The ‘lucky’ situation tends to be a bit like this. We meet at an event, say a friend’s social engagement, like the look of each other, have a bit of a chat and some fun together and swap phone numbers. Then we text/SMS the next day confirming the fun night and agree to go and ‘do’ coffee. After coffee we swap email addresses and do a Google search on each other that night. When the search proves normal we organise to catch up again on Facebook and ‘do’ a movie. During the movie in the comfort of the darkness we test the boundaries and place a hand somewhere on our new partners body, typically a leg. If the response is good we sit out the movie and maybe have a hug before saying goodbye. From here comes dinner. Now following dinner, with consideration to the four or five previous events, some online searching and the fact the
potential partner keeps turning up, we now have a right to try and get lucky...
Selling is very similar. Why is it in the health and fitness industry we are taught to try and sell our services or membership to people during that first interaction? It is almost offensive. A majority of the time you are selling yourself short and setting yourself up for failure in trying to fast track the clients decision making process. Understanding we are in the ‘information age’ where consumers have more access to knowledge and price than ever before, you need to have a process of letting people get to know you and your business. So the solution lies in using a combination of more online tools and old school skills to help get to the point of asking for the sale.
So why do we go and sell to these people?
In an industry that is very 1980’s in its approach to marketing and selling, relying on expensive brochures, time consuming letter box drops, business cards or a brochure on a wall to grab clients we need to review these styles of marketing and advertising. The 1980’s is best known for the best era of music (completely the authors beliefs), however in the year 2009 we need to review these styles of marketing and advertising. Probably best summarised by asking, when was the last time you responded to a brochure, junk mail in the letterbox, giving someone your business card or a brochure hanging up on a wall? Compare to booking a holiday online, or a Google search for a place to eat or Facebook. Whilst these online places are a great resource for getting to know clients and breaking barriers, a combination of online strategy and old school
techniques insure that you attract sustainable and an ideal client base.
As an industry we are generally better at getting people fit and healthy than understanding how consumers think or marketing techniques. In fact most fitness people can name the best technical workshop they have attended or the name of their health guru but who is your business rock star? Someone you listen to, read their stuff and attend their programs and practise their advice.
It may be old but hey it still works!
Simple communication skills and people skills are completely necessary when taking the sell out of selling. You need to be multi disciplined. So as effective on the phone, face to face or via email. In fact having worked all over the world in developing sales models and teams, the key ingredient in a great sales person is in their ability to communicate. At the next level is their ability to ask leading questions and have a general interest in other people by being able to identify with their needs. Finally is passion for their product or service and a general interest in people. So the ideal combination in successfully selling is a mix of old school techniques of communicating with people and an online forum as a place for people to check you out and get to know your business.
We all want to buy, but we don’t want to be sold too.
Ever bought anything and had buyers remorse. At the time of purchase it seemed logical to buy a particular item and the deal is done. You hand over the credit card and agree to terms. You head home and receive a negative response form your partner; you mention the purchase during a phone call to a friend with more negative responses. That night you find yourself sitting bolt upright at 3am with deep regret, heavy perspiration and an ‘I can’t believe I bought that’ attitude about your latest purchase. This scenario is a ‘sold to’ experience. Typically you have been cleverly persuaded to buy something that you could have done without. This would be typical of most things out there in the market place for sale. The difference with our industry is that we sell health. This impacts the lives of the people we expose better health too, it increases long jeopardy, productivity, adds to happiness, in fact you are better off being in good health than out of bad health. Where we have obesity and ‘diabesity’ epidemics, increase in mental health issues, cancers and more lifestyle disease than ever before, as an industry we need to get better at communicating with the majority of people who need our services. More so than ever before people need us to help with they’re health, but are making it easier to buy into what you do?
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