Here’s how to sell more gym memberships at your fitness club
- Understand what motivates members
- Sell results instead of features
- Offer unmatched value through free resources
- Ask current members for referrals
Learn how to sell more gym memberships and drive business revenue through the roof
So, you’re looking to sell more gym memberships? Well, you came to the right place!
Whether you care to admit it or not, selling is a major part of gym ownership and it can often dictate the future success of a fitness business. While this may be concerning if you’re unsure about ‘how to sell’ more gym memberships, the good news is that once you have the formula – it’s easy! That’s why we’re here!
The beauty about gym memberships is that the demand is already there. You simply need to bring that demand into your gym, capture the essence of motivation and then package it in a way that can’t be turned down. This in itself positions you ten steps ahead of most other businesses who not only need to sell their ‘product’ – but find potential buyers, too.
This all sounds fine and dandy but we know you’re still reading this with the same, unanswered question you had before… “How do I sell more gym memberships?”
Well, what it boils down to is quite simple… So, we’ve put together four super simple tips to help you master the sales process and increase business revenue. Here they are.
Understand what motivates your gym members
Understanding what motivates a gym member may be one of the most important steps in learning how to sell more gym memberships. Why? Because how else will you understand what they need? After all, selling is just positioning your service as the answer to all of your customers desires and the solution to all of the pain they have felt through previous experiences.
So, how do you uncover their source of motivation? Well, you ask…
Most members will be quick to tell you that they’re looking to resolve health issues, feel healthier, or be a better version of themselves. While these are good answers… you need to look for great ones. What made them walk through the door? What astounding fitness goals do they have? What do they think a gym can give them that nothing else can?
Specific questions get specific answers. This is how you truly understand what motivates gym members. It should be noted here that this in no way implies that you should probe them with personal questions about their history. That is not your job and it will often be the quickest way to not sell a membership. Instead, try follow up questions such as these:
- “So, you’re looking to lose weight? That’s fantastic! How much are you looking to lose and when are you hoping to achieve this by?”
- “You just want to ‘feel’ healthier? What will you be able to do when you feel healthier? What does that look like to you? Keeping up with the kids perhaps or maybe just feeling more energetic?”
Remember, specific questions get specific answers. This is highly important when trying to sell gym memberships as it not only builds rapport, but it allows you to best understand how to help them achieve their goals. Let them know how your gym can help take them wherever it is they wish to go.
Again, it’s on this note that you must remember – selling memberships must be about more than simply driving revenue. To build a successful gym you truly have to believe that you can add value to someone’s life otherwise you lose both credibility and trust.
So, with your intentions in the right place and specific answers at hand – it’s time to move on to the next step.
Sell results rather than features
Once you have uncovered what truly motivates a potential gym member, the next step is to position your gym as the solution to any problems or aspirations that you have identified. But how do you do this? Well… this step is best explained with the help of french writer, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”
What does this mean? In short, it means to sell the dream.
This tactic is typically most effectively utilised by airlines. Think about it… Do you think about lining up at a baggage claim and blocking out the kid who decided that kicking your seat was a great thing to do…? Or, do you dream endlessly of the holiday that promises to secure you a little glimpse of freedom?
The point here is that like airlines, you know what motivates your customers. So, sell the results that they crave instead of focusing on the features of your gym. Truth be told, most other gyms in the area will likely have “Three state-of-the-art treadmills,” but can they deliver on the dream? This is where the magic of selling gym memberships is truly found.
Still not sure how to sell results instead of features? Here are some examples
- “Look, what truly makes this gym great is the constant support which really helps keep you on track. We understand how hard sticking to a routine can be but we really want to see you reach your fitness goals. Call me crazy but I see you busting through these doors in 12 weeks, eight kilos down, with all guns blazing.”
- “I want you to really capture how you feel right now because I can tell you’re motivated and super excited to make a change. The good news is that starting is the hard part and once you’re in the routine, you’ll be surprised just how much more energy you’ll have. You’ll be keeping up with the kids in no time!”
Sound good? That’s because it works! People want to hear that you can get them from point A to point B – many aren’t interested in how. This again brings us to an important point, however. You need to ensure that you can genuinely deliver the results that they’re craving to see. Never over promise on something that you can’t deliver… This will hurt your bottom line over the long-term as member retention rates drop and customers inevitably become dissatisfied with the service that you’re providing.
So, you have them on board? Where to now?
Offer unmatched value through free resources
At this point there is a very high chance that some of you may have already closed the sale and have moved to finalising your members new contract. If so, read on because this next step can help drive retention rates through the roof! If not, then that’s ok. This next step is designed to add incredible value to potential customers that will not only differentiate your gym from local competitors, but also strengthen relationships in a way that helps guide them toward the close.
So, what is the next step? Well it’s simple – give them unmatched value through free resources.
Now, at this point you could either be thinking three things. You’re either on board with this highly effective and proven ‘freebie’ model, you like the sentiment behind the idea but fail to see how this could help sell more memberships, or perhaps you’ve read somewhere that ‘free’ things devalue your services and you’re unsure who to trust.
Let us explain… There is a reason that even the most luxurious products or services still offer ‘freebies’ as a core sales promotion. Again, it works! Whether it be Apple giving away free headphones with the purchase of a laptop or free in-flight cookies on your way to France – the objective is the same. Provide unmatched value so that customers or in this case members, become brand loyal and keep using your product or service.
If you’re still confused, here’s the translation.
If they’ve signed up – give them a free week. If they’re on the edge – give them a free trial. Spend ten minutes writing up a workout that aligns with their goals, but don’t stop there. Throw in a recipe or perhaps even preview an eating plan that again, gives them the tools to reach their goals… for free.
Create time-conscious resources that allow you to add as much value in as little time possible. Remember, you’re not removing the need for custom paid workout plans or personal dietary recommendations but rather giving them a taste test.
Say, however, you have too many incoming members to spend a lot of time with them all. You can always create a list of generic resources that can be given out via an email follow up or a 20-second chat. The key is that you find a way that works for your gym that allows you to deliver value.
These are simply suggestions of what free resources you could be providing, however, the list is endless. Even if your gym is too small to be able to create your own resources, give out a list of fitness blogs or YouTube channels that can help improve their fitness journey.
This truly is a major factor in not only attracting new membership registrations, but also improving retention rates. The more value you provide, the more the member is in favour of your services, even if over the long-term they cost more than other competitors.
Ask current members for referral
This last section should be thought of less as a ‘step’ and more as a great tip. When you’re trying to sell more gym memberships, you shouldn’t look past a high quality member referral.
Asking for referrals from current members is one of the most effective methods of building rapport and trust with potential members almost instantly. How do you ask? Well it leverages what professionals around the globe have named the most ‘valuable’ marketing tool, ever… Word-of-mouth.
Nobody trusts a recommendation more, then when it comes from a friend. This is again, why adding value to new members is so important! Win them over early and they can become your greatest asset when looking to sell more gym memberships in the future.
A great strategy here is to ‘ask’ for member referrals by rewarding current members to invite their friends to the gym. How this looks may change depending on your gym structure, however, discounts or free membership periods are among the most common incentives. You can find more ideas over at one of our other blogs, here.
Still unsure how to sell more gym memberships? Sometimes you just need better tools…
Though the content above can be used as an incredibly valuable asset when looking to sell more gym memberships, sometimes you simply just need better tools. What are the best tools you may ask?
We’re talking about gym management software. Why? Because it essentially acts as the heart of your business by managing member communications, holding personalised member information, and hosting member sign-on functionality. While this may not seem like much, using the right gym management system can be the key to unlocking a better customer experience.
Feel like you could be getting more out of your current software? We’ve written an article outlining ‘4 Signs’ that it’s time to switch gym management systems.
Get help selling more gym memberships with VIGYR gym management software
The gym management software industry is quite saturated these days with multiple companies providing a product that simply ‘lacks’ features that are critical during peak gym times. That’s why VIGYR was created from decades worth of experience across thousands of gyms worldwide. VIGYR has been built on more than just advanced technology being designed with the end-user in mind. This has enabled partners to better optimise their gym business in a way that offers an unmatched customer experience at an absolute cost-advantage.
VIGYR holds a strong heritage of performance, continuously pushing the boundaries of what gym management software is capable of. What this has led to is really quite simple to understand… The fastest and most flexible piece of gym technology available. What does that mean for you? Think seamless integration that allows you to focus on running your business, not managing it. Let VIGYR do the hard work.
So, say hello to complete process optimisation across an innovative suite of powerful features and tools that have redefined what is expected from gym management software. So what are you waiting for? Find out what’s driving the future of the gym industry and raising software standards around the globe.
Find out how VIGYR can help grow your gym business, today!
Contact us on 1300 352 561
