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Business Building Tips to Strengthen your Client Base
By Drew Stevens, PhD, CFT

A recent report in a major business periodical suggested that sales closing rates are off by an astonishing 66%. Further, sales closing accuracy is down and, more importantly, closing times are increasing. I was recently asked if a return to cold calling and perhaps direct mail might reverse these trends – emphatically I stated "NO". The rationale is simple: clients and even potential clients desire to conduct business with those that they know and those they trust.

Cold calling, direct mail and other traditional selling methods do little to build relationships – they simply anger and frustrate. When was the last time you took a call in the evening after a lengthy day from a cold calling maven? And when was the last time you spoke with a million dollar insurance agent that cold calls?

Today’s fitness professional requires techniques that help to accentuate and differentiate from others, especially in our recent economic times. Potential clients will find numerous ways to avoid you. In a business culture where social networks proliferate, the only true network is that built between a client and trainer. Clients enjoy the candor and the knowledge that is shared from a professional. To this end, there are several methods that assist selling professionals.

Networking

Truly the best fitness professionals constantly network. Pros by nature require constant engagement with others to comprehend business trends and meet new opportunities. For over 27 years, I have attended at least one to two networking events per month, and I can measure these to business. Admittedly, there exist a plethora of networking associations and organizations – choose those close to your location and aligned with your business. Review your local paper for functions that interest you and attend as a guest, but go. If you do not attend, know that your competitors still will. Others cannot know your business with just a shingle hanging in the breeze.

Referrals

Proper networking and etiquette involves referral acquisition. Similar to gaining closure agreement, many professionals abhor asking for the order! Business is driven by the ability to ask for new business. If clients are happy with your work, they will willingly provide others that need to receive your value. The best way to seek referrals is when you are first engaged with the client and they are at that emotional high. More importantly, you want to ask while you are still training them, since this is the best time to be top of mind. Post sale is not an alternative – simply put, out of sight out of mind.

Another imperative item to remember is that there is strength in numbers – the more you obtain, the fuller the pipeline. There is a story of an insurance professional that would visit clients and not leave without three new referrals. Even if the client provided one or two, the agent would not leave until he received three or more. Needless to say, the agent retired an extremely wealthy individual.

One other trick, get your referrals once the client begins to see results. As your client loses weight, gains symmetry, lifts more weight, runs further, get the referral. More clients are apt to provide a referral on a high rather than during the status quo.

Follow up on referrals

It might seem pragmatic, yet there is much evidence to illustrate that a myriad of professionals that obtain referrals do not follow up. Friends, family and clients typically provide these golden nuggets, so it is vital that one follows up. A rule of thumb is twenty-four hours from receipt to contact. Make sure you mention the person that referred you and mention their enthusiasm for working with you.

Positive attitude

Good networking professionals have a positive attitude. They do not carry baggage with them, nor do they illustrate negative feelings should things go awry. There is the story of a fitness professional that greeted all with “I am awesome!” Coincidentally, he did this even through attempting to fight a debilitating disease. Alliances and relationships are built with people that are positive and are outgoing.

Enthusiasm/Energy

Remember the donkey from Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore? This poor donkey is about as unhappy as anything I know. Sometimes listening to him is depressing enough. This is true with human relationships. Individuals desire to be around warm, energized people. Many can feel the excitement of those around them. If you want to be a memorable networker, review your image – ensure you are excited about the event, the people and your business. People feed off positive energy; enthusiasm is fuel for networking, alliances and differentiation.

Trustworthiness

Candor is the most imperative issue in today’s business environment. Ironically, an important business trait constantly discussed is ethics. Appalling as it seems, there are numerous daily instances of those attempting to buck trends and gain momentum while not following rules. People will only do business with those they trust and those they respect.

Good listening skills

Remember a time when you were with someone either at a cocktail party or other event, and the person spoke and never came up for air? Bothered you didn’t it? Clients are engaged with professionals that can provide value by understanding needs and listening. Clients clamor for solutions not prescriptions, and the best people understand the art of listening. Use techniques such as asking open- and close-ended questions and pausing to truly understand how to assist.

Enjoy helping

It is better to give than to receive. Those that want to gain will give first. Similar to tithing, professionals must provide content to gain something. Think of tips, techniques and referrals that you too can provide. This technique is a great opener for building relationships, since others will identify with your willingness to provide helpful information.

Be Sincere

As fitness professionals, we get our clients to concentrate on CORE. Fundamentally, this is the system upon which all musculature and symmetrical principles assist to build a healthy and fit body. Selling and networking exercises are CORE too. One of the muscles of CORE is sincerity. Differentiation is built upon a sincere desire to build relations, become personable and assist coexisting needs. Admiration is built based on trust and willingness to assist. Dale Carnegie described this in his now famous work, “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. Key examples are:

Talk in terms of the other person's interests and
Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

The key to business building and success is producing things that others don’t. One needs to discover methods to rise above the din and become visible. With global competition increasing and a shift in industries requiring selling professionals, there exists the need to become outstanding. There is also the issue of working smarter, not harder, to produce required results. Refrain from tired non-functioning sales methods and begin new strategies that can escalate your rewards and make you an outstanding performer!

Drew Stevens PhD, CFT is a management consultant and thought leader on sales and customer service with over 25 years of professional experience. His consulting firm, Getting to the Finish Line dramatically assists organizations and business owners to accelerate business growth with no capital investment.

His speaking and consulting enables him to travel over 50 days per year to clients and conferences around the globe. In the last several years Dr. Drew has provided advice to well over 60,000 professionals. Drew’s prolific publishing includes over 100 articles on sales and selling strategy and seven books including Split Second Selling, Split Second Customer Service and Little Book of Hope. Some of his works appear in Chinese and Hindi. He is interviewed and quoted frequently in the media, with prestigious periodicals such as Personal SellingPower and Sales and Marketing Management.