Have you ever lost something and no matter what you do or where you look you can’t seem to find it?
Then one day when you’re not looking for it, you realize it was right in front of you all along.
This is exactly what 99% of fitness pros are doing in their fitness business.
They are running around like chickens with their heads cut off searching for new ways to get clients.
I get asked questions like “How can I get more clients faster”, “What’s your favorite marketing strategy”, “How about SEO, Facebook, PPC, Direct Mail, Yelp, etc………..
It seems like everyone is looking for that ONE marketing strategy that will catapult their business to the next level.
My answer to that question is YES there is. Do you know what it is? Shocking as it may seem, it isn’t any of the above!
These days I see more and more fitness pros hiding behind the computer trying a
“push button client getting gizmo” to get more clients.
I am not saying that these “gizmos are all bad.
However if most of your time is spent hiding behind the computer and you are an owner/operator then you’re headed for disaster.
You can’t get to know, like, and trust someone over the Internet.
I am sorry to break the news to you. You still have to actually meet people, shake hands, and hold babies.
If you don’t like doing the above then go get a desk job and get out of this industry.
The number ONE thing you need to be SUCCESSFUL in your fitness business is what I call “Social Currency”
Wikipedia describes social currency as, “a common term that can be understood as the entirety of actual and potential resources which arise from the presence in social networks and communities, may they be digital or offline.”
I just call it genuinely caring and getting to know people.
When you genuinely care and take the time to get to know people, something magical happens.
Because people will always remain loyal to people who genuinely care about them.
Listen here, there will always be someone offering a cheaper product or service than you do.
There will always be someone with a nicer facility than yours.
There might even be someone with a better program than yours.
But…….
ALL that won’t matter if you have built loyalty.
The best book on this subject is by Jeffrey Gitomer titled, “Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless”.
Let me prove this theory to you.
Can you guess which car manufacturer has the most loyal repeat customers? Here is an excerpt from JD Power and Associates:
“Customer loyalty is an extraordinary test of vehicle quality and customer service. And no automaker has mastered building a loyal following quite like Mercedes-Benz. The German automaker not only came out on top in this year’s JD Power Customer Retention Survey — it earned the highest score in the survey’s history, and actually improved its customer loyalty at a time when most of the industry lost ground”
So what does all of this mean to you? It simply means genuinely care about your customers and FOCUS on giving them an unforgettable experience. This will be very hard to do if you’re constantly hiding behind the computer.
It’s a well-known fact that the average person has a circle of influence of 40 people.
That means you have access to 400 people if you have 10 clients, 800 people if you have 20 clients.
Your job is to convert ALL your clients to =====> Loyal Customers
Once you have loyal customers then it’s easy to have access to their circle of influence.
Remember, don’t be TRANSACTIONAL be TRANSFORMATIONAL
Excellent post. THIS is what the fitness services business is about. THIS is what separates US from the floundering gyms out there. Marketing and positioning is great and vital, but once attention and care is off your product and service, you’re finished. Volume of new leads alone won’t cut it – bad word of mouth spreads too fast.
I love these top 10 ideas on building customer loyalty. I’ve got five of them down pat, two I need to work on and three are brand new ideas that I’m bummed I didn’t think of but will def. begin implimenting! I’m excited about expanding the 10 to 20 with my own creativity too! Thanks for the incentive and info.! Mandy Hodge Owner of Shaping Concepts personal training studio Charleston, SC
Yes sir, so I see so many fitness pros getting away from the fundamentals and wonder why their business is declining. WE ARE IN PEOPLE AND RELATIONSHIP BUSINESS.