.Wright@cfm.net
66 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital June 2014 © Cybertrek 2014
PHOTO:
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ALEKSANDR MARKIN
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