How to Sell More Gym Memberships
One Strategy to Boost Sales Quickly
I have never heard someone say, “I love the sales aspect of fitness business ownership!” True, it may not be favored, but sales- especially the ability to comfortably sell fitness memberships- are crucial for increasing boutique fitness profits.
It’s impossible to increase your gym’s profitability without improving your systems and confidence around sales, but where do you start? If you’re a Limitless Studio client, you’re already learning to improve your gym sales systems overall. This article will break down the most effective sales technique for the fitness industry that you can implement immediately.
The Assumptive Close
When I first began coaching, I worked with a veteran studio owner in the fitness industry. Her customer experience centered around a free introductory class where potential new members would come in for a free beginner’s only class and then upsell into a trial or membership option. While teaching, the studio owner would talk about the benefits of her studio and how she and the other teachers could help each client overcome their pain points to reach their goals in the future.
She was innately implementing the assumptive close sales technique while teaching, driving her studio’s membership conversion rates sky-high. This method centers around the implication that the client will buy your product or service. Rather than asking “if” the client will buy, you ask, “when would you like to start?” Adjusting your sales strategy to implement the assumptive close (also known as a presumptive close) in your fitness studio while teaching and selling will increase profits and help you sell more gym memberships. Let’s break it down.
The Sales Strategy
If you’re working with a new intro client, selling a gym membership, or teaching a beginner’s only class like the example above, you’ll follow a similar sales cycle:
Ask questions
Build trust
Assume the sale. Use “when” statements as often as possible
Close the sale and increase gym profits
Step One- Ask Questions
To effectively use this tool without coming across as “pushy,” begin by asking the client questions to establish trust, build rapport, and learn their specific goals. If you have front desk staff, they can start by asking the client, “what brings you in today?” and relay it to the instructor using the Limitless Studio handshake. If you’re a solopreneur, the same selling techniques apply; however, you’ll be in charge of the sales cycle from start to finish.
Clients join a boutique fitness studio for various reasons, and you must know your new potential member’s specific health goals and pain points to explain how you will support them in their fitness journey. Your studio’s sales questions may include:
What are you hoping to achieve with us?
How often do you want to come to our studio to achieve your goals?
Who is in your support system cheering you on?
What kind of experience are you looking for? (This will help you direct them to the right teacher).
How long do you think it will take to reach your fitness goals?
How will you know you’ve met your goals?
Customize these questions for your studio’s modality and culture. A competitive spin studio and a restorative yoga studio should have different variations of the same objective; learn their goals and set them up for success.
Step Two- Build Trust
Once you discover the client’s answers to your secondary sales questions, you can begin building a relationship and establishing trust. Look for common ground where you can connect with a client, but don’t force a likeness, or it will feel inauthentic.
For example, if your client is looking for a prenatal studio and you’ve personally experienced prenatal fitness, use your understanding to make her feel comfortable. Then, educate the client on your studio’s unique strengths in this area. Your teacher’s prenatal certifications, favorite exercise modifications that you used, and class recommendations will all ensure her experience at your studio matches what she envisioned.
Step Three- Nurture
You’ve started the conversation. Now follow-up with multiple contact points. Read how in this article.
Step Four-“When” Statements
The easiest and most important step you can perform to increase boutique fitness sales is to implement “when” statements when you teach and interact with the client. A “when” statement helps the client visualize themselves as part of your community. Examples:
“When you’re here next month.”
“When you graduate to the level two class.”
“When you’re a VIP unlimited member, you’ll get that handstand in no time!”
“When” statements range from the short-term, “when you start your membership next week,” to the long-term, “you’ll get to experience our full community at our end of year retreat!” The message is the same, “You’ll be here.”
Implementing the Strategy as a Teacher
As instructors, our job is to safely guide clients through their exercises while simultaneously entertaining and assisting. Ideally, we can teach an engaging class while also selling more gym memberships. Although it is usually the front desk’s job to close the deal, the entire studio - including instructors- should actively participate in your studio’s gym sales strategy.
My favorite way to boost member retention and acquisition is by role-playing. At your next staff meeting, invite your instructors and desk staff to take a group fitness class taught by you and conduct the following:
Before it starts, explain what an assumptive close looks like and ask your staff to raise their hand when they notice a “when” statement.
Model how to pepper them into your class in a variety of ways.
After class, create a list of all the statements they remember plus other ideas that encourage clients to see themselves as members.
Break your teachers into pairs and let them practice. It may feel awkward at first, but I liken it to the first time the teacher steps on her yoga mat or put on the microphone. The more she rehearses, the more natural it will become.
Clearly, your boutique fitness sales strategy does not rest on the teachers’ shoulders alone. Sales may be primed in the studio classes, but they’re closed at the desk. Whether your teachers double as your sales team or you have a dedicated sales staff, they’ll need to role-play assumptive closing statements while selling fitness memberships, as well. That may look like:
“When would you like to start?”
“Let’s sign you up for your next class!”
“Based on your goals, your two best options are our 8-class or our unlimited. Which are you interested in?”
Boutique fitness studio sales are often left to chance, with all of a studio owner’s hopes for retention based on a single post-class email. By proactively strategizing and training your staff, you can have a welcoming, authentic community and increase your gym’s revenue.
Ready to dive deeper? Check out the workshops below:
