6 Steps To A Successful Relaunch

With this year’s lockdowns wreaking havoc on our industry, right now is the perfect time for clubs and studios to introduce upgrades, new services or add-ons.

Following is a “pre-sales and relaunch strategy”, which we’ve used with health clubs and fitness businesses all over the world, to successfully generate loads of qualified leads and sales. And now you can too. Here’s how.

Step 1: Add-ons, new services and upgrades

For this strategy to work, you’ll need to develop and implement two or three new programs, upgrades, services or add-ons, and then create a special offer promoting these new offerings. Doing so provides you with a unique opportunity to appeal to former members or clients, or people who have previously toured the facility before but not joined.

Step 2: Successful marketing

Effective marketing will result in people taking action to respond to your offer, so the goal of your promotional efforts is to create leads who want to know more and, ultimately, join up; this can be achieved if your offer is well structured and easy to understand.

Make sure you avoid using the word “changes” in your marketing, as some people don’t respond positively to change. You should also avoid creating an offer that attracts people who have a low value mindset. This often occurs if your offer is low-cost and available for purchasing online without any consultation with a “real” person – also referred to as the “Groupon effect”. Your marketing should be designed to generate leads who want to join; NOT something that attracts lots of people to pay low-priced memberships that you’ll have to work really hard to upgrade later.

Your promotions should always focus on the results and benefits that people will enjoy once they’ve signed up for your program or membership. You need to communicate that their goals will be achieved, and how your offer will save them money (you should state the savings but not the price itself). And these elements should be presented in this order, in your marketing.

Step 3: Expression of Interest

When your prospects and former members want to take action in response to your marketing, you need to be able to capture their interest (and details). One way to do this is to direct them to an “expression of interest” form, which is typically an online opt-in form that captures the lead’s name, phone number and email address.

Of course, you can contact each person who has submitted an expression of interest and book them in for a physical tour (if COVID restrictions permit, and if the prospect is comfortable doing so) – and with the right processes, skills and systems in place, you’ll still achieve conversion success. However, in the current climate of uncertainty, a more effective and efficient method of following up your registrations is by booking Zoom calls. This way you can have the conversations to qualify where their pain-points are and what they want to achieve, a lot more quickly and easily. Then, once you’ve identified them, you can explain how your services and programs will serve as solutions.

Step 4: Target markets

To promote your offer, use SMS and email to notify your previous prospects, former members and lost leaders. You should also share your expression of interest opportunity on all your social media pages – both personal and professional, if you have both.

Video content is king now, so do some live broadcasts and consider creating a simple 30-second to 2-minute promotional video. Remember to always include the link to your offer, so people can immediately enter their details in your expression of interest opt-in page

Step 5: Conversion sequences

Your team must be confident and knowledgeable in how to present and close well. The key to achieving this is having clear processes and procedures in place, so that everyone can convert the leads received into sales. Of course, practising the price presentations, so the offer is delivered in a smooth and very easy-to-understand way, is also essential. ALWAYS ensure that when you present your prices, you focus on the results and feelings that the prospect wants; NOT just on your offer and the price. The key to delivering this information successfully is practise, practise, practise!

Keep in mind, your expression of interest process is just THAT – an expression of interest. Once you receive those leads, the key to successful conversion lies in contacting all of them – immediately!

Step 6: Selling via Zoom

Most people nowadays are comfortable using Zoom, and this is reflected in the incredible results we’ve had with many of our clubs, studios and PTs who have mastered and implemented our “Sell Via Zoom” skills. The bonus of this process is that the sales cycle is also shortened, while closing percentages are increased. With all that’s going on in our industry and in the wider economic climate, making sales this way will become an essential skill in the not too distant future.

After following these six steps, your fitness business will be well positioned to relaunch and start smashing your sales goals, once again. ®