Session at Club Industry Show 2017 in Chicago, IL. Each staff member in the gym and/or healthclub can help sell. But sell member satisfaction, not only memberships and training sessions.

1. Wed., Oct. 4, 12:45-2:00pm
Sales is Teamwork
Matthew Feldman

2. 2
Brief Introduction
• I have been an entrepreneur for 25 years
• GymLynx is my 4th
company
• Extensive experience in Sales, Marketing and Business Development
• I sold my first 2 companies to publicly-traded companies and ran the 3rd
company for 12 years in a highly competitive industry
• I have been weightlifting since I was in 8th
grade and a member of a
gym since I was in 10th
grade
• I played college football
• My recent max lifts
 Bench – 275 lbs
 Squat – 335 lbs
 Deadlift – 365 lbs

3. 3
Brief Self Promotion
• Online marketplace for gyms and trainers
• Gyms rent out unused facilities by the hour and increase “drop in”
revenue
• Trainers browse, compare and rent fitness space by the hour for their
personal training or group classes
• “By the hour” is a slight shift in current business models (e.g. monthly)
• We have over 500 participating gyms in 40 states throughout the USA
• Website gets about 125 visitors per day, each staying about 3 minutes,
and viewing about 3½ webpages.
Please sign up your gym/studio 

4. 4
Sales is Teamwork
• When does sales start?
• When does sales end?
• Answer: It Never Ends. It just evolves.
• Each group of gym staff has a role at some point.
• Sell member satisfaction. Don’t only sell memberships and services.
• In the long run, you will earn more revenue $$$.

5. 5
A Satisfied Gym Member
I pay about $32/mo for my gym membership
I spend about $50/mo total at the gym
I use the gym 2-4x/week
There are 3 other full-service gyms near me
I have been with my current gym since 2007
Would you want me as a member?

6. 6
Session Outline
• Brief Self Promotion 
• Session Overview – Sales is Teamwork 
• Messaging v. Perception
• Sales is Teamwork
 Marketing and Advertising
 First Impressions – The Front Lobby
 New Member Sales
 Additional Services Sales – Trainer Sessions, Group Classes, Massages, etc.
 Concessions/Apparel
 Management
 Cleaning Staff
 Maintenance
 Special Events
• Questions?

7. 7
Messaging v. Perception
• Messaging is what you tell other people
• Perception is how other people see you
• Even before Sales starts, the gym owner needs to decide…
• What kind of gym are you? (want to be?)
 Full service healthclub, cardio center, boutique, crossfit box, yoga studio, dojo,…
 Do the services you offer reflect your messaging?
• What message do you want to convey?
 If your messaging is not consistent with your actual – you will see low sales
conversion for non-members; high turnover for members
• Satisfaction increases when their perception matches your message
 This message (and actual) needs to be consistent over a gym member’s lifetime.
 If not, then you risk losing members – increased turnover.

8. 8
Marketing and Advertising
• Are you the best at something? Cheapest?
• Most trainers? Most machines? Newest machines?
• Have a pool? Basketball court? Racquetball court?
• Easy accessibility? Parking? Bus route?
• Kids club? Other member services?
• Deliver the right message
 To attract the people you want
• Local advertising and marketing
 Newspaper, Radio
 WOM – from satisfied members
• Messaging sets expectations for people

9. 9
Messaging Feedback
Reality
Messaging
Perception
• Does not include non-member walk-
in’s
• Does not include pre-conceived ideas
• Does include members
Member
Satisfaction
$$$ Expectation

10. 10
Consistent Messaging
Non-Member
Marketing
Member
Acquisition
Ongoing
Sales
Training Sessions,
GX Classes,
Merchandise,
Concessions
Member
Satisfaction
Reduce turnover
and keep generating
revenue from your
satisfied members
Different but consistent

11. 11
First Impressions
• If people like your message, they will visit
 Did your messaging set the right expectation?
• What’s the first thing people see when they enter your facility?
Your lobby and front desk staff
• What’s the last thing people see when they leave your facility?
Your lobby and front desk staff
• Smile. Be helpful and friendly. Say “hello” and “good bye”
• Is your lobby clean, comfortable and inviting?
• This leaves a very good impression
 For both prospective members and existing members
 People want to feel comfortable in their surroundings

12. 12
New Member Sales
• So, you delivered your message and people responded by coming in
 They have expectations
• Don’t hand them a clipboard and have them fill out forms
 This interrupts the flow
 Clipboards are NOT part of your Sales Team
• Seize the opportunity to grab their attention and impress them!
• Know your target demographic
• Know your message
• Know your audience
• Know your product and services
• Be friendly, helpful, accommodating and knowledgeable
• This isn’t a secret psychology of gym sales, it’s sales for all industries

13. 13
New Member Sales (con’t)
• Get to know the person
 Quiet shy people don't like aggressive sales
 Loud boisterous people like loud sales
• Ask them questions
 What are they most interested in, in a gym?
 What are they most interested in accomplishing themselves?
 What do they mostly struggle with? food? time? stress? health?
• Introduce them to other employees/trainers
 Those other employees should have a positive remark memorized
 Reinforce the message
• Make them comfortable. Make them feel welcome to come back
• When the person says “yes”, stop selling and just be a friend
 Help them in any way – now… where’s that clipboard?

14. 14
Additional Services
• Personal Training sessions
• GX classes
• Massages and/or Physical Therapy
• These are all ongoing incremental sales (could be big!)
• Highlighting certifications provides comfort and assurance
 But still need to be friendly, helpful and competent
• Think of the value they provide
 Satisfied members continue to spend money
• Member retention is dependent on member satisfaction
 Their satisfaction depends on their perception matching the actual
 Are you providing desired services?
 Are you providing a good environment?
• Sell member satisfaction. Don’t only sell services.

15. 15
Concessions/Apparel
• Is your concessions profitable? (It should be!)
• Is your staff friendly and helpful?
• “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.”
 Maybe its salt water
 Maybe its too polluted
 Maybe there is a mean alligator lurking at the edge
• Same with members
 They may want a post-workout drink, just not the ones you are selling
 Occasionally give away free samples (talk to your distributor)
 Try different products to improve sales
• Even products for their family – kids, pets, etc
 Try different t-shirt designs
• Sell member satisfaction. Don’t only sell services.

16. 16
Management
• Plays an important role in member satisfaction
 Do you know the name of most of your members?
 Make them feel comfortable
• Do you personally greet each new member?
• Be accessible. Be helpful. Be friendly.
• Don’t discourage people from talking directly to you
• When a member provides feedback (ok, maybe complains), you should
be listening.
 No need to talk back, just acknowledge, listen and thank them for their
feedback.
• Suggestion box?
 Perception of an attentive gym
 Maybe even read one or two 

17. 17
Cleaning Staff
• Always be courteous
• Just their presence provides the appearance of cleanliness
 Members like cleanliness
 May even be subconscious
• Locker Rooms top importance
• Boosts member satisfaction
 Some gyms, cleanliness (or lack of) is #1 reason for turnover
• Personal peeve…
 Don’t clean the mirror in front of the squat rack while I am doing squats!
 I want to see my form
 I don’t want to inhale cleaning fumes

18. 18
Maintenance
• Always be courteous
• Is the gym at a comfortable climate?
 Fans operating? Not smelly?
• Are all machines in good working order?
• Is everything in the locker room working?
• No holes in the walls or cracked mirrors
• Re-rack weights, straighten ropes, stack steps & mats, etc.
 This can be a task for any and all staff
 Every 4-6 hours?
• Sell member satisfaction. Don’t only sell services.

19. 19
Special Events
• Member Appreciation Day
 BBQ?
• Redecorate front lobby for holidays
• Local Celebrity cameos (e.g., x-Pro Athletes)
• Give-aways
 Talk to local distributors and even local retail stores (e.g., apples from market?)
 Protein bar samples
 Logo key rings, water bottles, member milestone t-shirts
• If you’re a big healthclub, have a “special events” person
• Sell member satisfaction. Don’t only sell services.
• These activities really increase member satisfaction.

20. 20
Small Gym?
• Do you fill the roll of every group I mentioned above?
 Owner – what type of gym are you
 Marketing – messaging
 Front desk – friendly and courteous
 New Member Sales
 Trainer/Instructor – add-on revenue
 Concession Sales – sell what your members want to buy
 Management – talk to your members
 Cleaning Staff – presence
 Maintenance – keep equipment working
• That’s OK. Same guidelines apply.
• Smile, be friendly, make your members feel comfortable
• Sell member satisfaction. Don’t only sell services.

21. 21
Why Teamwork?
A satisfied member = $$$

22. 22
Questions?

23. Thank you
Matthew Feldman, President and CEO
matt@gymlynx.com
Copyright © 2014-17, GymLynx, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The GymLynx logo is a trademark of GymLynx. All other product and company names contained
herein are trademarks, registered trademarks, or copyrights of their respective owners. Permission to use or reproduce any information contained herein, in its
entirety or any portion, must be obtained in writing from GymLynx’s President. Any unauthorized use of the contents herein is strictly prohibited.