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Old 01-30-2007, 12:33 PM   #1 (permalink)
George Grigoryan
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Astoria, NYC
Posts: 95
Default Selling in a Commercial Gym Environment

I read Jim Labadie's 63 Must-Have Sales Tips (http://ptsalestips.com/). It's a bribe to get you on the mailing list and I found the tips helpful.

I am not sure if all of it applies to selling at a commercial facility, so I want discuss a fw points here.

"9) Understand you are free to decide who you want to schedule sales
appointments with. Your time is by far and away your most valuable"

I am new, I schedule appointments with anyone and everyone just to practice. Should I change that?


"23) Discuss with your prospect exactly what will happen during your sales
appointment. It’s your responsibility to explain what the process will
be.
24) Ask your prospect if it is ok if the two of you come to a definite
decision about whether or not you will work together by the end of your
sales appointment. This will eliminate them telling you they need to
“think it over” and will increase the bond between you because you
asked their permission."

I have been getting a lot of prospects who 'need to think it over' but I am reluctant to follow the above tips.

I am afraid to follow tip #23 because when people join, they are told they have a 'free personal training session,' so I don't want to call them and tell them that it is actually going to be a 'consultation session'

I tried tip #24 and I had a client say she currently does not have the money, and then she asked 'So should I just say no because we agreed that I will give an answer by the end of the session?' I didn't know how to handle that, so I asked her for a definite date to have her decision (Feb 7th, her next paycheck).


Here is my biggest question. How much actual training should you do with a client and how hard should I push it?

I know a lot of trainers use the following 2 strategies:

1. Make them feel it - this means either make the client somewhat sore or make them sweat or both.
2. Use wild/stupid exercises (bosu ball squats etc).

I spend the training time teaching a client to squat and do push-ups. Maybe I should reconsider just to sell more effectively and then I can do the right thing for the client.

Thoughts please.
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