Fitness Marketing Strategies and resources for personal Archives - Page 10 of 11 - HEALTH CLUB MARKETING GYM RESCUE

Fitness Marketing ……The best use for direct mail, especially in fitness, is to get current customers to keep coming back and spending more. That said, businesses need a marketing strategy for attracting new customers. Here are 4 great tips to making direct mail work:

The Smaller Your Trade Area, The More Direct Mail Works. Typically direct mail works on a smaller scale than traditional media like TV, Radio or Print. My instinct is that the number is about 20,000 households. You can enter the geography that corresponds to your trade area, then the demographics of your targeted customer. A few things to keep in mind: Don’t over estimate your geography; the longer the travel time, the less likely people are to shop your business. Don’t over estimate your demographics; be honest about the likelihood of attracting people in age, income or gender groups that normally don’t shop your business.

Provide An Offer, But Also An Event. After the mailing list, the offer is the biggest driver of direct mail success. You always want a great offer to get customers to respond, but you also don’t want to look like a chronic discounter. Overall discounting lessens the perceived quality of your product or service. To counter balance the perception of discounting, you should try to wrap your offer in an event. Events can simply include holidays like Christmas or Labor Day, community events like Crazy Days or Open House, or trade events . The best events can be the ones you develop yourself like a guest celebrity appearance, a charity event, or a themed community event. The more you can wrap your sale or offer into an event, the less you need to discount, and the more you protect your core pricing and perceived product quality.

It Takes 7 Impressions to Make a Sale. The rule of thumb in marketing is that on average a new customer will have been exposed to you brand 7 times. There is also research that shows that the more a person sees your brand, the more that person thinks favorably about your brand. So frequency matters. If you don’t “touch” your targeted customer continually over time, your marketing won’t reach it’s maximum effectiveness. With direct mail as well as other media, you should have a plan in place to touch the same people multiple times throughout the year. A good rule of thumb for direct mail is 4 times per year. Other impressions can come from other types of media, but also word-of-mouth, drive-bys of a retail location, or public relations campaigns. Lastly, avoid using too many media types. If you try direct mail, then print, then radio, you will tend to make single impressions on many people, but not frequent impressions on the same people; you never get to the 7 impressions.

Test for an Ongoing Marketing System. The goal with any marketing is to develop “marketing systems” that you can put into your annual marketing budget and use over and over again. A marketing system is one that has been proven to have good results and an acceptable return on investment. To get there you need to measure and test. Direct mail is usually the easiest of the media types to test; you mail out and measure the response. A few things to keep in mind: To be statistically relevant the test needs to be large enough. A rule of thumb is to mail at least 10,000 pieces, 15,000 is better. Not all new customers will bring in the offer on a direct mail piece; some people don’t like bringing in coupons and some simply forget. Finally, remember that frequency matters. If you can get a reasonable response with a first test, subsequent mailings will only get better. Kurt Post Card Builder

Call Fitness Life Marketing 1-888-541-0714 for help designing a great marketing camapign for your club.

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING…Selling to the 50-Plus Market

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING...Selling to the 50-Plus Market

When people call your facility, or walk into your business, odds are that they are there because they are seriously looking at buying a membership. This is especially true if the prospect is older than 50. These seasoned consumers have, in many cases, done their research long before they sit in front of your sales staff. However, your sales staff’s effect on their final decision is immense. How do you know if your current sales staff is suited to sell to adults who are 50-plus? The following nine traits are a good place to start.

1. The right attitude

Sales staff should be positive, pleasant, confident, resilient, empathetic and professional. They must also enjoy spending time with older people. If they don’t love older people, they shouldn’t be selling to them.

2. Know the basics

A professional salesperson must know all the elements of the sales process. Examples include a needs assessment with solutions, overcoming objections and closing the sale. To be great at sales, staff should blend these elements into their personality, and use them to move the sales process forward. But rather than an obvious series of steps that lead to closing the sale, this process should seem more like a conversation that ends with the customers getting what they want. Think of the sales role as being a personal concierge — someone who finds what the customer wants and needs.

3. Know the product

You need a first-rate understanding of how the product can, and will, improve the quality of life for older clients. Well-seasoned salespeople know when they don’t have the answer to a question, and will find someone who can answer it.

4. Education

Look for ways for your sales staff to learn new skills. Examples include role playing, courses, conferences, regional meetings, seminars, night school, DVDs, CDs and books.

5. Study life and people

Teach your sales team to observe what people say, how they say it, why they say it and when they say it. Have them make notes and learn from others. Have them ask buyers and non-buyers why they chose to buy from them or not.

6. Be ethical

American author, teacher and humorist Leo Rosten once wrote, “I never cease being dumbfounded by the unbelievable things people believe.” Your team will fight against the belief that sales people will say anything to get the sale. Remind your sales staff that being a great 50-plus salesperson means that they must stand by what they say, and ensure that what they say stands.

7. Work hard and smart

Make sure your team knows the difference between hard work and smart work. Time is valuable, and wasting time can prove costly. Your sales staff members need to learn how to prospect for new customers, plus have the training and ability to recognize who potential clients are. Great salespeople understand that they create their pay — wasting time is wasting money.

8. Ask for the sale

According to Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point and Blink, everyone has the knowledge needed to make decisions in the blink of an eye. So, what holds a customer back? Is it fear? Is it that he didn’t get enough information to help justify the purchase, or she didn’t like the salesperson? Whatever it is, one thing is sure: Trying to get people to buy your products before they have reached their stage of readiness is like trying to get a toddler to eat creamed spinach. All that happens is a messy situation.

9. Follow up

Think about how often you have bought a product from a salesperson because she had a product that met your needs and she was right there in front of you? Then, the salesperson you spoke to a few months earlier called a few weeks after he was supposed to, and felt frustrated to miss out on your business. Your team needs to know that the key to increasing sales performance is timely follow-up with customers.

The right person for the job

Exceptional salespeople are individuals with the knowledge, skills, training, attitude and discipline to succeed. Help your salespeople hone their skills every day so that they can join the ranks of the great 50-plus sales professionals.

Sponsored by: Fitness Life Marketing 1-888-541-0714 ext2

Article Research Contributor: Amerishape Weight Loss

Colin Milner

Is this the Best Fitness Marketing Ever?

Club owners and managers,…..What do you think? Would you do this?

Send us your comment.

As part of an ad campaign, the health club chain Fitness First has turned a bus stop bench in the Netherlands into a scale that displays people’s weights on a large LCD screen.

Public shaming can a pretty powerful motivational tool and all, but I wonder: Should we be outraged or impressed? Then again, is this even good marketing in the first place?

Sponsored by: Fitness Life Marketing 1-888-541-0714 ext2

Article Research Contributor: Amerishape Weight Loss

http://www.good.is/post/is-this-the-best-fitness-marketing-ever/

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING ….AMERISHAPE…….How To Handle Health Club Sales Objections

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING ….AMERISHAPE…….

How To Handle Health Club Sales Objections

Objections to membership sales can be viewed as the most difficult part of the entire sales process for a health club sales person. This is especially true if the objection is viewed as an obstacle rather than an opportunity to help the guest get the results they are looking for. Here are some suggestions on how to handle health club membership objections effectively.

1. With the effective use of a needs analysis, always try to anticipate objections early in the health club tour and membership presentation. Too many health club sales people wait until objections come to them instead of trying to anticipate what they will be. Eliminate the objections as you go along, and the membership process will be much easier.

2. Never rush your response to a guest’s objection. Hear them out. Listen, even if you’ve heard it a thousand times before. Health club salespeople often respond too quickly and actually will over-talk their guests in these situations. This will often create friction with the guest which will likely lead to them not joining your club.

3. Repeat the objection back to your guest. This will buy you some time to think, plus it will also show that you are interested in what they have to say. It will also help you to be sure that you understand exactly what the guest is saying.

4. Don’t forget that that an objection to joining your health club is many times a “buying signal” because the guest still has questions. If they had no interest in your club or in joining, why would they still be talking to you?

5. If you think a guest’s objection is just a smokescreen, ask if they are interested in your club and in getting results. Smokescreen objections can be a real time waster for health club sales people, and even the most seasoned health club professionals can fall into this trap. Some club guests will feel overpowered by a confident health club sales person and their only escape is to create a “false objection” to joining your club. A simple way to rid yourself of this problem is by further probing in order to make sure that the objection to becoming a member is genuine.

6. It is important to remember that, statistically speaking, a minimum of three objections are needed before a person will buy. However, many health club sales people give up after the first objection without realizing that this person would have joined their club if they had persisted a little more.

7. Objections are simply part of the health club sales process. Without them, there would be no need for salespeople and you would be out of a job. So don’t let them stop you from reaching your goals. The true health club professional doesn’t ever let objections get in the way of end goals.

8. Listen carefully to objections you receive about joining. They will hold valuable clues about the guest’s needs and desire. A real objection can often reveal important information that is worth noting because even if your guest doesn’t buy on this occasion you may know what buttons to push the next time you speak to them.

9. The better your tour and the better your membership presentation, the fewer objections you will hear – it’s that simple. It’s important to give your presentation in a way that your guest clearly understands. This will help you avoid objections that arise from not clearly understanding what you have said. Practice.

10. It wouldn’t be sales if people never objected. Many guests who join your club simply enjoy the “going-back-and-forth element” of buying, and health club sales people should be aware of this.

Now, let’s go sell!

Sponsored by: Fitness Life Marketing 1-888-541-0714 ext2

Article Research Contributor: Amerishape Weight Loss

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING…… Strategies to Improve the Effectiveness of Your Health Club’s Website!

Your Health Club's Website

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING……7 Strategies to Improve the Effectiveness of Your Health Club’s Website!

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is especially true when it comes to your health club’s website. In this day and age, your prospects will seek you out on the Internet long before they stop in or even call. So you want to make sure your website offers an attractive peek into what they can expect as members of your club. Here are 7 strategies to help make sure your website drives prospects to your club.

First and foremost, you need a way to collect visitor information. This is probably the most important element of an effective health club website. You already know you need to collect visitor information when a prospect visits your club. Apply that same strategy to your website! It is as simple as offering a 14 day trial membership in exchange for your visitor’s email address. The best way to do this is to have an opt-in form on your site, that is linked to an autoresponder system such as Aweber or Constant Contact. By collecting their information, you will have the opportunity to send them information about your club, fitness and nutrition tips, and a method of communication if they forget to redeem their trial membership.

Try to use pictures of your actual members on your site. Too many websites have the same stock photographs on their website. Images of real members from your club as well as your staff members are always more powerful than using images of people who are obviously models. Prospects will be turned off if you have a site loaded with pictures of people they cannot relate to. I recommend a “Gallery” of photos somewhere on your site.

Set up a “Partners” page on your website. This works well for a couple of reasons. First it looks like you’re a major part of the community. Prospects will likely see stores where they’ve shopped, and in turn feel comfortable with you through a mutual connection. But more importantly, this provides you a great opportunity to offer something of value to your neighbor businesses in exchange for something they can do for you.

Emphasize your most important message on your home page. If you’re the best, make sure you tell them you’re the best. If you’re the biggest club, the only 24 hour club, the club with the best service, the “guaranteed results” club…you have to tell them right away! What is it that is your best selling feature…your Unique Selling Proposition? What makes you different from the other fitness options in town? You want to make sure they know this right away. Make sure there is no doubt what message you want a visitor to know right away.

Always use dark font against a light background. Too many websites try to get fancy and put a dark background with light colored font…this is a mistake. If someone tries to read more than a few sentences of light text against a dark background, it will strain their eyes. Menus and headers can use a darker color, but the main content area needs to be white or a very light color.

Limit the number of menu tabs on your site. I’ve seen some websites that have up to 20 different menus on their site! I say no more than 6. You can easily develop subcategories for each of these. For example, don’t have a tab for group fitness and boot camp and massage and tanning and personal training and childcare. Have a tab called “Services” and have each of these a subcategory. Drop down tabs are especially useful for this.

Make sure your website is better than your competitors’ sites. This one probably goes without saying. If your prospects look at your website and look at your competitor’s website, they will call or visit the one that they like most. Make sure your site is prettier, more user friendly, and more informative than the websites of your competitors.

Sponsored by: Fitness Life Marketing 1-888-541-0714 ext2

Article Research Contributor: Amerishape Weight Loss

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING….”Imagine selling a health club membership without selling.

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“Imagine selling a health club membership without selling. If you have ever given this much thought, I have some good news for you…”

We’re continually asked by health club owners across the country how to get new sales people (or even non salespeople) to be more effective in selling health club memberships. We recently completed an assignment with a health club that was struggling with their new hire membership reps and here is what we told them.

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING….”Imagine selling a health club membership without selling.

The sales approach is simple… first, you must genuinely care about your health club member and guest. Always put them first. As a result, you will gain not only a membership, but also their trust and their referrals. Commit yourself to making a difference in your members and guests lives, and you will prosper-you’ll be selling, but you’re not selling.

Ok, so how do we do it? Here are some proven approaches that can help you sell more health club memberships without selling.

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING….”Imagine selling a health club membership without selling.

1. Put your health club guest first!

Get to know your guest first before you start talking about yourself and everything your club has to offer. Be more interested in their goals…instead of what you have to say. Ask questions about their fitness background and what’s most important to them. Don’t rush to present your memberships. Ask questions early on that help you uncover your guests’ needs. Put your personal agenda to make the sale on the back burner for now. Your membership presentation will come in due time.
Stay focused on your guests’ wants and needs, not your own.

“…six valuable words to be spoken often in your health club: What can I do for you? Here are five others to be spoken in your health club: How can I help you? “

2.Be genuinely interested in your members and guests

First of all, you don’t push. Stay focused on your guests’ wants and needs, not yours. You don’t chase after your health club guests. The eventual membership sale is not the first and only thing on your mind. Instead, you show you’re genuinely interested, you’re willing to listen, you want to help, and you’re on the lookout for a way you and your health club can make a difference to your guests and members.

3. Be willing to ask

Here are six valuable words to be spoken often in your health club: What can I do for you? Here are five others to be spoken in your health club: How can I help you?

Asking these questions to your member and guest reflects your genuine interest in their well-being. When you show this interest in helping someone else, they will feel, “Wow, this person is really interested in helping me.” And that’s exactly what all of your members and guests want. That’s the atmosphere you want to create in your health club.

“In a nutshell, selling health club memberships without selling is a method to get club guests to come to you because your health club reputation is based on the fact you’re not just out there to make money, you’re out there to make a difference in people’s lives.”

4.Give your members and guests more than they ever expected

Find out all you can about your members and guests. Ask them what would make a difference for them in your health club. Then, get to work and get it done. If you want to provide super service and have your members and guests become raving fans, then go the extra mile and show you genuinely want to help them to get to where they want to go and get the results they desire. What do you want your health club to be famous for?

5.Be accessible

Make yourself accessible to your health club members. Make it easy for your members to reach you, either by email or by phone. Let your members know that if they have a problem, you are available to them. Also, check in with your members to find out how they’re doing. Just because you get the membership sale doesn’t mean that it’s over and done with for your members.

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING….”Imagine selling a health club membership without selling.

In a nutshell, selling health club memberships without selling is a method to get club guests to come to you because your health club reputation is based on the fact you’re not just out there to make money, you’re out there to make a difference in people’s lives.

Ask yourself this question “Am I applying these proven steps with my members and guests?” If the answer is “yes,” congratulations. You’re making a difference in your health club. If the answer is “no,” then I suggest you to do the following.

Each week select one of the 5 approaches listed above and start applying it with your members and guests. Notice how your members and guests respond to you and notice how it makes you feel when you provide these 5 steps in your health club.

Now, let’s start selling…without selling!

FITNESS LIFE MARKETING….”Imagine selling a health club membership without selling.

Sponsored by: Fitness Life Marketing 1-888-541-0714 ext2
 Article Research Contributor: Amerishape Weight Loss

When it comes to retention, too many clubs aren’t concerned enough with the person

When it comes to retention, too many clubs aren’t concerned enough with the person who just signed up. Instead, they are still keeping all eyes on the next person walking through the door; after all, membership sales are most important, right? Just sell, sell, sell!

Frankly, I’ve never believed in that approach, and now more than ever it may be time to reevaluate your club’s strategy. It’s like a degenerative disease; too often, people don’t worry about doing the right things nutritionally until they become sick. Once they wind up in a critical situation, they finally begin eating the right things to try and get better – the very things they should have been eating all along. If we listen, it almost seems like our bodies are trying to tell us to start doing the right thing… or else! Similarly, our economic woes are much like a degenerative disease – they are an illness that is affecting us all. Perhaps it is time to reevaluate.

Ask Yourself
Why do members stick around? There are many reasons, but they all are interconnected. Here are some of the big ones:

• Achieving performance goals

• State-of-the-art equipment

• Relationships

• Habit

• Ancillary services like personal training, group fitness, youth programs and juice bars.

Believe it or not, you are in control of most of the points mentioned. For example, when it comes to building relationships, cultivating good habits and helping members to achieve performance goals, including a juice bar in your facility can have a strong positive impact. I have been giving nutritional seminars for a decade, and there is always one common denominator that seems to be present everywhere I go; from Aberdeen, S.D. to Miami, people are confused about diet and continue to make poor food choices that either slow or completely halt the progress of performance goals. The lesson: Nutrition is indeed up to 80 percent of the battle.

Juice Bars in Transition
Juice bars have come a long way since the 70s. The stigma that was attached to juice bars back then was present largely because gyms primarily catered to individuals who wanted one thing – to be like Arnold. So, they willingly bellied up to the bar to drink synthetic, scientifically engineered protein drinks. Taste didn’t matter because results were what they were looking for – that is, until their bodies began to reject all of those chemicals.

Today, many clubs still offer the synthetic drinks made from a pouch or automated blender system, but more and more clubs are also making healthier versions out of ingredients that you can recognize and, more importantly, your body can recognize. If you are considering a juice bar, don’t take the easy route; do some research. Know that this is just like any other business and it is necessary to do a business plan and ROI.

Follow These Simple Guidelines:

• Do not try to circumvent the Health Department. Clubs with a “build it and they will come” attitude often wind up having to rip out some of all the work they’ve done in order to make necessary adjustments.

• Use the healthiest products available.

• Develop a simplistic approach to preparing and serving the drinks.

• Make the product in front of the customer; it shouldn’t be a secret what’s going in his or her beverage.

• Educate members about nutrition.

Benefits

• People are gregarious by nature; they want places to hang out and socialize. The more this happens in your club, the more they will buy and the more others will join in.

• Profit – if done correctly, juice bars can increase your bottom line.

• Members can achieve their performance goals more quickly by adopting a healthier diet.

As the demographics of health clubs continue to become more diverse, with whole families joining and folks becoming increasingly more educated about health and fitness, choosing to offer a healthy nutrition option can help clubs retain more members by supporting one of the most important aspects of fitness.

Dan young is president of Performance Food Centers Corp.