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The following is a guide that covers people buy personal training Personal Training is often purchased to satisfy a need for change. Here you can find an overview of the reasons and techniques that will help you be successful selling personal training. The American Fitness Institute CPT course goes into much greater detail and releases all instructions on prospecting for new clientele and how to best present and sell personal training in the AFI CPT Course.
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Why People Buy Personal Training
Personal Training is often purchased to satisfy a need for change. Your job is to find out exactly what those needs are and how you can fulfill them by asking probing questions. During the session, ask the prospective client probing questions in the areas of business, personal and future. In each area you are asking questions to build a relationship. Always be personable when asking probing questions, as people buy from people they like. Also remember people buy for their own reasons and that no one likes to be sold...but we all love to buy.
When you are asking probing questions, you are asking questions to uncover hidden reasons someone will buy, they are called "hot buttons". An example of a "hot button" could be the person telling you they are upset they are slowly gaining weight despite exercising everyday.
Every time you expose a "hot button" you must get a commitment point. A commitment point is gained by asking a yes based question such as:"Is stopping the weight gain important to you?
Of course the answer is yes, they just told you losing weight was important to them before you asked them the yes based question.The yes is an agreement between the trainer and the prospect that losing weight is important to the prospect, it is now a fact that can not be denied. If the sale stalls you will push that "hot button" to help make the sale (meaning you will remind them of why they should buy).
The reason you ask yes based questions when you find a "hot button" or hear "pain", is so you can use it in your close.Commitment points are reasons a prospect will buy. Closing, just like the name implies, comes at the end of the sales process. Like a reporter, you interview and collect information, then at the close you revisit it to make your point and the sale.
During the session, you will ask all kinds of probing questions, each one should move the sale forward. Ask the prospective client about their likes and hobbies. Get them to admit they spend money on things that are not good for them. We all waste a lot of money on things that have no return or benefit. A night out with drinking with friends can easily cost the same as training session, but unlike a training session, there is no ROI/return on investment.
Below is an example of how keeping ROI in mind can help you during the process.
- Repeat the clients statements followed by yes based questions that keep the prospects goals fresh in their mind. You told me that you spend $20 dollars a week on movies, $60 in the bar, and $6 a day on coffee. Instead of throwing that $122 dollars away on things that only move you further from your goal, wouldn't you agree that it makes more sense to spend that money on training so you could tone up and loose that ten pounds you want to get rid of?
- Keep ROI in Mind when pitching prospectives client.Keep ROI in mind Understanding the ROI helps a prospect to justify the cost of buying training. Use the information the client gives you to make the sale.
- Recognize buying questions When speaking with new prospective personal training clients Learn to recognize the difference between buying questions, which are questions that show an interest in training and questions meant to blow you off. Can I call you when I am ready to train? is a blow off question is, especially if they never ask for your number.
- Recognize buying questionsLearn to recognize the difference between buying questions, which are questions that show an interest in training and questions meant to blow you off. Can I call you when I am ready to train? is a blow off question is, especially if they never ask for your number
- Recognize Buying Signs When a prospective client asks you questions that show an interest in training, those questions are "buying signs". When asked a question that is a "buying sign", ask a probing question and get a commitment point instead of just answering yes or no.
Example:
Prospect: How long does it take to lose fifteen pounds?
Trainer: How long have you been trying to lose fifteen pounds?
Prospect: 6 months now.
Trainer: If I could show you a way to lose those fifteen pounds in the shortest amount of time possible; is that something you would be interested in?
Prospect: yes.
A great probing question is, "Is that important to you?"
A popular method to selling personal training is to give a complimentary session. After the session is over, you and the prospect should have a good feel for each other. No matter how the session went, Always ask for the prospect to buy personal training. What may seem like a bad session to you may have been the prospects best workout ever, so remember to always ask for the sale.
Closing is when you ask for the sale, then overcome all objections using all of the information you gathered and during the session. People will almost always give an objection, for many people it is just part of the buying process. It is their way of saying, tell me why I should buy this.
Often the prospect may be embarrassed and will not tell you what the real objection is. That means sometimes objections are true, and at other times they are the prospect stalling. Before you can overcome an objection to make the sale, you have to know what the true objection is. Eventually this will all become second nature, especially as your training sessions improve and your training and confidence will begin to sell itself. People will purchase training because of the benefit, so if they believe you can help them, they will see the benefit and purchase training from you.
Three steps to selling personal training:
- Listen to the objection Determine if it is the real objection by asking questions. Qualify it as the objection keeping the sale from progressing. Double qualify it as the objection keeping the sale from progressing, by rephrasing the first qualifying question.
- Qualify the objection Determine if it is the only objection keeping the sale from progressing to set up the close. If there is another objection, first answer the objection so it completely resolves the issue, then address any other objection the prospect may have. If there is no other objection, first answer the objection so it completely resolves the issue, confirm the issue is resolved.
- Ask a Closing Question If the prospect answers yes, confirm the answer and sale. If the prospect says no, return to your pitch and try to discover what the true objection is.
Often the prospect won't tell you what the real objection is. Sometimes they are true, other times they are the prospect stalling. Before you can overcome an objection to make the sale, you have to know what the true objection is.
- I don't need it.
- I don't have the time.
- I need to talk to my partner/spouse.
- It costs too much.
- I want to think about it.
- I don't have the money.
- I don't see the value in it.
- I need to talk to my partner/spouse.
- I don't see the value in it.
- I'm not convinced you can help me yet
The first step is realizing everyone has their own reason for purchasing personal training. With that in mind and with practice, you will quickly learn to ask all the right questions so you can build a successful, thriving personal training business.
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