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5 Tips to Turn Prospects Into Clients

Written by: Pat Rigsby

Article Overview: Discover 5 simple steps that can turn your prospects into higher paying, longer staying clients.

5 Tips to Turn Prospects Into Clients

One of the biggest mistakes that I see fitness professionals make is paying little if any attention to their closing percentage. They work hard on getting their website up and running. They send out postcards and hold seminars – all in the hopes of generating leads. But the real name of the game is turning those leads into high paying clients.

Do you know what percentage of prospects you convert into clients?

Don’t guess.

Do you know the exact number?

If you don’t – start tracking that TODAY! Only then can you test other approaches in your quest to close more prospects and know if the changes you made are paying off.

Once you start tracking your numbers, here are 5 tips you can use to increase your closing percentage:


1. Define Your Uniqueness. You have to let prospects know EXACTLY why they should do business with you instead of the trainer at 24 Hour Fitness, join Curves, enroll in Weight Watchers or buy the Ab Lounger. Saying you get results isn’t enough. Do you think they say they don’t’?

2. Have Social Proof. If you have a studio, put up a ‘Wall of Fame.’ If you work in a club or in homes, create a testimonial book. Use testimonials in your marketing so prospects are pre-sold. Help people feel confident that you are the solution to their problem(s) by showing them you were already the solution to other people problems that might have been similar.

3. Use a script. Once you find the best way to sell your service, why change it? You don’t necessarily have to say the same thing word for word – prospects are all different. But have a scripted format that you follow with a logical sequence of questions that get the prospect talking.

4. Shut Up. Let the prospect do 75% of the talking. Ask lots of open ended questions and let the prospect reveal their ‘pain’ to you.

5. Sell on Value. Not price. People want a good deal and to be treated fairly – but they don’t mind paying for results (you do get great results, right?) If you’re the cheapest alternative – raise your prices or look in the mirror and ask why you aren’t worth more. Once you recognize the value you deliver – then raise your prices.

While these 5 tips might not seem like much, they are often the difference between closing the sale and getting that dreaded ‘Let me think about it.’ Go back through them again and decide how you can start implementing them into your sales process and your business. You’ll be rewarded with more clients and bigger package sales as soon as you do.

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Article Tags: ab lounger, curves, exact number, fitness professionals, generating leads, hour fitness, logical sequence, marketing, name of the game, open ended questions, postcards, prospects, seminars, social proof, testimonials, uniqueness, wall of fame, weight watchers



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Re: Email Etiquette - [quote="jvprosperity":24jznj58] The P.S. suggestion is good but it depends on the type of communication (e.g. Autoresponder series verses one off emails to Clients or Prospects)[/quote:24jznj58] Andy, You are right. I was mainly referring to Auto Responder emails. To end a normal email, I attach signatures. Takuya
Business Tips - How about: Tips for managers to handle employees more effectively? Tips on how to deal with difficult customers? Tips on how to deal more effectively with suppliers? The only three I have in mind right now, but will try to come up with something else. Chris
Simple way to avoid Cold Calling - Gary, A chiropractor I work with hates cold calling (me too!) and he uses a technique to warm people up to using his services - it's so simple! In Sales your dealing with 3 pools of people: 1. Strangers 2. Prospects 3. Returning Customers You need to move people from one pool to the next. We'll concentrate on #1 and #2 as it's most relevant to your question. My Clients does the following (you just have to tailor it to your situation - be creative). My Client (we'll call him Bob) Bob leverages his time and resources to only get people that need his offer (pain relief) to put their hand up. Dealing with Strangers can get expensive and they don't like to be told what to do as they have no trust or relationship built with him. So to get Strangers to put their hands up he writes up an offer with a free report on a particular pain relief - let's say lower back pain (note: he can simply just change lower back pain to neck pain and have a new report). and uses multiple marketing vehicles to promote the Free report - magazines, newspaper, forums, postcards, private clinics etc. The only people picking up this information are the very people Bob would like as customers as they have Lower back pain. Bob's Free report ends with him stating his services and includes a Free in-house Consultation with no obligation. You'd be surprised at how easily Bob converts Strangers into Prospects. Note: They become prospects when they ask for the Free Guide and in exchange provide their contact details. This gives Bob unlimited opportunity to contact them for the Free in-house consultation with no obligation to continue using him. At this stage Bob's ability to close the sale lies in his office providing good customer service, Bob's ability to help the prospect and provide value at the free in-house consultation. Notice, he hasn't had to pick up the phone to COLD-CALL his Stranger pool or his Prospect pool. Hope that example helps to increase your prospecting!
Re: Who Did You Learn Most From and Why? - Hi Martin, You missed out on the most essential community that helps you grow - Your Clients. Well, I believe that my Initial Clients have been the ones who have given me the moments of 'aha' in my business. They have stood by me even when I was a starter and that has helped me shape and build my stand. They have helped me grow as an entrepreneur, learn to have loads of patience and make the most of what comes across. They have also helped me to strengthen me as a person. btw, personally speaking, my Grandfather always kept me on track and lent me emotional support when I was down in any matter - be it business or otherwise.
Coaching Women vs. Males - Tami, Do you have any clients from Eastern Canada? I was wondering if Coaching Clients from either Coast was any different. Also is it different coaching women entrepreneurs vs. males?


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