Health clubs occasionally get a customer who already knows what they want, but with most potential clients, selling memberships is a process. It involves introducing the prospect to the club, convincing them of its benefits, and sealing the deal.

Like every process, each step plays an important role in the overall success of the sales pitch. Here are the eight steps and the practices to follow for best results.

The following is a summarization of an education session from the 2014 IHRSA Convention, produced with full permission from IHRSA. The full-length video is available for purchase at ihrsastore.com.

About the speaker

Justin Tamsett is the Managing Director of Active Management. He is a well-recognized international speaker and presenter. He is also the Director of The Fitness Business Podcast.

1. The Incoming Call

Give the prospect all of your attention because this is the most important step.

Provide them with all the relevant information about your facility and what you offer. Take time to talk to them and ask questions. Find out about their goals, what they’ve tried in the past, and why they want to try again. Gather all the information you can about this person, including contact information, fitness level, and interests. Be polite and friendly, and make recommendations based on the information you’ve received from them.

2. The Meet and Greet at the Front Desk

Training your staff is essential for this step, so be sure to provide constant and ongoing training regarding how to interact with members and prospective members. Conduct frequent roleplay sessions and design standard scripts for them to learn and practice.

Spend time with your reception team teaching them the correct way to introduce themselves and greet customers.

3. Needs Analysis

Once the prospect is in your facility, it is essential to the customer experience that you perform a needs analysis. Ask the prospect what they need from a fitness facility and what they're hoping to achieve. Tell them how your facility meets their needs. Different people have different goals, so the needs analysis is critical to providing personalized solutions and value to a client.

4. The Tour

Give the prospect a thorough tour of your club, with particular emphasis on areas that provide solutions to their fitness problems. Show them the equipment and other features that will help them, specifically. Showing a prospect exactly how your facility meets their needs demonstrates value and shows a level of appreciation and investment in their fitness journey.

5. The Price Presentation

Discuss the options that you think will be suited to the prospect's goals and interests. Give them two or three different options so they can choose which one suits them best. Address the issue of price. If you have made a connection and formed the basis of a relationship, the price will not be an issue. If you have listened to them and demonstrated value, that is what will matter to them when making a decision.

6. Ask for the Sale

Directly close the sale. Create a sense of urgency and offer guest passes, but don’t be pushy. Instead, offer them solutions that show why your facility is the best choice for them. Make the prospect feel like the membership is made especially for them.

7. Overcome Objections

Professionally overcome objections.

Ask questions about the prospect's objections and present solutions from your facility. Circle back and ask for the sale again.

8. Ask for Referrals

Whether or not the prospect joins, you should always ask for referrals in the form of presenting them with guest passes. If they share the passes with friends and family, this guarantees lead generation.

By following these eight sales steps to prove the value of your facility to prospective members, you should achieve an increase in sales and revenue.