Get them to commit to using the club at least twice a week. “Mr. Prospective Member, to make it worthwhile from an exercise and a money standpoint, you need to use the club at least twice a week. Does your schedule allow you to work out at least twice a week?” “Great!” “You won't be able to get all the results we've discussed in just two weeks, but if you continue to use the club on a regular basis, you'll definitely see the results you're looking for.” Here's your closing question: “If at the end of the trial membership you have used the club at least twice a week, will you be ready to join at that point?”

Find out what's going to happen over the trial period that will cause them to want to join. “Mr. Prospective Member, it's two weeks from now; what's happened that's caused you to want to join?” The reason this question works so well is that your prospective members will tell you what needs to happen in order for them to join your club, and you can use the answer they give you as a closing tool.

Make sure your trial members get the proper introduction to the club. If you don't give trial members the attention they need and deserve at the beginning of their trial, they won't be comfortable using the equipment, and because they won't know how to use the equipment, they won't work out. If you really want to insure that your trials convert into full memberships, set up an appointment for every workout and personally take them through their workouts. This personal attention will make them feel good about your club and ultimately cause them to join. If they want to work out on their own, keep in touch with them by phone and when they come into the club to make sure they're comfortable and enjoying the club.

The final step to successfully converting trial memberships is to offer them an incentive to join. Let's face it: we all like to feel as though we're getting a little extra or getting some kind of a bargain. For example, you can give them an incentive to join by adding two weeks, or even a month, to their membership, give them a free T-shirt, or offer them a couple of free personal training sessions. The idea is to make them feel as though they're getting a little something extra.