Summer can be an unpredictable time for those of us in the gym and fitness studio owners. Fitness-related memberships in July are at their lowest industry average, but it can feel like a complete gym summer slowdown that drags on if you’re not prepared. The key is a dual focus on both retention and new sales – boost gym membership sales while also keeping member retention high.

What does your fitness studio’s conversion rate- the percentage of intro clients who purchase long-term memberships- look like lately?

I polled a few of my respected colleagues to develop the top ten things your business coach wishes you knew.

Think of it as a free coaching call on the house.

My favorite come-back sale is a buy two classes, get one free. I only like to use free as an active strategy, which should include a purchase component (i.e., buy X and get Y Free). Keep the offer short and finite. A client who has been inactive for months will not sign up for a six-month membership, even if you discount it deeply. Create a low-stakes, low-cost offer to help them fall in love with your gym again.

As the gym owner, you have the experience to guide your client in choosing the package that best serves their needs. That doesn’t mean you should personify the gym sales tactics that give the fitness industry a pushy reputation. You can embody confidence while supporting your new client’s goals, schedule, and budget.

If you own a gym or boutique fitness studio, your confidence in asking customers to buy is often the difference between a profitable fitness business and hoping to break even.

One of the first things I ask my clients is, “if I were a brand new client standing at your desk, what is my step-by-step experience?” Usually, studio owners tell me their ideal scenario, but when I ask them how they know it’s occurring, they admit it’s hit or miss. Margins are tight right now; we don’t have room for low conversion rates. If you don’t have a client flow, it’s time to create it.

Part 2 of the open house series. How to market your open house to the public

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 in your fitness studio while teaching and selling will increase profits and help you sell more gym memberships.

We’ll talk about how to design your perfect open house that actually brings in new clients first, and then how to market it in part two.