The health and fitness industry runs on memberships. Fitness clubs, in particular, rely on bringing in a steady stream of new members to stay ahead of the competition.

Luckily, there’s a huge market of individuals looking for a fitness facility to call home. In fact, according to a study conducted by IHRSA, 67% of Americans want to exercise regularly but don’t because they haven’t found the right form or facility.

Additionally, only 20% of the U.S. population belongs to a health club or fitness studio. With COVID-19 closures causing fitness enthusiasts to be displaced from their home facilities, the pool of potential fitness club members has never been larger. Now is the time for fitness clubs to double down on their selling strategies and snatch up as many new members as they can while the market is hot and prospects are plentiful.  

So how do you do that? You’ll need a dedicated sales team, a strong selling strategy, helpful member management and sales software, and the pièce de resistance: a killer sales script.

Here, we’ll focus on helping you create one.  

What is a Sales Script and Why Do I Need One?

Ever get on the phone with a salesperson and have the instant and persistent urge to hang up? What about those times when you’ve been genuinely interested in a product or service, but the salesperson you’re talking with is frustratingly unknowledgeable and can’t seem to answer any of your questions? Both situations could be remedied by a sales script.

A sales script is a strategized set of talking points meant to aid your sales team when speaking with prospects. An effective sales script doesn’t do the selling for your team, but rather it enables your team to speak knowledgeably and passionately about your fitness club. When your team is comfortable talking about what they’re selling—in this case a membership—it always shines through in the conversation. A well-thought-out script allows a team member to make a good first impression, build up rapport, gain a prospect’s trust, and eventually make the sale.  

Sales scripts are important for preparedness, consistency, and managing the reputation of your club. And while it may seem counterintuitive, sales scripts can also help your sales team to be more authentic with prospects. Once they know their talking points like the back of their hand, they’ll feel comfortable customizing their sales approach to include personal anecdotes, recommendations, and that little “something extra” necessary to make a sale.  

Tips for Creating a High-Performing Sales Script

1. Make It Personal

Not every member of your fitness club uses your facility in the same way—or for the same reasons. The same goes for potential members. Assign your leads “prospect personas” based on information you may already have about them, then base your selling strategy and script off their most common pain points, needs and wants.  

As prospects travel through the buyer’s journey and you learn more about them, update their persona. A health club management software can help you keep track of what you learn and organize prospects and members into manageable groups.  

2. Ask Questions

No one likes to be talked at. Rather than rattling off a list of high points about your fitness club, get your prospect involved in the conversation by asking direct questions. Asking questions reduces the feeling of delivering a tired sales pitch, and they also create an opportunity to get to know your prospects on a deeper level. Once you know more about your prospect, including who they are and what they want out of a fitness facility, you can further personalize your sales approach.

Here are some great questions to get you started:

• Why are you interested in joining a fitness club?
• What are you looking for in a club?
• What’s your current level of activity?
• What types of workouts do you enjoy the most?
• How much time do you want to commit to exercising weekly?

3. Benefits Not Features

While it may be tempting to harp on exciting facility updates or program offerings when selling memberships, challenge your sales team to take this approach one step further. Instead of talking about state-of-the-art weight machines or an exciting small group training program, think about the value that those offerings provide to a member. A small group training class can provide the benefits of community, accountability, and an increased likelihood for members to stay committed to a fitness routine.  

4. Consider Potential Objections

Salespeople are no strangers to hearing the word “no.” While rejection will certainly always be a part of job, a proactive mindset can be a gamechanger in this avenue. Once you’ve gained some experience talking with prospects, make note of the most common reasons they decline membership. With this knowledge, you can go into the next call armed with information and reasoning to address these objections.

5. Give Next Steps and Follow Up

Leave every conversation with a goal in mind. If a prospect is ready to come in and take a tour of your fitness club, schedule a walk-through with them. If they’re looking for more information on programs and classes, follow up with a PDF detailing what’s currently offered at your club. Never underestimate the power of following up. According to Conversica’s 2020 Sales Effectiveness Report, 48% of companies engaged with an inbound lead with only one or two contact attempts. However, the majority of sales are made on between the fifth to twelfth contact.

A multidimensional health club management software can help with several aspects of the sales process. Ready to see how Club Automation can help? Schedule a demo.

Sources

“1 in 5 Americans Belonged to a Health Club in 2019, IHRSA Reports”

https://www.clubindustry.com/fitness-studies/1-5-americans-belonged-to-a-health-club-2019-ihrsa-reports

“2020 Sales Effectiveness Benchmark Report”

https://www.conversica.com/resources/reports/2020-sales-effectiveness-benchmark-report/