Every gym owner knows it: word-of-mouth advertising is the best advertising. In fact, even Facebook marketing companies prefer to get their clients through referrals from other clients, instead of through Facebook!
Clients that are brought in by other clients have a preformed bond with your brand. They have built-in support when things get tough, and a strong emotional reason to “stick”. It’s a lot easier to go to the gym when you know that your friends will be waiting, right? And since every single “stick-to-your-workout” article published online includes the phrase “find a training partner”, our clients already know that they SHOULD exercise with a buddy.
So, why aren’t they all dragging their spouses, co-workers, and best friends into your gym? Because they’re not salesmen. The customer referral process is too passive – if we wait for our clients to do our marketing for us, then we’ll starve. As such, here’s a simple script to get client testimonials AND referrals without feeling like a slimy salesperson.
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First, schedule goal reviews with your best clients every quarter. During the goal review, ask if the client is happy with their progress. That’s just coaching, right? If they say “yes”, make them famous. Pull out your phone and say, “I’m SO proud of you! I want everyone to hear your story. I have a camera right here. You ready? Go.”
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Hit record and let them tell their story – they’ll invariably praise you. I’ve done this dozens of times in my own gym, and have even done it in other people’s gyms where clients have declined the offer to tell their story on camera. People are shy; don’t give them time to think about it. Make them look and feel amazing about their progress, and they’ll be flattered – even thrilled – to do it. Even if they don’t say “I owe it all to Coach”, their testimonial is still implied. After all, it’s on your website, your social channels, your YouTube channels, and in your gym.
After you record 2-3 minutes of the client talking, put down the camera and ask, “Who’s been most helpful to you on your journey?” Hopefully, they have a lot of support at home, or a network at work, or a peer group to cheer them on. If they don’t, read on anyway.
When they say, “My husband is great; he never complains about eating more vegetables with me…”, reply with the “Thank Up” strategy. Respond by saying, “That’s so amazing. I’d like to give your husband something to thank him for helping to get you to this point. What’s his phone number?”
Or, if the client says, “My workplace has been great. They’ve allowed me to take an extra 15 minutes for lunch so I can get showered after my workout,” you can “Thank Up” a group, too. Your response may be, “That’s incredible! Who can I call at your workplace to offer a little gift of gratitude?”
Next, call your client’s supporter and say, “Thanks SO much for all of your help. I know Suzie is really grateful to you. How can I thank you? Would a free nutrition plan help you with YOUR daily health?” Similarly, for a group, say, “Suzie let me know how grateful she was for your extra support. As a thank you, how would you like to bring all of your staff in here on Friday for a little team-building time? It’s on me.”
If you’re nervous about calling them, get over it! But, if you’re seriously terrified and can’t make yourself do it, text the person a video message. You can even use services that send you straight to voicemail. Work on your fear, but get the message sent TODAY. Your client will be expecting you to make contact, and she’ll probably ask her husband or coworker if you did.
If she doesn’t have any support outside of the gym, the greatest thing you can do for her is to FIND her some support: “Suzie, you’re doing great on your own – unbelievably well, really. I want to get you some support outside of the gym. Who do you spend the most time with? Who do you lean on when you need help?”
(You guessed what’s coming next, right?)
“What’s their phone number?”
Now, call or text that person and say, “Suzie told me that you’re her rock. She’s doing really well at the gym, but things are about to get tougher for her, and I’m enlisting your help to keep her on track. Do you have a few minutes to talk about it?”
Word-of-mouth advertising, client testimonials, and organic growth are the best ways to grow your gym. But if you just wait for it to happen, you’ll starve to death. Take the process from passive to active by taking control of the conversation. Remove it from your clients’ hands – don’t wait for them to be asked about you. Instead, practice “help first” by talking to their friends yourself.
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