Salesmanship is a critical skill necessary for all fitness professionals to master. Whether you like it or not, much of your livelihood will depend on whether or not you can “close the deal.” And just like any other skill, you can always improve on your ability to sell others on you and your services.
Here are 6 unique sales tips that will improve your salesmanship:
1) Know the difference between a prospect and a client. A prospect is someone who is interested in learning more about you and your services. A client is someone who has made the commitment and hired you by paying you money to train them.
2) It’s NEVER a sale until you have the money in your hand. That is why it is imperative you obtain payment before the meeting has ended. Too many things could happen to make the prospect change their mind if they haven’t committed any money to becoming physically fit. When money exchanges hands only then does the prospect become a client.
3) Be sure you set a distinct consultation time when you are trying to sell them your services. In other words, don’t try to “sell on the fly.” If you know it takes you a minimum of 45 minutes to close a sale then be 100% certain before the meeting starts your prospect has allotted that amount of time in their schedule. It’s your job to make sure they know exactly how long the meeting is going to take. Never assume anything. People are extremely busy and the last thing you want is for your prospect to leave before you have had a chance to close your sale.
4) Create a list of questions to ask prospects to determine whether or not they would make a good client. You don’t need to meet with every single prospect who in interested in hiring you. If you don’t feel someone would make a good client, someone who would become a “walking billboard” for you, then feel free to turn them away. Your time is too valuable to spend talking to people who aren’t serious about doing what it takes to get the results they claim they want.
5) Find out what your prospect wants to achieve and then explain to them how you can go about helping them achieve that. NEVER abdicate your expertise by allowing them to pick a training package based on price alone. When you present several options and ask your prospect to choose it is the same thing as saying “I’m really not an expert and I don’t know what I’m doing.”
6) If they become a paying client, before leaving your meeting you should give them one last chance to back out of the deal. Why? Because it allows you to alleviate and concerns they may have while you are still face to face. You want to be sure when you leave your meeting the new client is 100% committed to working with you. Otherwise, there is always a chance they will have buyer’s remorse and seek to back out of your deal. This gives you your best chance of eliminating that possibility.
These tips are easy to follow and will improve your salesmanship considerably. They will save you enormous amounts of time and effort.
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Jim Labadie |
More Ideas for closing sales deals:
Get beyond “yes”: Time is your enemy. Once you’ve gotten your target to agree in principle that you’re going to make this deal, move them as quickly as possible toward getting it into writing. That’s because into the narrow opening between “yes” and signing on the dotted line can creep things common sales problems like second thoughts, competition or unforeseen events. So if you get a verbal expression of interest, then move resolutely toward a verbal commitment, then as quickly as possible to a written agreement that hopefully closes out the sales cycle.
Create a sense of urgency: Sometimes the person on the other end of the deal will be happy to close it – when they can get around to it. Timing may be much more important to you. So if necessary, you want to create a sense of urgency to get their commitment, and that may require some final concessions to refocus their attention. This may involve offering a 2% greater discount, net-30 terms instead of net-10 requirements, or offering a two-year service agreement instead of one-year coverage. You’ll know what it takes.
Use the threat of competition: Unfortunately, in order to get the other side to close, sometimes an entrepreneur will have to get them to understand that if they don’t do the deal with you, you’ll do the deal with someone else. Sometimes this involves bluffing, sometimes enhancing the appeal of what you’re offering. But if you can convince the target of your deal making that you’re doing something that’s going to become powerful, everybody wants a piece of that.
Generate “late-breaking news”: Throughout the relationship-building and negotiating process and beyond, be funneling helpful new information to the other party. This might be a press release about a new product, a copy of a story about your business that you’ve managed to land in the local newspaper, the result of a new independent test of your service, or that one last testimonial from an existing customer that you’re keeping in your back pocket.
Be prepared to not close: The reality is that most deals don’t close, if you measure by the number of potential relationships and transactions that your company pursues. Something happens. There isn’t a fit. The timing isn’t right. You must disdain losing any deal and fight hard to land every last one. But you also need to be sober about the percentages – so you can raise them.
Closing Must Be Organic
Of course, every deal worth its salt must not be lopsided – it should stem either from mutual compromise or a true “win-win” scenario. And empathy goes a long way.
“The deal is actually closed before the deal happens. Courting and building relationships over time are the only guarantees of succeeding in closing a deal. And that can take years.
“Be the best listener you can. Hear the other guy’s pain; what can you do to solve it? And if there’s pleasure you can add to his equation, focus on that.
“Tricks aren’t good: If you need them, you’re not in position to close anyway. Create true value. That’s what will help you sell faster at the price you want.”
Our Bottom Line:
The last thing you want to have happen is see your hard work throughout the sales cycle come to naught – so learning the sales techniques you need to become a more effective sales closer is vital. Closing is like eating your spinach – it’s something you may hate to do, but doing it well can be the strength of your business-development efforts.
Sponsored by: Fitness Life Marketing 1-888-541-0714 ext2
Article Research Contributor: Amerishape Weight Loss
Health Club owners if you think that your sales staff personalities and how they interact with customers and prospects doesn’t effect their closing rate, then maybe you need to take a closer look.. Today’s market is just going to get more competitive and price is not what is going to make sales. Customer’s realize they are in a buyer’s market so they can afford to be critical of every step in your presentation, so being dry and boring are life threatening in regards to your sales career. You must enjoy dealing with people and it has to show otherwise the customer will find someone who does. Prospects want partners these days and if they have their choice they will partner with someone they enjoy interacting with. You must engage the customer, tell good jokes and appear genuine all the time. It doesn’t hurt to let the customer feel like they are in control either. When it’s all said and done, people buy from people. I would much prefer to spend what I felt was a fair rate to work with a vendor who pals up to me and seems interested in my business. With less money sitting on the table today, people are going to spend it with the most interesting and capable person they can. So make sure your personality is energetic, respectful and encourages trust. Just remember in this business, rude = unemployed.
Sponsored by: Fitness Life Marketing 1-888-541-0714 ext2
Article Research Contributor: Amerishape Weight Loss
Firms spend millions of dollars to discover how to get consumers to purchase their products, and invariably, the companies that succeed most impressively are those that understand the importance of appealing to the senses and psyche. Sight, sound, touch, taste and smell — all play major roles in getting someone to make a purchase. In addition, companies must also cultivate strong positive associations with their product, and do their best to eliminate any negative ones. Consider how a few industries utilize such techniques.In supermarkets, for instance, the bread and milk – the two items most frequently bought – are deliberately placed at opposite ends of the store. In order to pick up these two necessities, the shopper must travel through miles of aisles, and, as a result, inevitably winds up buying more items than they had planned. By simply positioning two items strategically, the store increases its sales. Clubs can do the same.
Similarly, fast-food restaurants utilize the environment to maximize their returns. Colors are used to trigger desired impulses (e.g., red prompts people to “stop and take action,” while yellow triggers hunger), and the seats are made uncomfortable on purpose to discourage lingering.
In the health and fitness club industry, there are five basic areas of concern involved in selling a prospect: They are the information call, reception, interview, tour and close. Some of the most important conclusion that I’ve reached about each are outlined below.
The information call
Every person answering the phone in your club should be doing it the same way. “Good morning (or evening), (the name of your club), this is (person’s name). How may I help you? they should always give their name because callers feel more comfortable dealing with someone whose name they know. The prospect will usually indicate his or her reason for calling (perhaps they saw your ad in the Yellow Pages and would like additional information.) The stafer’s response could be, “Great, and your name is? and your number is?” Note that these are statements, not questions. In order to respond to a question, people have to stop and think, if only for a second, which explains why it’s sometimes difficult to get a person’s phone number. (“Why should I give them my phone number?” they wonder.) Try this technique: make statements. People respond to statements. “My name is (your name).” The other person will nearly always respond by saying, “I’m (there name),” Does this technique work every time? Of course not, but it works most of the time.
The reception
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. How a visitor is greeted by the staffer at the front desk sets the tone for the entire sales presentation. The receptionist should greet the guest with a warm smile and say, “Welcome to (the name of your club), my name is (person’s name). How may I help you? Following the introduction, the visitor should be asked to fill out the guest register (printing clearly), while the staffer gets someone to show them the club. The receptionist is the link, the common denominator, here – seeing to the quest’s comfort and helping them connect with a membership director (MD).
An important part of the MD’s job is to deal with questions regarding cost. When doing so, don’t forget that, in this industry, we sell a percieved-value service. We have to help the quest visualize the changes that they want to make – physically, psychologically, even emotionally. We don’t sell a tangible product that can be delivered the same day, so we need to eliminate this potential objection to joining before it arises. We do so by presenting the “agenda.” Welcome the quest to the club, shake their hand, and ask if they’ve ever been in before. The MD can they introduce the agenda by indicating that they’d like to gather some information to find out what the guest hopes to accomplish by joining club. “Then I’ll take you on a tour of the facility, show you everything we have to offer, and, afterwards, we’ll come back and discuss membership rates, okay? (When asking a question that you’d prefer to have answered in the affirmative, nod your head up and down; when you’re hoping for a “no”, move it from side to side. People often mirror the images in front of them. If, for instance, you smile long enough, the person in front of you will generally start smiling.)
Every presentation should follow this basic agenda. It’s very difficult to show the club properly if you don’t know what the prospect is interested in, which makes the interview crucial. The idea is not to take them to the area they’re interested in first … but to take them there last. As a result, the level of excitement will be highest at the end of the tour, setting the stage for a successful close.
The interview
The purpose of the interview is to determine what the prospect’s goals are, their most likely objections to joining (e.g., time, money, spouse, or “I want to think about it”), and the most appropriate way to effectively respond to their reservations. This can be accomplished by asking five simple questions:
1.) “Are you married? If so, is your spouse in favor of your getting started on an exercise program?” If the quest answers yes to this question, it’s going to be a lot more difficult for them to use their husband or wife as an excuse to not join.
2.) “How long have you been considering an exercise program?” Most people will say they’ve been thinking about it for at least six months, which makes it difficult for them to later say that they need more time to make a decision.
3.) “What stopped you from getting started then?” The answer to this question will probably be their primary objection.
4.) “If I’m able to set up a program that will help you achieve your goals, would you be willing to commit three hours a week to your health and fitness?” The answer will more than likely be yes.
5.) Finally, “in an average week, what do you do for entertainment?” The reply, of course varies, but most people spend money to rent videos, have drinks with friends, etc. “I don’t know about you , but I know I could find $1.50 a day, out of that, to apply towards improving my health.: People don’t like to have things taken away from them, but they do like gifts, so we’re suggesting that they use some of their entertainment money to purchase the gifts of fitness and good health.
The Tour
Every club should have a tour agenda all employees follow that covers everything from how long the club has been in business to how many aerobics classes it offers a week. It’s not uncommon for MDs to give different answers to the same question. (e.g., one might say the club has 30 aerobics classes a week, while another will say 40), but there’s no need for this to happen if everyone is using the same script.
It’s a truism of life, and sales, that people do what they do for one of two reasons – to avoid pain or obtain pleasure. Everything we do – from the clothes we wear, to the car we drive, to the club we join – is predicted on this principle. Therefore, the club tour must assuage any fears the quest may have and replace them with feelings of pleasure. We can accomplish this most easily by putting them on some of the fitness equipment: three pieces of strength equipment and one cardiovascular unit is the minimum I recommend. A club membership, bottom-line, is about physical rewards, and there’s no substitute for actually experiencing them. Even if the prospect is dressed in business clothes, they can comfortably try out a leg curl or elliptical motion machine.
The Close
We must learn how to deal effectively with any objections the guest may have. As noted, we can be helpful and responsive about doubts relating to time, money, spouse, or needing “to think about it.” Let’s use the first objection – that of time – as an example: One of my favorite ways to deal with this issue is to remind the quest that we all have 160 hours in a week. It’s simply a matter of priorities. Each MD should have at least four strong responses to deal with each of the four objections. After you’ve overcome the objection, you should immediately return to the close. You can also avail yourself of what I consider an “alternative” close, one of which is, “How would like to take care of this today – cash or check?” Learn how to ask questions in order to maximize the chance of getting the response you desire. And, when you’ve asked the critical closing question – stop talking! The next person to speak will lose the negotiation. Don’t sell a membership, then buy it back because you didn’t know when to quit.
Sponsored by: Fitness Life Marketing 1-888-541-0714 ext2
Article Research Contributor: Amerishape Weight Loss
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Going the Distance
With 23 clubs and counting, Sport & Health is the largest fitness chain in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Locally owned and operated for more than 30 years, the company is led by CEO Jonathan Adler and President and COO Mark Fisher, two dynamic leaders who have created a plan that will allow the company to grow systematically over the next five years, while also improving its existing locations.
Left to Right: Jonathan Adler, CEO; Mark Fisher, COO and President, Sport & Health Clubs, in the virtual cycling studio at Old Town Sport & Health fitness center in Alexandria, Va.
Anyone who has been lucky enough to live in or visit our nation’s capital knows that it is truly unlike any other place in the world. Brimming with diversity and steeped in history, the Washington Metro Area is comprised of innumerable neighborhood enclaves that often retain unique identities within the larger construct of D.C. Recently, Washington was named the “fittest city in the USA” by the American College of Sports Medicine – a distinction that happens to perfectly coincide with Sport & Health’s plans for expanding its presence and upgrading its clubs.The network underlines a prejudice.
THE HISTORY
Adler happens to be a native D.C. resident, with a background as diverse as the metro area he serves. A true entrepreneur with a head for sales and marketing, Adler has achieved success in publishing and Internet start-ups over the years. He began working full time in the publishing business at the tender age of 19, while studying business at the University of Maryland. In December 2005, Adler was already a member of Sport Health when he jumped at the chance to buy the company with four other friends and colleagues who were real estate partners and fellow club members. “I was looking for a business with recurring revenue and, more importantly, one that would allow me to positively impact people’s lives,” he shares.
As the other half of this executive team, Fisher brings a wealth of industry-specific experience to the table. Having worked in clubs since graduating from college in 1982, his first real gig was at U.S. Swim and Fitness – a growing company that also served as a training ground for Bahram Akradi of Life Time Fitness and several other industry veterans. The company was eventually purchased by Bally’s, prompting Fisher to open his own club. After locating a strong market in Wichita, Kan., he opened six clubs in the area over the course of 14 years. In 1996, he decided to take some time off and sold the clubs to private parties. By 2002, after several years of owning a hospitality-based business, Fisher was ready to jump back into the industry. He knew the CEO of Sport & Health at the time from his involvement in the exclusive Young President’s Organization (YPO), and opted to take a position upon joining the company that was beneath his real experience level in order to become familiar with the many changes that had occurred in the industry. By 2006, after several promotions, Fisher had assumed his current role and was deeply involved in making the company the best it could be.
PUTTING MEMBERS FIRST
Over the years, Sport & Health has capitalized on the unique makeup of the Washington Metro Area by tailoring its approach to doing business accordingly — from programming to marketing, the clubs choose options that will appeal directly to those who live and work within a three-to-five mile radius of each location. The result is a wide variety of sports, mind-body and fitness programming for members.
“Our clubs are not cookie-cutter,” says Adler. “We choose the programming for each club by analyzing extensive demographic information which outlines the preferences of each club’s membership base – and the surrounding community as a whole.” For example, programming in one club may be more family-oriented, while programming at another location would be more focused on attracting active businessmen and women. According to Adler, being a locally owned and operated company allows them to more easily manage this variety, especially since both he and Fisher believe in getting out of the office and into the clubs on a regular basis. “I don’t manage from my office – our entire management style is very inclusive,” states Fisher.
Technology has also played a leading role in allowing Adler and Fisher to properly evaluate the performance of the clubs’ many programs. When Adler assumed his position at the helm of Sport & Health, the company was still using an outdated DOS system that was very slow to generate reports. They turned to CSI for help, and systematically updated the company’s hardware and software. Now, they are using a real-time system which everyone has access to, that can easily track and determine member preferences – an essential component in managing multiple locations that offer such a wide variety of programming. “We can look at the percentage of our membership that is engaged and determine how it is affecting retention,” Adler says.
Perhaps one of the most important ways Sport & Health stays in contact with members and keeps a finger on the pulse of the communities it serves is through systematic communication with members when they are outside of the clubs. “We are big believers in e-mail and using online technology for keeping in touch with our members,” says Fisher. According to Adler, they reach out to all members on a monthly basis – either to let them know what’s going on in the clubs, or to ask them for feedback, or both. In addition, spot surveys are conducted quarterly and every member is surveyed annually using in-depth metrics designed to measure all aspects of each club.
Community involvement is another key component of staying in touch. Sport & Health has raised more than $1 million in the last few years for charity, and managers and employees are expected to get out into the community where their clubs are located. This grassroots approach also applies to the company’s guerilla marketing choices, which Adler says have driven down the cost per sale while driving up closing ratios. And, the company’s record sales the last few months are solid proof that this technique is working. “Our member referrals are up because we are actively encouraging members to bring new people in, while our employees’ involvement in the communities has gone a long way to build trust,” Fisher shares. Adler agrees, stating, “With my business and marketing background, I’m a big believer in the power of the Internet and using marketing techniques that involve an unconventional approach, relying on time, energy and imagination instead of a big marketing budget,” he says.
HANDS-ON MANAGEMENT STYLE
According to Adler and Fisher, another major component to the success of Sport & Health has been the company’s outstanding Senior Leadership Team, general managers and employees – basically, the people who are out in the clubs running the show every day. “The most important thing to remember is that companies are always driven by the people who work there,” says Adler.
When asked how they have been able to locate and foster such a strong team, Fisher says they looked for “drivers” and were fortunate to find many already within the company. “We want to be the premier employer of fitness personnel in the region,” he shares. Adler agrees, stating, “We are both a great place to work and a tough place to work – our interview process is very detailed; our general managers typically go through seven or eight different interviews prior to joining our team.” In addition to exceptional management, Sport & Health prides itself on the quality of its personal trainers; they accept fewer certifications than many other clubs, and all new hires must do an audition and interview with multiple general managers.
According to Adler, they also pay above average in order to attract and retain the best employees. This has allowed them to feel comfortable empowering managers and giving them real responsibilities – they are expected to understand what it takes to operate all aspects of the business. “We expect them to know members’ names and to spend three hours a day at the front desk, but we also expect them to be involved in discussions on marketing, pricing, compensation, etc.,” says Adler. “Our managers have a very strong influence and can really impact their club’s performance,” adds Fisher.
Neither Adler nor Fisher believe in a “top down” management style. Instead, both prefer to have as many heads as possible contributing to the betterment of the company. “You have to align your goals and expectations by developing a clear purpose, mission and value statement,” Adler shares. Fisher agrees, adding, “We have shifted the focus of the company culture and now everyone is committed to, and focused on, being a progressive, driven, energized health and fitness corporation.” To them, this means becoming better than they were last year, last month, last week, even yesterday. In practice, having regular inter-club competitions is a key part of this philosophy. Achievements like having the highest retention rates, the best member surveys or breaking a sales record do not go unnoticed, and rewarding positive change creates urgency and fosters a dynamic, high-energy environment.
More than 20 years ago, Fisher’s mother gave him a book that has now become an integral part of the culture at Sport & Health. An outwardly unassuming volume, “Rhinoceros Success,” by Scott Alexander is often mistaken for a children’s book at first glance. Its content, however, illustrates the importance of being “like a rhino” in life by taking charge and staying focused on your goal, while also being unafraid, thick-skinned and unstoppable in the face of challenges. “Today, this philosophy is enmeshed in the company – our screen savers are rhinos, clubs that “crash through” their sales goals get “Rhino Awards” and our conference room is called the “Rhino Room,” says Fisher. And it’s obvious that both he and Adler are willing to walk the walk. “Everyone needs to know what good performance looks like,” Adler says. “We are in front of them enough and are consistent enough to set the example.”
FIVE-YEAR PLAN
In case you haven’t heard, Sport & Health received $25 million in financing through PNC Mezzanine Capital and CMS Mezzanine Fund earlier this year, which has allowed the company to restructure senior debt — enhancing its capacity to grow and improve its network of clubs. Over the next five years, Sport & Health will continue to upgrade existing locations and has plans to acquire or build three new clubs per year in the D.C. area. For new clubs, they have a 20,000 square foot urban model and a 40,000 square foot suburban model, both of which have the capacity to provide the variety members have grown to expect. – CS
Keys To Success:
BECOME incredibly efficient at managing expenses, but always make sure that any changes will not have a negative effect on the member experience. Instead, focus on getting better terms from vendors and doing away with unnecessary waste.
INCLUDE key employees in the decision-making process. Get them involved in finding solutions to your club’s challenges – they are on the front lines of your business and will have important insights to share.
MOTIVATE your staff by creating inter-club competitions and rewards for outstanding achievement.
KNOW your community and service its needs. More people today are joining clubs that are conveniently located close to home or work, so understanding what your club’s dominant demographic really needs will help you keep members happy.
FIND ways to get managers and employees involved in community events. This is a great way to earn trust, and remember: You get what you give!
ASK your members to tell you what they think. Staying in touch with members and actively engaging them in the direction your club takes is paramount to remaining relevant in their lives.
Sponsored by: Fitness Life Marketing 1-888-541-0714 ext2
Article Research Contributor: Amerishape Weight Loss
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