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If you can see John Smith through John Smith’s eyes, you can sell John Smith what John Smith buys. If you can see Jane Smith through Jane Smith’s eyes, you can sell Jane Smith what Jane Smith buys.
You have to understand the language of a prospect. As a black belt in tae-kwon-do, the martial arts school that I would join would have teeth on the floor from contact sparring, and probably six members who are all Navy SEALs.
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That’s not where you would take your niece. That’s not where you would take your daughter. You have to think like that person.
I saw someone talking about, on Instagram, about coming into this seminar with a white belt mentality, with white belt eyes. We go into things with fitness coach eyes or trainer eyes.
I used to have dumbbells, the heaviest ones at the door, and I had my squat rack with chains nearest at the door. You guys would come in and go, “Fuck, yeah! Look at this gym.”
A prospect comes in and goes, “Not for me.” You’ve got to think like a client. Start thinking like a client once. A client doesn’t want to be sore. Eventually, they will because we evolve them into us, and they start doing #BeMore.
Here’s another one: Never underestimate a client.
If a client tells you, “I don’t want to get too big,” and you say, “You don’t have to worry about it, lady, because you don’t have the IGF-1 testosterone to get too big. I’ve been trying to get too big my entire life. You don’t have to worry. There’s no such thing as too big,” that’s great customer service, right? She’s going to sign up right away and go, “Well, I’ve found my guy!”
Once you can relate to the client, you can take them on a journey.
I do not say this to impress you; I say this to impress upon you that if a kid who grew up with unemployed parents in the roughest town in the poorest country in Western Europe at the time, which was Scotland, can move to the United States, get cancer twice and open up two seven-figure fitness businesses in the most competitive market in the world, which is Southern California, I don’t want to hear your shit. Trust me, I’m not that smart. I’ve just done a few things right, and I’m going to share those things with you as best as I can.
Adapted from Alwyn Cosgrove's 2019 SSTSS presentation.
Alwyn Cosgrove is an international Tae kwon-do champion who has utilized his personal experiences as an athlete and combined them with advanced theories of European Sports Science and the principles of modern strength and conditioning systems. He has worked with a wide variety of clients, including several Olympic- and national-level athletes, five World Champions, and professionals in a multitude of sports, including boxing, martial arts, soccer, ice skating, football, fencing, triathlon, rugby, bodybuilding, and dance and fitness competitions. Follow him on Instagram @alwyncosgrove.
