Tips to Selling Memberships during a Recession

Staff buy-in. The first people that need to be sold on investing in health is each of your membership advisors. They must believe in the value of exercise. Everyone knows the value of exercise and now everyone must believe that exercise helps one’s physical and mental well-being. Once your membership advisors embrace the fact that living a healthy lifestyle is a 24/7 attitude, they will make sales.
Sell with passion. Questions that membership advisors need to ask themselves are: Are they exercising? Do they believe in the product? Do they practice what they preach? The biggest component to selling anything is emotion. People buy based on emotion. They can sense whether the club representative is sincere or just trying to make a sale. Today’s consumer is savvy. Do not underestimate their ability to see right through false emotion and excitement. Membership advisors must have a burning passion for fitness and living a healthy lifestyle that must flow through their presentation.
Ignore the negativity. Membership advisors should not get caught up reading doomsayer headlines and watching stock market results. It is important to know what’s going on, but it should not consume their every thought, leading to desperation. Being distracted from a daily success cycle will only make matters worse. Membership advisors must keep a positive mental attitude every day and disregard what is going on around them or in their own personal lives. They must stay focused.
Value proposition. Consumers are evaluating where to spend their hard-earned money these days. Membership advisors must make a value proposition relatable to their goals and fitness needs. They must show prospects the value of starting an exercise program and how starting now makes more sense than ever. They should help prospects determine their daily spending habits and explain how spending less per day is a great value. Prospects can join the club for a low fixed cost and enjoy the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.
Empathy vs. sympathy. Empathy is the capacity to recognize or understand another’s state of mind. It is often characterized as the ability to put yourself in their shoes. Sympathy is a social affinity in which one person stands with another person, closely understanding his or her feelings. Membership advisors should not sympathize but empathize with prospects. They must understand their situation but be careful not to get caught up in their story. Bring the conversation back to results and benefits of joining the club. Turn each negative into a positive. People on a tight budget usually don’t have much to do other than read, watch TV or surf the Internet. That gets boring quickly and encourages an unhealthy lifestyle. They could be at the gym, exercising, socializing, networking and making new friends all for a low monthly fixed cost. And they can read, watch TV or surf the Internet while doing it.

Tips to Selling Memberships during a Recession

Staff buy-in. The first people that need to be sold on investing in health is each of your membership advisors. They must believe in the value of exercise. Everyone knows the value of exercise and now everyone must believe that exercise helps one’s physical and mental well-being. Once your membership advisors embrace the fact that living a healthy lifestyle is a 24/7 attitude, they will make sales.
Sell with passion. Questions that membership advisors need to ask themselves are: Are they exercising? Do they believe in the product? Do they practice what they preach? The biggest component to selling anything is emotion. People buy based on emotion. They can sense whether the club representative is sincere or just trying to make a sale. Today’s consumer is savvy. Do not underestimate their ability to see right through false emotion and excitement. Membership advisors must have a burning passion for fitness and living a healthy lifestyle that must flow through their presentation.
Ignore the negativity. Membership advisors should not get caught up reading doomsayer headlines and watching stock market results. It is important to know what’s going on, but it should not consume their every thought, leading to desperation. Being distracted from a daily success cycle will only make matters worse. Membership advisors must keep a positive mental attitude every day and disregard what is going on around them or in their own personal lives. They must stay focused.
Value proposition. Consumers are evaluating where to spend their hard-earned money these days. Membership advisors must make a value proposition relatable to their goals and fitness needs. They must show prospects the value of starting an exercise program and how starting now makes more sense than ever. They should help prospects determine their daily spending habits and explain how spending less per day is a great value. Prospects can join the club for a low fixed cost and enjoy the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.
Empathy vs. sympathy. Empathy is the capacity to recognize or understand another’s state of mind. It is often characterized as the ability to put yourself in their shoes. Sympathy is a social affinity in which one person stands with another person, closely understanding his or her feelings. Membership advisors should not sympathize but empathize with prospects. They must understand their situation but be careful not to get caught up in their story. Bring the conversation back to results and benefits of joining the club. Turn each negative into a positive. People on a tight budget usually don’t have much to do other than read, watch TV or surf the Internet. That gets boring quickly and encourages an unhealthy lifestyle. They could be at the gym, exercising, socializing, networking and making new friends all for a low monthly fixed cost. And they can read, watch TV or surf the Internet while doing it.

YMCA Announces It Is Closing! …… Thought the recession was over?

Residents of the southern Florida city of Bonita Springs are planning to protest the imminent closure of the Bonita YMCA at a city council meeting this week. YMCA of the Palms, which manages the branch, announced earlier this month that it would be closing the facility due to financial hardship.

Supporters of the Bonita Y will voice their concerns at this week’s Bonita Springs (FL) City Council meeting.
Members of the Bonita Y want a chance to air their concerns and to try to find a way for the center, which opened in 2005, to continue operating, according to reports in several local media outlets. Many of the center’s supporters say they made financial donations towards its $7.2 million construction cost.

In a statement, Brandon Dowdy, president and CEO of YMCA of the Palms, said the organization already has researched possible solutions to keep the center open.

“Our volunteer and staff leadership have spent the last year exploring options to ensure the YMCA’s long-term success and to best match our organization’s unique capabilities with the community’s needs,” he said. “Unfortunately, we cannot continue to subsidize operating losses, and we have made the difficult decision to suspend operations.”

The statement also said that the YMCA of the USA is working with community leaders to identify ways in which the Y can continue to offer services in Bonita Springs.

In addition to fitness facilities, the center also offers child care and Weight Watchers and Silver Sneakers programs and serves as a hurricane shelter.

YMCA of the Palms executives have not said what avenues are being considered, but about 40 miles up the Florida coast in Fort Myers, the Lee County Y, which also was operating at a loss recently, has found a way to continue—and even expand—its services to the community.

The Lee County Y earlier this month announced it had merged with the South County YMCA, one county away, in an effort to reduce overhead and find financial stability. Lee County Y currently is comprised of the Paul Bush Branch in Fort Myers and another branch in Naples; South County Y operates facilities in Venice and Englewood.

Under the new partnership, and with the help of another local nonprofit organization, the Lee County Y now is planning to expand. The Y last week confirmed that it will be opening a new center in Cape Coral this August. The branch will be located in a former Shriners Club building that the Cape Coral Kiwanis Club is buying with the intention of having the YMCA operate the new center’s programming.

YMCA Announces It Is Closing! …… Thought the recession was over?

Residents of the southern Florida city of Bonita Springs are planning to protest the imminent closure of the Bonita YMCA at a city council meeting this week. YMCA of the Palms, which manages the branch, announced earlier this month that it would be closing the facility due to financial hardship.

Supporters of the Bonita Y will voice their concerns at this week’s Bonita Springs (FL) City Council meeting.
Members of the Bonita Y want a chance to air their concerns and to try to find a way for the center, which opened in 2005, to continue operating, according to reports in several local media outlets. Many of the center’s supporters say they made financial donations towards its $7.2 million construction cost.

In a statement, Brandon Dowdy, president and CEO of YMCA of the Palms, said the organization already has researched possible solutions to keep the center open.

“Our volunteer and staff leadership have spent the last year exploring options to ensure the YMCA’s long-term success and to best match our organization’s unique capabilities with the community’s needs,” he said. “Unfortunately, we cannot continue to subsidize operating losses, and we have made the difficult decision to suspend operations.”

The statement also said that the YMCA of the USA is working with community leaders to identify ways in which the Y can continue to offer services in Bonita Springs.

In addition to fitness facilities, the center also offers child care and Weight Watchers and Silver Sneakers programs and serves as a hurricane shelter.

YMCA of the Palms executives have not said what avenues are being considered, but about 40 miles up the Florida coast in Fort Myers, the Lee County Y, which also was operating at a loss recently, has found a way to continue—and even expand—its services to the community.

The Lee County Y earlier this month announced it had merged with the South County YMCA, one county away, in an effort to reduce overhead and find financial stability. Lee County Y currently is comprised of the Paul Bush Branch in Fort Myers and another branch in Naples; South County Y operates facilities in Venice and Englewood.

Under the new partnership, and with the help of another local nonprofit organization, the Lee County Y now is planning to expand. The Y last week confirmed that it will be opening a new center in Cape Coral this August. The branch will be located in a former Shriners Club building that the Cape Coral Kiwanis Club is buying with the intention of having the YMCA operate the new center’s programming.

YMCA Announces It Is Closing!

Residents of the southern Florida city of Bonita Springs are planning to protest the imminent closure of the Bonita YMCA at a city council meeting this week. YMCA of the Palms, which manages the branch, announced earlier this month that it would be closing the facility due to financial hardship.

Supporters of the Bonita Y will voice their concerns at this week’s Bonita Springs (FL) City Council meeting.
Members of the Bonita Y want a chance to air their concerns and to try to find a way for the center, which opened in 2005, to continue operating, according to reports in several local media outlets. Many of the center’s supporters say they made financial donations towards its $7.2 million construction cost.

In a statement, Brandon Dowdy, president and CEO of YMCA of the Palms, said the organization already has researched possible solutions to keep the center open.

“Our volunteer and staff leadership have spent the last year exploring options to ensure the YMCA’s long-term success and to best match our organization’s unique capabilities with the community’s needs,” he said. “Unfortunately, we cannot continue to subsidize operating losses, and we have made the difficult decision to suspend operations.”

The statement also said that the YMCA of the USA is working with community leaders to identify ways in which the Y can continue to offer services in Bonita Springs.

In addition to fitness facilities, the center also offers child care and Weight Watchers and Silver Sneakers programs and serves as a hurricane shelter.

YMCA of the Palms executives have not said what avenues are being considered, but about 40 miles up the Florida coast in Fort Myers, the Lee County Y, which also was operating at a loss recently, has found a way to continue—and even expand—its services to the community.

The Lee County Y earlier this month announced it had merged with the South County YMCA, one county away, in an effort to reduce overhead and find financial stability. Lee County Y currently is comprised of the Paul Bush Branch in Fort Myers and another branch in Naples; South County Y operates facilities in Venice and Englewood.

Under the new partnership, and with the help of another local nonprofit organization, the Lee County Y now is planning to expand. The Y last week confirmed that it will be opening a new center in Cape Coral this August. The branch will be located in a former Shriners Club building that the Cape Coral Kiwanis Club is buying with the intention of having the YMCA operate the new center’s programming.

YMCA Announces It Is Closing!

Residents of the southern Florida city of Bonita Springs are planning to protest the imminent closure of the Bonita YMCA at a city council meeting this week. YMCA of the Palms, which manages the branch, announced earlier this month that it would be closing the facility due to financial hardship.

Supporters of the Bonita Y will voice their concerns at this week’s Bonita Springs (FL) City Council meeting.
Members of the Bonita Y want a chance to air their concerns and to try to find a way for the center, which opened in 2005, to continue operating, according to reports in several local media outlets. Many of the center’s supporters say they made financial donations towards its $7.2 million construction cost.

In a statement, Brandon Dowdy, president and CEO of YMCA of the Palms, said the organization already has researched possible solutions to keep the center open.

“Our volunteer and staff leadership have spent the last year exploring options to ensure the YMCA’s long-term success and to best match our organization’s unique capabilities with the community’s needs,” he said. “Unfortunately, we cannot continue to subsidize operating losses, and we have made the difficult decision to suspend operations.”

The statement also said that the YMCA of the USA is working with community leaders to identify ways in which the Y can continue to offer services in Bonita Springs.

In addition to fitness facilities, the center also offers child care and Weight Watchers and Silver Sneakers programs and serves as a hurricane shelter.

YMCA of the Palms executives have not said what avenues are being considered, but about 40 miles up the Florida coast in Fort Myers, the Lee County Y, which also was operating at a loss recently, has found a way to continue—and even expand—its services to the community.

The Lee County Y earlier this month announced it had merged with the South County YMCA, one county away, in an effort to reduce overhead and find financial stability. Lee County Y currently is comprised of the Paul Bush Branch in Fort Myers and another branch in Naples; South County Y operates facilities in Venice and Englewood.

Under the new partnership, and with the help of another local nonprofit organization, the Lee County Y now is planning to expand. The Y last week confirmed that it will be opening a new center in Cape Coral this August. The branch will be located in a former Shriners Club building that the Cape Coral Kiwanis Club is buying with the intention of having the YMCA operate the new center’s programming.