Health clubs and fitness trainers need a steady flow of new customers. A sales blitz is a slam dunk way to get new members in the door. Certain times of the year are better than others for getting new customers. The best time is to seek out business when the customer is most likely to want it. That's why you have to ramp up the effort during the winter months because come summer… you'll be competing with Mother Nature.
A sales blitz is a slam dunk way to get the ball rolling. What's a sales blitz? It's where you and the health club staff make personal sales calls on hundreds of businesses in your immediate market area. You'll be talking to secretaries, bosses, receptionists, managers because just about everybody can join a health club and get fit. It's a great way to generate new business or at the very least, awareness of your health club and personal trainers.
What do you talk about? You can promote a new fitness training program, new equipment or any other product, service or special offer. Make sure the offer has a "call to action" and a time limit so they are motivated to "act now." If you give out a 3 day pass tell them they must use it in the next two weeks.
Start on a Monday morning with a meeting and training session at 8am. Instruct everyone to wear the uniform or other appropriate attire. Then pair up in teams and tell them to go out into the business community. Each team should have a sales territory drawn out on a map so there's no duplication of effort. Be sure to pay them a decent wage, buy them lunch, give them money for mileage, ask them to take brief notes, pick up a business card, etc.
At the end of the day do a de-briefing and get all of their information about their best sales calls, good prospects etc. Offer prizes (like cash or gift certificates) to the "Blitzer" with the 'best lead' of the day or the best potential piece of corporate business etc. There may even be someone who gets the sales call and comes over to the health club for a tour and then signs up on the spot. Make sure the person making that sales call gets recognition and a little 'green.'
Sales blitzes constantly deliver new business. Why? Do the math. Let's say you have 8 health club staff, fitness trainers and managers who each make 35 sales calls a day. Do this for five days straight, Monday thru Friday, and you'll have made 1400 face to face sales calls! If just 2% decide to do business with you that's 28 new customers! If 5% join then you've just picked up 70 new customers. Sounds like a healthy return on investment to me!
It's very important to give the staff proper training, territories and a good pitch. Arm them with business cards, flyers, three day passes and goodies such as an apple, a sample of a pre-workout supplement like the Real Deal as well as other useful swag. Besides the morale boost in your staff you'll introduce or re-introduce your health club into your market area and you'll most likely pick up some new customers.
The bottom line: A sales blitz pays for itself. Do it now.
About the Author
Joe Lorenz is the founder of Real Sports Labs which produces The Real Deal a powerful
pre-workout supplement that helps improve endurance, energy, strength and mental focus whether biking, swimming, running, body building or weight training. The Real Deal is available at Health Clubs and Gyms as well as from personal fitness trainers or online at
http://www.TheNewRealDeal.com