In fitness and business, there are few "quick fixes", however, if there was one for improving the hospitality and sales in your business, this is it...

It's simple but effective - ask more questions!

As part of our assesment process, our Experience Evaluators (EE for short) look out for the team showing genuine interest in them, or asking questions to better understand their needs and goals.

As you can see from the stats above, the fitness industry has some room for improvement in this area.

During our interactions with reception staff, genuine interest was shown during 45% of our anonymous club visits. After the class, 33% asked us if we had enjoyed the session.

On enquiring about membership options and packages, we were asked questions by the team in 32% of our visits.

When evaluating the class experience, we look for the coach or instructor to check in with us after the session, which is usually done by asking "how was the class?" This was done 43% of the time.

Clearly, there's room for improvement, so here are some tips on how this simple but powerful act can help improve your sales and service:

Offer Warmth On Arrival

First time visitors to your club will, most often, be feeling nervous and intimidated. They're wondering whether they will be able to do the movements and if the club's community and team will be welcoming.

The interactions a client has with your front desk team will usually be the first strong, in-person touchpoint they will have with your brand, so make it a good one!

After a warm welcome accompanied with a smile, ask the following, easy questions when a client first comes in:

"Do you live or work around here?"

"Have you done this kind of training before?"

"What are your goals for the training?"

So simple, but allowing the client to talk and open up will help them feel at ease, and will give your team crucial information to help deliver them a great session.

A Quick Solution To Not Being "Pushy"

So many clubs we speak to say that don't want to be "pushy" or pressure people when it comes to sales. That's a good sentiment, but this approach usually results in a very weak sales conversation, which doesn't help your potential client continue their training and hit their goals.

Want to fix this? Easy - just ask the client some simple questions to help you recommend the right package for them.

Here's a few examples of questions you can ask after the class:

"How was the session?"

"Can you see yourself doing this kind of training regularly?"

"Can you see how this kind of training will help you hit your goals?"

Once they give you a positive response, follow up with:

"Great! So what kind of times are best for you to train?"

"How many times would you like to train here per week?"

This then puts you in a great position to make a strong recommendation based on their needs and personal circumstances.

For example, you might say something like:

"Thanks for info, Jane. Based on what you've told me, I think the best package for you will be our three month unlimited access pass, as you want to train five times per week and you want to make a big commitment to hitting your goals. Do you think that's the right package for you?"

They either say "sure, let's do it", or they may need some more help and you dig deeper and offer more options.

Either way, you'll be having a strong, positive and pressure-free sales conversation!

Need help training your team to do this? Contact us and we'll set up a call to talk through how we can help.

The Coach's Role

Asking questions isn't just for the front desk team. Your coaches and instructors need to get involved too!

Before a new client's first session, coaches should be asking:

"Do you have any injuries, or anything I need to know to deliver you a great session?"

"How are you feeling today?"

"You want to push hard today, or is this more of a recovery session?"

Simple questions, but they show you care, and the answers will help your coaching team deliver excellence.

Finally, after the session coaches should be checking in with clients by asking questions such as:

"How was the class for you?!"

"Anything you found tough in there today that I can help with?"

Give Yourself An Edge

Based on our data, if your team and coaches do this, they'll quickly be in the top 5-10% worldwide.

Try this today to see the immediate impact it will have on your sales and service, and if you need help - reach out to the team at The Fit Guide for more information on our online resources and training programs.

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