Firstly let me say up front this blog is based on a true story.
I have organised countless events in my life, from small breakfast briefings to nation wide conferences. So I was the natural choice to organise my partner’s upcoming 50th birthday party (or as he likes to call it, “21 plus 29 years of experience”).
So the first thing to decide is the venue – must be in a good location, easy to get to, have catering options, good facilities and be able to accommodate the number of guests attending. We narrowed it down to two venues. One got back to me promptly, answered all my questions and was willing to meet us personally when it was convenient for us. The other venue sent me an email almost a month after I first approached them and after asking twice for more details.
So no prizes for guessing who we went with and they are hundreds if not thousands of dollars better off.
A similar story with the cake, I emailed two patisseries about what we wanted and only one got back to me (I am still waiting on a response from the other one). The patisserie that never replied to me not only lost my immediate purchase but any future cake purchases I make. Also they have lost out on any referrals I would give to anyone who asks me where is a good place to buy cakes or desserts for a special occasion.
When it comes to leads, you need to be on the ball, follow up in a timely fashion, be accommodating and professional. Remember my blog on how much competition there is? If someone is considering joining your gym, chances are they are also looking at other fitness businesses in the area so you need to respond fast and make a good impression otherwise you won’t get a second chance.
Make sure you always follow up on all leads that come to your business, whether they be over the phone, through social media, email, your Web site or a referral from a member or client (and as I said in my previous blog, enter all their details into your database to follow up on in the future). And the quicker you respond the better.
Contact all leads (and make this a phone call – remember this is a personal business) to see if they would like to a free trial. If they are not ready, tell them about your Facebook page, your newsletter or your blog to keep them abreast of what is happening with your business. They may not be ready to join right now, but when they start planning a big summer holiday or go through a relationship breakup, they may change their mind. When they do decide to join, your business will be top of mind.
Having said that, don’t go to the other extreme where you are continually pestering (bordering on harrassing) them to sign up. Many years ago, one gym did this to me, calling me every second hour and telling me that once in a lifetime offer won’t be available unless I joined up right now. It wasn’t until I told them I had joined another gym and threatened to call the manager that the phone calls stopped.
So once they do actually decide to visit your facilities or use a free trial pass, then what?
Joining a gym is a huge step (especially if it is your first time) and many people may feel a bit vulnerable and wonder if they are making the right decision. I can still remember my first time I walked into a gym (albeit over 20 years ago), being very anxious, feeling everyone was looking at me and wondering if I had made the right decision (but determined to lose the weight I had put on when I gave up smoking).
Now as an instructor, I always try to make any new participants feel as welcome as possible, give them special attention and praise their achievement. This increases the chance they have a positive experience and will come back again. It is exactly the same when someone visits your fitness business for the first time – roll out the red carpet for them and make them feel they are the most important person in the world. Ensure they see your business at its best, smile, be courteous, professional and make them feel welcome to the family.
Treat every lead as a golden opportunity – don’t drop the ball as chances are your competitors are right onto it and not only will you lose their business, but possibly their friends, colleagues, family members as well as everyone they know on social media. Remember you never know just how much immediate and future revenue this opportunity will provide you.