What Every Gym Sales Manager Should Know

 

By: Jim Thomas

Many gym sales managers get the job because they happen to be good at selling memberships, not because they are necessarily good at actually managing or understanding the gym management process.  Others may be personal trainers or perhaps the gym owner, but still with no experience in the successful running of a gym sales department.

The following is a run-down of the key processes for the successful gym sales manager.

Hire quality staff

Be sure you have a recruiting plan of action in place and always be on the look-out for talent, even when you don’t need it.  You never want to hire just to fill a slot.

Staff training

This is the only way you will improve.  After all, you wouldn’t suggest a member workout only once or twice a month if they want to get results.  It doesn’t work in sales either.

Know that conditions change

This is why you track the numbers.  This will tell you what’s happening.

Sales process and fundamentals.  Some key steps to always bear in mind;

a) treat all prospects like buyers

b) regardless of circumstances, everyone gets a presentation

c) sit down for each presentation

d) use a printed presentation sheet

e) be agreeable

f) ask to buy

Managing

Be sure you have established clear goals and manage by objectives.

Solutions selling

Your prospects want answers to their problems.  They buy solutions.  No one buys a monthly payment.

Save members

Install a new member nurturing program that helps to maintain interest and desire for your members.

Lead management

New lead creation is a must and then the understanding of how to properly follow-up.  We can generally increase a clubs membership sales by 15% immediately by simply improving follow-up.

Plan of Action

This will help give you a sense of control of the outcomes you are seeking.  The goal setting secret is to write down your goals the first thing in the morning and at the end of the day.  It’s important to remember that you never lower your goals, but you increase you action levels.

Sales tools

The basics are guest register, needs analysis, price presentation sheet, referral sheet and telephone inquiry script.

Prospecting

You must be able to successfully prospect or you will have no one to sell.  Referrals, upgrades/add-ons, print work, one-on-one referrals and lead boxes are all proven methods.

Member service

As we mentioned, you want to maintain interest and desire with your members.  You want to keep your members engaged…text them short videos showing you and the club.

Structure

Do you have enough sales people?  Do you have enough front desk staff?  How about instructors?  Be sure everyone is cross-trained.

Goal setting

Do you have goals?  Is everyone aware of these goals? 

Jim Thomas is the founder and president of Fitness Management USA Inc., a management consulting and turnaround firm specializing in the fitness and health club industry. With more than 25 years of experience owning, operating and managing clubs of all sizes, Thomas lectures and delivers seminars and workshops across the country on the practical skills required to successfully build teamwork and market fitness programs and products. Learn more here: Jim Thomas On Demand