This month, people are investing in their health. The fitness industry gets to profit from that quest, but businesses that are prepared with a well-trained sales department are profiting the most.
During the next six months, I will share a basic training program to help your sales department increase sales, focusing on the five Rs: relationships, results, retention, referrals and revenue.
The success of your sales staff depends on deepening current relationships while creating new ones. Staff must follow up with members to ensure they are getting desired results and refer them to other services and professionals if they are not getting results. Doing so deepens relationships and leads to more referrals.
Referrals also happen by inviting members to club functions with a guest. Each membership person should host five guests per week, which creates 20 to 25 more leads per staff member each month. If your staff delivers on the first four Rs, then the revenue will come. Your salespeople must track their behavior to understand what works, what does not and how to reach the desired outcomes.
Assess which of the five Rs your staff deliver consistently and which ones they need to practice. Create a job description to guide them in how to deliver the five Rs. The description should include the primary job purpose: Create and deepen relationships with members that will add value to their membership and enhance their sense of belonging and community within the club. It should also include a secondary purpose: Contribute and generate revenue to the club through honest and enthusiastic membership sales and service and to participate in advertising and promotions.
Provide membership tours to prospective members and guests, determining their needs and wants and then matching those with membership.
Follow up by phone, text and email/written correspondence with prospects who do not join within 24 hours.
Generate sales leads through prospecting (two new corporate accounts per month) and working current leads, member referrals, former members, community outreach activities and old leads. Make a minimum of 75 phone calls per day and a minimum of five appointments per day.
Make approximately 20 calls per day and 10 contacts per day to current members, invite them to club functions and apprise them of club programs. Create and host monthly events for your members that address their needs. Have 10 to 15 members attend these events.
Listen to and read relevant sales materials. Attend and participate in weekly sales meetings.
Meet and exceed established monthly membership and non-dues program goals. If you miss your goals in any three months through a 12-month period, you may be terminated.
Complete all membership paperwork accurately, and promptly submit it for processing.
Complete membership sales reports accurately and submit on a weekly basis. Use your sales reports to manage your business by the numbers so that the club can accurately manage the business.
Work as a team member on the management staff to provide a high level of service to members and inspiration and leadership to staff. Assist in directing the flow of the club for smooth and profitable operation. Management responsibility includes, but is not limited to, overseeing staff when the general manager is not present, disciplining staff when necessary under the same conditions, and expeditiously and effectively handling member situations, freezes, questions and concerns.
Provide an experience for members and staff that is more than just a membership or a job. Walk around the club twice per day for 15 minutes each time.
Attend all member mixers and monthly social functions.
Participate and assist in the planning and implementation of promotions.
Schedule a minimum of 40 hours per week and always work the last two days of each month.
BIO
Karen Woodard-Chavez is president of Premium Performance Training in Boulder, CO, and Ixtapa, Guerrero, Mexico. She has owned and operated clubs since 1985 and now consults with and trains club staff throughout the world.
