From Our NPE Friends: Sales Numbers Tanking? Follow These 6 Steps To Get Out Of The Red

By Sean Greeley, NPE CEO & Founder

You’re looking at your sales numbers for the month, and they’re nowhere near what you’d projected. Not even close.

You’re not really sure what the problem is. There are people coming through your door, but they don’t seem to stick around. There are the folks who stay for the complimentary session (or free week of group training) but don’t actually sign up…and the ones who enroll in a 30-day challenge but leave as soon as their challenge or trial period is over.

If things keep going this way, you’re not sure how you’re going to keep paying the rent for your facility… or the bills that are piling up… or pay off your credit cards.

If you’re struggling with sales, you’re not alone. MANY fitness businesses have that same problem. In today’s post, I’m going to share with you the most important keys to helping more clients commit to their goals (and your programs)– but that’s not the end goal. The end goal is to build strong relationships with each and every new customer and turn them into a happy, long-term committed client… so we’ll take a look at some key retention strategies you might be missing too.

If used car salesmen are the first thing you think of when you hear the word sales, or you find yourself lacking confidence when it comes time to ask someone for money (you just want to help people, right?) then those are poor beliefs you’ve got to overcome.

That all begins with your MINDSET.

Too many great coaches are unable to help people change their lives because they lack the confidence and self-belief to ask for money and charge what they’re worth.

And here’s the truth… if you don’t believe in yourself, or your own self-worth and the value you give to others… then why should anyone else?

Get your head right.

The work you do is changing people’s lives.

And if you’re delivering that kind of value to your clients, then you should be equally compensated.

Worried about what other facilities or personal trainers are charging?

I’m here to tell you that’s much less important than you may think!

It doesn’t matter what the discount gym is charging, or that your rates are much higher. (A Mercedes Benz doesn’t care how much a Honda costs.)

When it comes to personal services and fitness… have you ever heard a prospective client say “I want to hire the cheapest personal trainer I can find?” No.

When it comes to their health and body… people want the best.

And they don’t expect the best to be cheap… so stop positioning yourself that way. Your price sets the tone for the perceived value of your services to a potential customer.

Does a coach who charges 200/hr teach a better squat than one who is charging 50/hr?

Maybe… but maybe not!

Listen it’s far more sustainable to create value in your fitness business by being the best at what you do, rather than the cheapest.

It also doesn’t matter if your rates are higher than what YOU would pay for training.

People’s health, performance, and body image affect every aspect of their lives. That means that they’re willing to put money into their health and fitness if they’re confident that doing so will help them achieve their goals.

Owning your rates and being confident in the value that you deliver to your clients directly aligns with the perceived value a prospective client will invest into working with you and your team.

The best way to establish consistency with sales is to use a SYSTEM to ensure you’re having effective conversations. Not only will this turn lost sales into repeatable success, having a system for the way you engage prospective client conversations also means that you can TEACH that system to staff you hire and train, which will allow you to grow beyond doing everything yourself.

AUTO-CLOSER® is the world famous sales system our partner, NPE, has been teaching for over 10 years. It will teach you how to communicate in a way that inspires prospective clients to commit to their goals (and join your programs). Learn more about AUTO-CLOSER® at the end of this article.

Getting clients through the door is great. And signing those clients up as members is even better. But establishing long-term relationships with clients–so they can get the results they want AND help you keep your lights on, is the best of all.

If you want to build a foundation where clients will never want to leave your fitness business, you’ll need to create such a great experience for them that your business really stands out as something they’ve never experienced before.

The equation we use to describe vale is V = CE + R + R.

That stands for Value = Client Experience + Relationship + Results

Take charge of engineering a great client experience from the beginning by setting reasonable and achievable expectations for your clients in their first month.

Most people who join a gym fail because they start too hard, too fast, too soon. And all too often clients (or coaches) set the bar too high. Think of the guy who has the goal of losing 20 pounds in their first ten days—or even their first month—which is both unrealistic and unsustainable. He doesn’t achieve this unrealistic goal… and therefore he feels like a failure… and quits.

As a coach, one of the most powerful things you can do is successfully guide new clients through their first 30 days by helping them set reasonable expectations and goals that’ll help them gain momentum and come out winning. Added bonus: they’ll also build confidence and good habits for success.

Rapid weight loss should never be the goal if you want to set a deconditioned client up for long- term success. Instead, help them set simple health goals like sleeping an hour more a night, reducing their stress, or just becoming more aware of what they’re eating. New clients may get excited and want to start training six days a week, but committing to moving just a few times a week is a more sustainable goal. Setting reasonable expectations with your client from the beginning will help them find success.

In addition to helping clients set goals that will help them build momentum, you’ll want to create a formal onboarding plan and then train your staff in it. That way, everyone is engaged in the process of supporting new members.

In group classes, you can even use a wristband or some other kind of visual marker as a system of internal communication among your team, so that coaches know to support and engage with new clients a little more.

Here’s an example of what a 30-day onboarding process might look like:

Week 1: The first week can include a formal orientation and introduction to staff. It’s also a good time to set expectations for the next four weeks, and give clients information on what success would look like. Again, set goals and benchmarks that are easy to achieve for them to work on.

Week 2: The second week is a good time to help your clients identify their support system (coworkers, spouse, family) outside of the gym to help support their goals so they can succeed through the challenging aspects of making lifestyle changes. It’s also helpful to introduce them to other clients so that they feel like a part of a community and make some friends inside the gym.

Week 3: By the third week, your clients are starting to settle in a bit and may feel more familiar with and comfortable in your facility. This is the perfect time to over deliver with a small gift, such as a t-shirt or hat or water bottle advertising your gym.

Week 4: As clients transition from onboarding to full-fledged members in the fourth week, help them celebrate their graduation with some type of social proof of that achievement such as a certificate, a t-shirt, a picture on social media, or something else to help them celebrate completing their first month.

Emphasizing a client’s first 30 days in your onboarding process is no reason to neglect your long-time clients–especially if you want them to stick around! Make sure you’re measuring customer satisfaction even for folks who have been training with you for years.

How you do this may vary depending on the type of coaching you offer, who your client is (their age, where they are in their fitness journey, etc.) You can send out a quarterly email survey, especially when working with groups. If you’re a personal trainer, you can ask for feedback from clients directly while conducting regular assessments and helping them set new goals. Just make sure to collect feedback and modify your programs accordingly.

Some people think upselling is about getting more money from people by selling them stuff they don’t need. That’s not how the best businesses do it.

Here’s a fact:

Good businesses sell a product or service then deliver it. GREAT businesses are constantly asking themselves how they can better serve their clients in solving their problems and achieving their goals. And often these solutions come in the form of additional products or services.

In some cases, clients are struggling with nutrition, so offering nutrition services and coaching can be a helpful benefit.

But here’s the mistake too many coaches and fitness business owners make.

Don’t give additional services away… charge for them!

People rarely value that which they don’t pay for.

The more problems you solve for people, the more they’ll value their relationship with you and your business. Even if you already offer additional products and services, it’s worth revisiting how you can help serve people better and help them solve their problems and achieve their goals faster.

Selling isn’t a dirty word—it’s about helping more clients commit to their goals. Until they do that, you can’t help them!

Once they’ve committed, you’ll want to help them set realistic short-term goals so they can build momentum and come out winning. And you’ll want to guide them through a 30-day onboarding process.

From there, you can continue to provide value through ongoing service delivery, and by offering (and charging) for additional products and services when appropriate.

Follow the six steps outlined here and you WILL see your client base, revenue, and profits grow QUICKLY.