One tool to Improve Your Gym's Sales Process and Retention
The New Client Flow
Like many in service, the fitness industry has had a tough few years. Research shows that revenue declined 58 percent, and 17 percent of fitness clubs permanently closed. The good news is that among those who canceled their fitness memberships due to the pandemic, half said they planned to return in the next 6-12 months. For those of us in the industry, that means we need to be ready to welcome new clients in with marketing that works (hint, not Facebook ads) and then help them choose to stay so they don’t continue to studio hop. The average fitness business’s retention rate is 66 percent, which means that one-third of clients don’t last. As a consultant, I often see new client-to-member conversion rates between ten to twenty percent. How much money are you leaving on the table each month due to attrition? How do you improve your monthly revenue and retention? We’ll cover both this month. To start with, let’s solidify your client journey, practice until it’s perfect, and learn not to be afraid to ask someone to stay.
Let's break it down:
The New Client Flow
One of the first things I ask my clients is, “if I were a brand new client standing at your desk, what is my step-by-step experience?” Usually, studio owners tell me their ideal scenario, but when I ask them how they know it’s occurring, they admit it’s hit or miss. Margins are tight right now; we don’t have room for low conversion rates (speaking of which, do you know yours?) If you don’t have a client flow, it’s time to create it. What's a flow? It's your opportunity to pre-choreograph your client’s staff interactions, contact points, sales opportunities, and overall experience from inquiry to acquisition and, more importantly, train those who will be in charge of each item (e.g., your desk staff and teachers). I know it sounds a bit calculated, but in my years of studio ownership and coaching, not one new client has told me, “hmm, this feels inauthentic.” In fact, my studio’s yelp reviews and boutique studio clients all state the opposite, that they felt welcomed and supported from day one. So, let’s create yours.
Step One: Visualize Your Perfect Experience
We’ll get to the google doc in a moment, but first, I want you to pause and visualize what your perfect client flow would look like. Start with the inquiry. Your ideal new client reaches out and asks for more information about your amazing studio- now what? Who responds? How quickly? What do they say? Without getting out your pen yet, envision this client’s experience from start to when she hands over her credit card. If you don’t have a concrete plan yet, I’ll walk you through my favorite, but you’ll want to tweak it to work for your business. If your current flow looks more like a new client signs up for an intro, receives a few automated emails, and then hopefully purchases on her own, you’re in good company by leaving the sale up to chance. I call this the “teach great classes and cross your fingers” approach, and I see it on most of my discovery calls. I’m going to challenge you to take a more hands-on approach as we create your new flow. You’ll be amazed at how much your conversion rate improves.
It all sounds great in theory, right? Let's make it concrete with an example. Here’s my go-to. We’ll customize yours in a moment but start here to give you a solid launch point.
Depending on the length of your intro offer (Ideally around two weeks), your client journey may be longer or shorter than mine. You should include what will occur for your new clients each day, either automated, direct contact (phone, text, email), or in person. The first, middle and second to last days are the most important, so we’ll focus on those for this article.
Important Note:
You may have heard that eighty percent of sales are made between the fifth and twelfth contact (this is a disputed statistic, but I 100% agree that you need multiple contact attempts). If you’re only reaching out once or twice, or, worse, letting your automation do the work for you, your likelihood of making that sale is around three percent. Your client flow should include at least five personal touchpoints throughout a client’s introductory special, and they should vary in delivery (email, snail mail, text message, and phone call). Today we’re covering the three most effective touchpoints, but that doesn’t mean they should be the only ones.
Click here for a template that you can customize.
Day One- Start Off Supportive
“Hi, Sarah, Welcome to X Studio! I can’t wait to have you in class tonight. Your teacher is Jenny, and she’s the perfect person to start with, so you’ll be in great hands. I just wanted to call to welcome you to the studio and remind you to bring a yoga mat. If you don’t have one yet, we have mats at the studio that you can borrow. Please try to arrive 15 minutes before class, and I’ll be here to show you around and introduce you to Jenny. See you tonight!”
The pre-class phone call is my favorite way to start a new client’s flow. Sure, this could be an email, and you may still send all of this out in your welcome email, but this phone call makes for a lovely first impression and doesn’t lose value if you're sent to voicemail. Best of all, everyone loves to receive this friendly welcome. I used to work with a large franchise that you have likely either heard of or attended. I wrote a similar script for them to use with their new clients after the first class, and then, two years later, I took a class at this franchise. I received this voicemail and thought, “Wow, that was sweet of them to notice that I was new and take the time to call me!” Then, 15 minutes later, I realized that I had written that script for their corporate headquarters to distribute to their hundreds of franchises. My own pitch won me over (not my brightest moment, and now I'm sharing it on the internet...) I love either a pre-first-class or post-first-class phone call, even if you’re allergic to your phone like I am. Remember, tight margins mean we’re standing out from the crowd and getting a little uncomfortable.
The Connect to Convert Tour
When your new client arrives, take a moment to learn about their goals. What brings her to the studio? Does he have any movement limitations that your teacher should know? What is their experience with your studio's modality? Remember to listen to what he says so you can add it to the client notes in your software or relay it to your teacher. Once you get the details out of the way, it’s time for the tour. Sure, the lockers, bathrooms, and water fountain are important, but it’s not why your client signed up. Based on the goals you just learned, show her why your studio is perfect for her fitness journey.
Examples:
Your new client is a bride-to-be who wants to lose ten pounds before her wedding (I must hear this one every month). Show her your cardio or toning programming, introduce her to other members planning a wedding, and chat with the teacher about her favorite exercises that target the client's goals. (Quick side note: I’m not a fan of the “sweating for the dress” mentality. I often lead with, “Oh goodness, you’d be a gorgeous bride tomorrow, but my job is to support you to achieve your fitness goals safely and effectively; here’s what I recommend for that ____.”
Pre and Post Partum moms are an essential and specific client type. Considering that 32 percent of gym-goers are Millenials, 59 percent of all Gen-Zers report being active, and 80+ percent of boutique fitness attendees are female, you're likely missing the boat if you don’t have a plan for your new moms. A mom-to-be tour may praise her for staying active throughout pregnancy and include a spiel about your teachers’ pre-natal certifications. Be sure to feature any props or locations (e.g., under the air vents) that would make her class more comfortable, describe your membership suspension policies for maternity leave, and introduce her to other women who have walked this journey before.
The over-stressed client looking for a reprieve from the hustle probably doesn’t want a whole lot of chatter. They’ll let you know if they’re trying your studio for a break from the chaos of their workday or household, and you can read their cues to know which classes or equipment you want to steer them toward. They may not want to talk to anyone if they spend their day surrounded by noise. However, you can still set them up for success by asking what kind of experience they’re looking for and curating that by showing them the teachers with calm energy or helping them set their mat up in the back corner.
Takeaway: Your clients will come to you looking for a specific experience. It’s your job to show them how you fit into that perfect vision that they have by customizing your studio tour. *Important note- if your client comes in looking for something you don’t specialize in or offer, don’t feel like you need to become it. You’re not suitable for everyone, and forcing yourself to fit into a mold that doesn’t match your studio isn’t doing anyone any favors. Don’t be afraid to say, “I wish we could help you with that, but we actually excel at _______. Are you interested in that? If not, I'd be happy to ask around to find a good fit for you.”
The Handshake
I don't mean a literal handshake, but that's what we call it at my studio. In our client flow, the desk staff guides the new client on their tour and then hands them off to their teacher with a rehearsed "handshake." It sounds like this,
"Hi, Teacher, this is our new client, Lisa. This is her first class with us, and she's here to work on toning and flexibility. I told her that she's in the best of hands because you specialize in _________. I'll let the two of you take it from here. I'll meet you after class, Lisa, to help you sign up for your next class. Have fun!"
Half Way Check-In- Show That You’re Cheering For Them
I love for the owner to do this even if you have staff because it sets you apart from larger gyms. A simple text that says, “Hi, Ryan, This is Ashley, and I own X Studio. How has your experience been this week? I noticed you’ve attended three times already. That’s incredible! How are you feeling?” If you’ve been doing the contact the whole time, you don’t need to reintroduce yourself, but a check-in that says, “I notice you’re here and I’m excited about your progress” goes a long way in establishing your studio as caring and attentive. Most clients surveyed about returning to the gym said they were looking for a “welcoming and less intimidating atmosphere,” so make sure yours fits the bill. Around the halfway point, I also like to start guiding the client into what membership option will be best for them in the future. Questions like, “How often would you like to come to the studio to ____(insert their goal here) will be priming them to think long-term.
Second to Last Day- Ask Them to Stay
Your client has had an incredible introductory special at your studio. They’ve been welcomed, introduced to the staff and members, supported in their goals, and they’re starting to envision themselves as a part of the community. Unfortunately, that isn’t enough to ensure they’ll commit. Until someone says, “based on your goals and usage over the last two weeks plus what we discussed a few days ago, our ____(insert membership option you recommend here)____is the perfect fit. If you sign up before the end of your intro, you save ___$X___. Can I answer any questions about that membership, or are you ready to get started?” We dive more into sales in our selling articles, so if you feel like running right now, that’s okay; we’ll practice until it doesn’t feel so scary. I want you to remember that a client will continue studio hopping until someone asks them to stay, so make sure that's you.
Time to Practice
Like a mission statement that no one remembers, the world’s most perfect client flow isn’t going to help clients stay if no one knows what it is. If you have staff, you should be taking time to practice your client flow from start to finish. I like quarterly staff meetings where my entire team practices everything that makes our studio special. We role-play the tours, the handshake, the sales pitch, and every moment in between, so when the client is in her intro offer, she experiences a carefully choreographed ballet that feels seamless and organic. Any ballerina (myself included) can tell you how much work and behind-the-scenes training goes into making anything look effortless in front of an audience. Practice until your staff knows the formula to convert a client from day one to sign up, and then watch your conversion rate double in a month.
I know it's a lot to take in. Luckily, we can create your member journey together. Our Boutique Studio Magic workshop is on April 7th at 9:30 PST and is recorded if you can’t attend in person. Want to build it one-on-one? Book a strategy call, and let’s create your perfect client flow together.
