Author: JT
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To Make A Sale Touch The Prospect’s Heart
Some times the simplest sales lessons come in the shortest form and this is a powerful insight for generating more sales.
Before someone will lend you a hand, you need to touch his or her heart.
Business and life is all about relationships.
11 steps to building human connections:
- Be the most positive person you know.
- Be candid and speak truthfully.
- Be on time.
- Say pleas and thank you.
- Under promise and over deliver.
- Leave people better than when you found them.
- Be friendly and caring.
- Be a world-class listener.
- Become passionately interested in people.
- Smile a lot.
- Treat people with respect.
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Godoi Gives Better Muscle Definition
So if this is your market then this is a great concept. The translation is that Godoi Gym gives muscles a better definition. Clever concept.
Your thoughts?
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Sales Tip: How to Avoid ‘No’
I read a great article from Jeffrey Gittomer where he described several ways to avoid rejection and the horrific ‘No’ answer when asking for a sale.In no particular order, here are the examples and pitfalls of the actions you take or omit to avoid ‘No’:
- Trying to please everyone, without following the fundamental rules of salesmanship
- Willing to give a proposal without demanding an exact time and place for a face to face follow-up meeting to go over it with all decision makers
- Won’t start higher up the ladder on a sale, because you’re afraid to go beyond your comfort level of sales
- Accepting the first ‘No’ or ‘I’m not interested’ as a final answer, and leaving, rather than trying to be rejected three or four times by the same prospect
- Call reluctance on cold calls instead of being prepared with a value message and confidence based on a deep belief that the customer is better off having purchased from you
- Call reluctance on follow-up because you don’t want to get rejected (Reality: you have nothing of value to say or offer and just want the money.)
- Won’t call to confirm an appointment for fear it will be canceled, because you have given no perceived value
- Won’t leave a voicemail (You know your call won’t be returned because you have/had nothing of value to say.)
- Emailing when you should call, and wondering why it goes unreturned or worse, unopened
- Taking the wrong approach – looking for pain, because you don’t understand any other way (Why not look for pleasure?)
- Not using testimonials as final proof
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Time Out. Holiday tips for Personal Trainers
As I write this BLOG I’m 3 sleeps away from jetting out on a holiday to Fiji (queue the beat of Fijian drums with the distant sound of waves gently lapping at the shore.. …aaaahhhhhh). Anyway, I thought it was a great opportunity to talk about tips for taking a holiday when you are a small business owner or sole trader.As a personal trainer myself, I know holidays are a catch 22. You worry about spending money on holidays, you worry about not making money because your on holidays and then what if the world falls apart while you’re not there to hold it all together?!
Relax. Many people have done it before and survived! So here are a few pointers that will help make it a smooth journey for you.
1. Health Check
First up, I bet you often tell your clients about the importance of work life balance right? Well, guess what, same applies to you. So when you are wondering if you can or can’t afford to take a break, remind yourself that you will in fact be happier, healthier and more productive when you return with a clear mind and fresh outlook.
2. Boy Scout Rules – Be prepared
Preparing yourself ahead of time is key. Its essential to notify your clients and suppliers that you are taking a holiday well in advance. Make sure you allow your clients an opportunity to book in an extra session before you go if they choose, or better still, offer to write them a mini program (for a fee) to do while you are away.
3. Be sensible
Think about when you are taking your holiday. If your peak seasons are summer and spring, then of course it would make sense to plan your holiday for winter or autumn. Its also a good idea to avoid school holidays and public holidays to avoid increased fees on flights and accommodation.
4. Prepare your digital world
- Out of Office notification on your email
- Change the message on your voicemail
- Make sure you set up your website and social media for automatic updates while your away (your family, friends and clients can know your away, but to the rest of the world, you are still working!)
5. Give yourself permission to breathe
Unless you absolutely have to, then don’t check emails or social media while you are away. Chances are if you do, you will be inclined to respond to an email, comment on a post or RT a tweet! Don’t do it!
Put yourself on a technology ban. You will be amazed how many hours there are in a day when your not spending time with your head buried in yet another “time-saving” app!
So what are you waiting for? Think about when you want to take a break, think about where you want to go, write it all down or put it on your vision board, then go out and do it. The world wont fall apart while your gone, and I promise you will be a better business owner after having a self imposed time-out.
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Traits of a Guerrilla Marketer
We got such great feedback from last month’s Top 10 by Jay Conrad Levinson, that we went searching for more!You’ve got to have ten character traits to be a true guerrilla marketer:
- Patient – allow your marketing to take hold and soar. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen.
- Imagination – use technology and the media to your best advantage, to create ways for your message to come shining through.
- Sensitivity – see things from your customer’s point of view, from the perspective of your competitors, and from inside the minds of your prospects.
- Strength – stand up to the people who love you, but give the worst marketing advice: your co-workers, employees, family and friends.
- Aggression – plus a wide range of weapons to out-market your competition.
- Learning – constant learning that will keep you strategically positioned in the marketing arena. Marketing options are changing faster than ever, so you must keep up.
- Generous – the power of FREE in the new economy! You’ve got to be generous with a penchant for giving things away for free if they can help your customers, especially imparting information.
- Energetic – the constant attention required by marketing – attention to maintaining, tracking and improving it regularly – only high energy people will succeed.
- People Person – be in touch with what’s on the minds of your target market. Many business owners are focused on things and ideas more than people, but people are your interest.
- Focus – always maintain your focus because diffusing it results in weakening your marketing. It is a challenge to maintain concentration with daily distractions and temptations, but your focus is a potent ally.
A simple test for you … score each characteristic of a guerrilla marketer out of 10 for yourself. Pat yourself on the back for your top 3 scores and then set a plan to improve the bottom 3 characteristics.
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Happy Birthday in June!
We would like to say a big ‘Happy Birthday’ to these Active friends that celebrate their birthday this month…
- Joe Plastino from Anytime Fitness, Japan
- Gerad Healy from Genesis, Australia
- Mike Alpert from The Claremont Club, USA
- Kellie Sanders from PT Business Success, Australia
- Paul Richards from Club Physical, New Zealand
- Adam Grono from Bee Active, NSW
- Bryan O’Rourke from Fitmarc, USA
- Glen Taylor from Fitness Matters, Australia
- Dr Bill Sukala from Australia
- Dwayne Wimmer from Vertex, USA
- Melinda Theore from AIM 4 Fitness, NSW
- Helen Jones from Australian Institute of Fitness
- Lauretta Stace from Fitness Australia
- Mary Bacon from Mary Bacon Personal Training, NSW
- Ryan Johnston from First Place Fitness, New Zealand
- Avril Henry from Avril Henry Enterprises, Australia
- Scott Flint from Fresh Start Health & Fitness, NSW
- Rod Leonard from Push It Fitness. Victoria
- Brad Sheppard from Create PT Wealth, Australia
- Belinda Green from InsideOut Personal Fitness, NSW
- Gareth Cope from Star Fitness, Victoria
- Rhys Cutifani from Anytime Fitness, NSW
- Louise Richards from Australian Institute of Personal Trainers, Victoria
- Rebecca Griffin from Infinite Comunication, Queensland
- Phil Ackland from Reflection Health & Fitness, South Australia
- Chris Bacchman from Chris Cross Run, New Zealand
- Kerry Sharp from Ripple EFFX, Queensland
- Sam Stanton from the UK
- Janine Garner from Little Black Dress Group, Australia
- Paul Taylor from Body-Brain Performance Institute, Victoria
- Kristen Green from Aquafit, NSW
- Max Markson from Markson Sparks, Australia
- Wendy Townsend from Western Australia
- Deonie Cowper from On-Line Marketing, Australia
- Jade Cleary from Crunch, Australia
- Dani Shearman a personal trainer from NSW
- Liz Deane from Australian Institute of Fitness, NSW
- Graciela Pizarro from Athlon Gym, Argentina
- Lachlan Rosengreen from XL2 Health & Fitness, NSW
- Krista Sirota from Personal Training Academy, Australia
- Hamish Evans from SkullPT, Victoria
- Vanessa Jodar from Les Mills International, New Zealand
And this month special wishes go out to two of the Active Management Team:
- Tanya Fantini one of our mystery shopper Team Members;
- Chantal Brodrick one of our PT Biz Coaches
If we missed your birthday, we feel really disappointed! Maybe we just didn’t know it was birthday, so click here and tell us! And you will also receive our special prezzie!
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Anytime Fitness Negatively Impacts NZ Fitness Consumer
Ah the power of Facebook and people sharing videos! Last week I received a video from New Zealand’s TVNZ Fair Go show.
As I watched it I cringed. Cringed. And cringed some more!
So sit down and watch it and see if you cringe . . .
http://tvnz.co.nz/fair-go/gym-contract-row-ends-user-banned-video-5469947
Were you like me and shaking my head and thinking “Why?”
I understand in business we have to have policies. I understand that if you break the policies for one person, then that can have a huge impact on the integrity of the business. But from the evidence in this video, the decisions were not about adhering to policy.
From my perspective it was about getting more money! And stubbornness!
I just don’t understand why the manager or the owner pursued this member as a wild animal stalks their prey,
However, once the situation escalated I give credit to the Anytime Fitness business for backing down. And I applaud the refund they offered.
BUT . . .
What message does this stubbornness send to the consumer who is thinking of joining a gym?
How would this TV story or ‘marketing’ for the fitness industry be of an advantage? To anyone?
My guess is that the brand is irrelevant in the eyes of the consumer but the borderline enquiring member may now have decided gyms are not for them.
What do you think
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Not Happy Boss
A survey of 1500 workers in Australia found the following results:- 12% would leave because of a lack of opportunity for advancement
- 10% for job dissatisfaction
- 9% for lack of professional development
- 8% for poor work-life balance
- 8% work-related stress.
The survey further found that employees who were asked to take concessions during the Global Financial Crisis – work longer hours, take leave without pay, forced annual leave, wage cuts and so on – were the number one group considering moving.
