Long before I became a health club consultant or an expert in teaching how to sell more gym/fitness center memberships I was a young salesman working at a small health club. I had an owner named Joe who would show up once a week and drill me on how my closing percentage was on selling memberships at the club. I remember sitting at my desk digging my nails into the chair as he went on and on about selling memberships. One of the things that really stuck in my mind was something he called “unintentional disinvites” and how they hurt your chances of closing a gym membership sale. They are small details that most gym sales people and gym owners never take the time to recognize or if they recognize them they often never take the time to fix them. You can have the best gym/health club marketing plan in place pumping out radio ads and direct mail all 12 months of the year. You can have the most amazing health club/gym promotions kicking off each holiday with the your best sales people waiting on potential new members to walk in the door but without taking care of the small details which add up to be big roadblocks to selling gym memberships you will never truly take full advantage your gym marketing plans or health club membership promotions. I am going to list a few of what I call “unintentional disinvites” and give you a simple solution to help cut down on this hidden profit killers.
- trash in your parking lot
- lights out in your sign
- temperature not set correct for the current weather conditions on your air conditioning
- open/closed sign not showing correct information
- pressure on door set to high making hard for a senior to open it
- desk person not greeting guest as soon as they walk in
- music to loud in the club
- walking an overweight shy person right through the middle of the free weight section
- chewing gum while touring potential client
- dirty locker rooms
- dirty hand towels and water bottles all over gym
- large out-of-order signs on cardio machines
Just one or any combination of any of these things can cost you a new long-term member. The simple solution is to each day that you arrive at your health club or fitness studio park as far away from the entrance as you can and slowly walk from your vehicle through the front door and walk the entire club running through a check list of all the things mentioned above while being aware of anything else that may turn a potential new gym member away or even turn a current member off. When trying to increase you gym membership sales or increase your profit margin in your gym you must pay attention to every detail. The small details can equal big profits!
