What’s Your Pitch?
We all know that we need to go local in our communities and build relationships with our businesses. We all know its imperative, vital to the overall success of our gyms. If that’s the case, then what is a good way to start that conversation? Most of us feel extremely uncomfortable, not sure what to say, so it comes out like this:
“Hi, my name is Mike and I am with so and so gym. I have a few passes to give out, would you like one?” Or …
“My manager asked me to go out in the community and give out a bunch of two week passes so here you go. Would you like to come in to check out our club?”
There are all sorts of things wrong with this wording. Where do I start:
- There is no regard for the other persons time
- You are assuming the other person wants to talk to you
- There is no reason above and beyond the understood reason for why this person should come in to see you.
Next time you go local, try this pitch:
Hi, may I speak to a manager or someone in HR please?
My name is Mike. I am the personal training manager at Anytime Fitness here in town. I am not here to sell you anything. I am here because I am looking for ways to get engaged, connected so I can volunteer my time as a fitness professional. Do you have a minute to chat?
Because one of our core values is to serve our communities, I am looking for ways to get involved in our community by talking about what I love to talk about and that is fitness, nutrition, and motivation. I want to help reveal a different side of fitness to all of our local businesses that no one really talks about.
What are your thoughts on that?
Just as a reminder, I am not here to sell you anything, I am here to serve. At Anytime Fitness we are experts in weight loss, we are experts in helping people stick with it, we are really good working with people that have injuries. How can a guy like me get more involved with _______ (name of the company)?
Do you guys have any health initiatives already?
Have you brought anyone in in the past to talk to your staff about exercise?
How did that go?
Why didn’t it work long term in your opinion?
What would you change going forward?
About the Author
Mike Gelfgot is an Anytime Fitness Franchisee. Mike immigrated to the US in 1993 and was the very first AF Franchisee to get an AF tattoo!
Mike has won many awards including:
- 2007 Senator Lugar Health and Fitness Award
- 2008 AF Club Operator of the Year
- 2012 Personal Trainer of the Year Anytime Fitness
- 2013 AF Success Story of the Year
- 2015 AF Community Outreach Award
Justin is the Managing Director of Active Management, which he began January 2004. He offers coaching to businesses worldwide in everything from start up and design to marketing and sales systems. Justin also facilitates four Australian and New Zealand ‘fitness industry roundtables’ events, which allows him to see a huge cross section of business models.