Attracting and Retaining Clients through the Power of Emotions
Selling a boot camp fitness business is really about selling yourself. People will choose your boot camp over others for many reasons. But not always for the reasons you might think. For instance, you may feel that you have to offer the lowest prices around to attract clients. But there is always someone out there that is undercutting you on price. You might think you have to have the biggest, flashiest ads, but there is always someone willing to spend more to outdo your advertisement. It may surprise you to know that a high percentage of customers are attracted to your business because of the personality that comes through in your advertising and selling techniques, both in person and otherwise. It’s all about how it makes them feel. And even more important than getting those new customers in the door, your sales personality can dramatically affect your ability to retain customers and get referrals.
Don’t Be a Used Car Salesman:
Rarely does anyone want to deal with pushy or aggressive sales tactics. Think of the classic used car salesman. That stereotype brings to mind a guy just a little to slick, someone whom you fully expect to lie, cheat and steal to get the most money he can from you. That is the last sort of person anyone wants to deal with when making a financial decision and the reason internet car sales are booming. To get an idea of what sales personality will help attract your customers do a little sole searching. What sort of person would you most appreciate buying from? What do you want and not want from your sales person? Here are some facts that seem obvious but that few sales people recognize. People want to buy from people like them. In other words, they want to feel that they are giving their money to someone who understands them, can sympathize with their circumstance and can relate to their hopes and desires.
Make a Connection with Your Advertising:
Lean to start looking at your sales and advertising practices through the eyes of your customer. Knowing the type of sales person you would want to deal with try to impart this feeling into your advertising. Remember, not everyone responds to the touchy feely approach, so be sure to vary your style and language to attract a variety of people. Also make sure to vary the places you advertise. You will generate very different leads from different sources. So pay attention to where you business comes from.
Getting to Know You:
When you are able to meet with your new clients face to face you have the opportunity to really get to know your potential new customer, and what you learn is extraordinarily valuable. It may seem like a simple thing but this takes patience and practice. Don’t jump in their face and start asking questions. Remember to avoid being the pushy sales person. Be confident and relaxed and be flexible in your approach because everyone is different. Most importantly, don’t get so caught up or focused on getting them to sign a contract that you don’t take the time to listen to your customer. Why do they want to join a boot camp? What do they want to accomplish? What has worked or not worked for them in the past? What’s going on in their life? Remember, don’t just ask the questions but take the time to listen to their response. Look them in the eye and pay attention. Even if it’s just five minutes, make that five minuets be all about them. And keep in mind that people don’t want to be surveyed, but they do want to talk about themselves, especially to someone who is really listening. So stay attentive, respond and ask questions when appropriate and let the client know that you sympathize or have had similar experiences or motivations. Once you learn to do this with your clients face to face you can begin to translate not only the information but the technique into your advertising.
Keep In Touch:
Getting new business is important but retaining your boot camp clients and having them bring in referrals is just as if not more important. So how do you do that? Well, what have you learned about your customer? Are you giving them the training and results that meet the needs they shared with you when you met? Is the client happy with their progress? Are they feeling overwhelmed? Clearly the only way to know this is to take the time to keep in touch with each client. Once again, ask and take the time to listen. No one can better tell you what it takes to keep your client’s happy like they can. If your clients feel that you understand them and that you are coming from a similar place and have had similar experiences, desires, motivations, they are much more likely to stay with you even through tough economic times. And they are much more likely to bring you future business through referrals
Although it may seem that price is the most important factor in attracting and keeping boot camp clients, in reality, how a person feels about your sales approach and personality is significantly more important. Utilize the techniques of softening your approach and tailoring your advertising and sales to fit the energy and motivation of your clients to bring in more and varied clients. And make sure to take the time to listen to your clients. This will allow you to know how to better relate to your customer and satisfy their goals and desires. With some practice and repetition you will find that you improve your conversion and retention rates and build that most important of all leads, referral customers
By: Chris McCombs