JTInTheRaw Show 69: Your Marketing Message Is Screwing Up Your Fitness Business

“Happy Halloween! This Tuesday is our 24 horrorific membership sale. No JF at ABC Gym on Tuesday come in to join or go to website.”

Whack! That’s a right hook asking me for the sale when I haven’t heard from this gym since the 1st Sept when they text me their Spring one day sale.

This is one example of 6 text messages I received in the last 7 days, all promoting a one day Halloween sale!

If you want me to buy from you, please think jab, jab, jab, then right hook!

Welcome to JTInTheRaw show 69 where I chew the thin on business! Each week I chat about a topic that will help enhance your business. And today I’m talking marketing because so many businesses are doing an amazing job at driving customers away from them!

And speaking of marketing, let me kick off the show with today’s question: how many marketing campaigns does a business need to ensure growth? Pop your answer in the comments.

Whether you’re watching live or on replay, pop in the comments how many marketing campaigns you should be running?  I’ll tell you later how many!

Shout Outs

I’d like to thank Davin, Michelle & Jess from Debit Success for inviting me to speak at the inaugural Australian Masterclass exclusive for their clients! I was honoured to be asked and humbled when I heard I was part of the launch.

I spoke twice with an opening presentation on the world of fitness in 60mins.  This gave me an opportunity to show and tell about the over 200 gyms I have trained at in the last 2 years. I closed the day with a highly energetic session on consumer behaviour.

Thanks again Debit Success Team.

Another shout out to Paul Kelly. Paul has an autistic son, Lachlan. This week Paul posted an incredible video of dropping Lachlan off for the bus to school. He debunked some myths around autism, he gave a snap shot of what autism is and he showcased the love he has for his son. PK you say you are lucky to have a wonderful son, well I think Lachlan is lucky to have a dad as proud as you. Thanks for letting me in on your family. Much respect mate.

Let’s talk marketing.

The question of the day – how many marketing campaigns should you be running to grow your business – pop your answer in the comments. I’ll tell you at the end of today’s show.

Gary Vaynerchuk I believe coined the phrase jab, jab, jab, right hook … so much so he wrote one of the best marketing books you can ever read. To grab this book click here – it’s awesome!

Vaynerchuk says marketing is a science like boxing. He explains in simple terms, boxers jab to get their opponent into the best position to then right hook for the knockout blow.

This metaphor for business is that the marketing message must be value add communication of 3 to 4 times before asking for the sale – ie the right hook.

Unfortunately, in the world of instant gratification business owners, managers & marketers now have the patience of a gnat! They expect to run an ad, send an email or text a prospect & they join straight away. They want immediate sales.  They simply don’t have the patience or possibly the inclination to jab.

What the consumer wants to hear from you is not what is being delivered. The consumer wants to hear and see:

• You are as good as you say you are – social proof. By the way JTInTheRaw show 28 I talk about social proof & testimonials. Watch show 28 by clicking here.
• They want to know they can trust you.
• They want you to build a relationship with them before asking for the sale.

Our single marketing responsibility is to court our prospects before asking for the sale. Add value by providing education. These are the jabs that help manoeuvre the prospect into a position so that when you make the offer to buy. They buy!

Let’s examine the text marketing I received this week.

Oh and remember, whether watching the show live or on replay, how many marketing campaigns should you be running for business growth – pop your answer in the comments.

The text marketing.

The texts were straight offers to join. They may have been good offers or weak offers, I don’t know! But the interesting thing & disappointing thing is that the only time I hear from these brands is when they have a membership sale!

What about 3 weeks ago a message like “If you’re running or walking this weekend in the Melbourne running festival. Good luck! If you’re not running and would like to complete your first fun run or walk in 2018, then we have a free at home program to get you across the finish line. Go to website to download your free program.”

That’s a jab!

It may not be relevant for everyone but you’re adding value!

If you keep asking for the sale continuously then you are telegraphing your right hook & prospects simply duck! You’ll have wasted your money!

Or worse still for you, I’ll unsubscribe from your text or email messaging.

And that then screws up your prospecting opportunities!

Build the relationship … add value … build trust … show proof … embrace eventually … ask for the sale!

I have to admit the brands I received these texts from I expected more from them. Way more. But that shows me that even the big brands are screwing this up. And more importantly that a smaller, more attentive, astute & nimble operator can truly position themselves.

Jab several times by adding that value then ask for the sale.

So how many marketing campaigns should you be running to grow your business? Last chance to guess … go in the comments!

I am suggesting 25 to 30 different channels are needed for an average sized business to generate the leads needed. I would suggest almost every small business under markets themselves! And that’s why they don’t have enough leads to convert to enough sales. Not to mention 100% of the limited marketing campaigns are not jabbing or nurturing they are asking for a sale!

Yesterday I spoke with a business owner and he said his single greatest challenge in his business is lead generation.  I said OK what % of turn over are you spending on marketing.  He said I haven’t spent anything in the last 3 months . . . no shit leads are a problem!

If you don’t tell people you exist and what you do, you’ll never get enquiries!

Now is the time to stop! Stop and plan 2018 marketing. Build your 25-30 marketing channels now ready to roll out next year. This takes time, thinking and hard work but if you want sales it starts with marketing!

Always asking for the sale in your marketing will hinder and in fact devalue your brand. You don’t want that!  Be a smart marketer.

I hope today’s show makes you stop & audit your own marketing approach. If you need help, then please email me.

And please feel free to share this show with anyone you think can learn either the number of marketing campaigns needed or about jabbing your prospects rather then continually right holding them. Tag them in the comments below. I’d be very grateful!

Quote Of The Week

Build the relationship … add value … build trust … show proof … embrace eventually … ask for the sale!

Do you want to work one on one with JT?

Check out all previous shows here: http://www.activemgmt.com.au/category/jt-in-the-raw/