A Post On Fitness Business Rules By Pat Rigsby
Fitness sales for personal training, bootcamps, youth fitness programs or even health club memberships – that’s the foundation of your business.
No sale – no client, camper or member.
But most fitness pros I know hate selling. But that’s only because they’re not comfortable with it yet.
Here are three tips to change that and make closing sales much, much easier.
Fitness Sales Key #1 – Everything Leads To A Sale
Sometimes I have to remind the trainers we work with that while sending press releases, getting on TV, making blog posts, writing articles, creating product and all the rest are great…they’re all just a means to lead to you selling something.
See, sometimes we have to keep our eyes on the prize. If you don’t have enough clients or campers are you waiting for something to happen…or are you making it happen.
When Holly & I were living in the basement while we were getting our training business and health club ramped up – I was laser focused on selling training. I didn’t leave the gym without getting two new clients. It meant some late nights, like they say – if the want is strong enough you’ll find a way.
Even before that, when I was first running a training department in a Gold’s Gym, the company had a bonus of $250 if you sold 12 deals in a pay period. My goal every pay period was 36 deals and I considered that $750 part of my regular income. I knew I needed 3 deals a day to make it happen – and was relentless on getting my 3.
So keep doing all those things…
Keep blogging, sending press releases, writing articles and the rest. But don’t lose sight of the fact that selling is what pays the bills.
Fitness Sales Key #2 – Proper Framing Leads To Bigger Sales
Want an easy way to selling bigger deals? It’s two simple steps, but I’m not sure you’ll believe me if I tell you.
Here goes:
Step 1: Offer no more than 3 potential options to a prospect. Something like this:
1 Session Per Week
2 Sessions Per Week
3 Sessions Per Week
It could be 2, 3 and 4 or 3, 4 and 5…makes no difference to me. You know what you’re currently selling. Just reduce it to 3 options.
Step 2: If you’re most popular program is 2 sessions per week but you want to sell more 3 session per week packages, add a package bigger than that to your price sheet.
If you already have:
1 Session Per Week
2 Sessions Per Week
3 Sessions Per Week
Then switch to offering:
2 Sessions Per Week
3 Sessions Per Week
4 Sessions Per Week
You’ll immediately sell more 3 session per week programs. It’s all simple psychology. Too many choices have been proven to cause indecision and high priced offerings make offerings priced lower seem more reasonable.
That’s it…two easy steps to more sales bigger packages and programs sold.
Fitness Sales Key #3 – Sell Something
Get small commitments first.
There was a time in my personal training career that I’d average three closed sales a day.
Unfortunately many trainers don’t do 3 a month.
But the trick was to close the ones that weren’t ready to commit to bigger programs on something.
Or, if I was doing a speaking engagement, close the attendees on something small. Get a ‘yes’ first.
Once someone has invested a little with you it’s much, much easier to get them to invest more.
But only if you deliver great service during that initial purchase. So if you’re having trouble getting people to enroll in ‘big ticket’ programs, get them to at least invest in something small first.
Then after you’ve built a little more rapport and have delivered great service and value, present your bigger offerings.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how little resistance you get then.
I hope this helped you get a little more confident and comfortable with fitness sales. If it did, leave me a comment below and let me know.
Dedicated to your success,
Pat Rigsby
Pat Rigsby is a Co-Owner of the International Youth Conditioning Association & the youth fitness franchise Athletic Revolution as well as a fitness industry consultant serving thousands of personal trainers and fitness entrepreneurs. Sign up for his fitness business free newsletter to discover proven marketing, sales and business strategies, along with blog updates, news, and more! While you’re at it, follow him on Twitter.
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Hey Pat,
I find that the constant repetition by reading and rereading articles like this one of yours makes it stick.
As a matter of fact. I used this same method because one of the methods was so fresh in my mind that i could almost repeat it and see it and I easily closed on a prospect and made him a client.
And i wasn’t really trying but more like practicing it and it worked flawlessly to the point that it was easy that i was left scratching my head wondering what the hell i just did that was so right that it was so easy.
I am not sure how I got on your list but your emails are some of the most useful advice I have ever received for becoming a better coach and business person. I save them all and often refer back to older ones. You do a great job – your words are improving lives in more ways than you probably realize.
Thanks,
Sharon
This is absoultely perfect idea. im just getting through reading one of your recommended books from Dan kennedty , the no bs sales success . thank you.
Your right Pat. We recently offered 8 different training packages to our athletes and it confused both our trainers selling and parents buying. We now offer 3, 6 and 12 month options and sales have picked up. Also, with regards to Everything Leads To A Sale, I think it is impo. to remember to not look for 1 thing that will make 20 sales but realize a lot of times its 20 different things that lead to 1 sale (20 total).
Good advice Pat. Offering the biggest package/agreement definitely makes the minimum seem much more doable. Then if you are good up sell to the larger package. I think in the 5+ years of being a trainer I’ve only had a few people who didn’t commit to longer then the “jump start” package I offer as a last case resort. However now.. my preferred package is 3 months of training… I need to add in my 6 month package asap.. currently I get them on a minimum of 1 month as my “jump start”. Quite an improvement from my rookie days of a 1 week or the old school big chain gym 3 session pack.. not to mention the 1 session option, do 1 session sales still exist!? B)
Nice job on this post Pat.
Sharon Johnson hit it on the head with her comment.
Hi Pat! I love these! Heard it before but it’s always good to hear it expressed a little differently. Can I please get a copy of that sales manual you offered? I also sent you an email at the support@iycasupport.com address re: the Kidfit camp package.
Would love a copy of your fitness sales manual. Thanks for all the advice.
Pat,
Thanks for giving an old dog like me, new and delightfully exciting ways to navigate through the arduous task of selling PT. Making it fun and easy through a distinct directive, which creates more passion to sell and train. Thanks!
I would also love to have a copy of your fitness sales manual. Keep putting out great content! Thanks again.
Hey Pat!
I recently started a new job at commercial gym, and I’ve gotta say, the tips you throw in your emails are amazing. Sometimes it can be overwhelming just figuring out where square one is. I like the mental direction you give me when talking to a member/ prospect. I’d love to see what other gems you include in your sales manual! If you’d like to send it my way, I’d be most appreciative.
Keep up the great work!
Billy
Hi Jim,
In your last mail to me, you reffered to a small fitness sales manual.
How can I get that?
I really enjoy your mails by the way,
Regards,
Sandy
Pat,
Thanks for sharing your wisdom. I’m not sure I have a copy of the sales manual you mentioned, so may I respectfully request one?
Thanks,
SP
Thanks Pat, I really appreciate the top notch advice you always provide. Any chance of grabbing a copy of the fitness sales manual you mentioned in your email?
Much appreciated,
James
Great post as always! Let me copy your sales manual, I’m sure it is a winner!
Hey Everyone – Thanks for the comments – I’ll post the Sales Manual Friday to download here on the blog;)
Such a great site !! Really has help me improve my game 10 fold ! Material you can read and put straight into use.
Sure would love a copy of your sales manual.
Im a fan, keep up the good work !!
Hey Pat great info as we are all used to by now. Would love it if you would send me a copy of your sales manual as I’m sure it will give me some ideas on how to make mine more effective
hey pat
looking forward to seeing you at bootcamp bootcamp. Yes I would love a copy of the sales manual
Pat,
Thanks for sharing your wisdom. I’m not sure I have a copy of the sales manual you mentioned, so may I respectfully request one?
Thanks,
Dr. T. Prabhakar Reddy
Pat,
Thanks for sharing your wisdom. I’m not sure I have a copy of the sales manual you mentioned, so may I respectfully request one?
Thanks,
thanks for more eucation.
can iget this sales manual?
wonderful suggestions i am using these tips right away.
thank you
regards
Hi Pat. Great advice. I’d love to pick up a copy of your sales manual. Can you please send the info on that? Thanks, Tim