If you’re like many fitness business owners looking to increase gym revenue, you might immediately think of selling more memberships. However, increasing the ARM (average revenue per member) might be an easier path. By selling personal training, nutrition coaching and other high-ticket gym services, you can drive revenue and member retention.
Today, we’re talking to Rudy Trevino, whose track record speaks for itself in sales. Trevino is the owner of The Fit Stop in San Antonio, TX and recently joined the PushPress CX team to help other gym owners.
In his nine years of gym ownership, Trevino has practically mastered the art of selling high-ticket gym services. In fact, he converts 90 percent of the leads he brings in, which means 15-25 new clients a month. Nearly all new members start with personal training before graduating to group classes. And approximately 40 percent of his 200 clients also pay for nutrition coaching.
Trevino is sharing ideas to increase gym revenue through personal training and nutrition coaching. Plus, how PushPress Appointments is helping his team manage it all.
Five Tips To Increase Gym Revenue With Appointments-Based Services
1. Create A Safe Environment.
Trevino says it all starts with an appointment-based, one-on-one session with a coach. Most of the prospects who show up at his gym are brand new to fitness. They’re often intimidated or apprehensive in the gym environment.
So even though your gym is familiar and welcoming for your current clients, it’s a different vibe for new people. To make up for this, Trevino reminds gym owners to make sure the environment feels comfortable and safe.
He suggests creating an inviting, conversational space, like a round table or comfy couches. Further, avoiding sitting across from each other at a desk in your office, which can feel formal and cold. Ultimately, the idea is to create a more intimate space that allows the person to relax.
Trevino also noted that no one will get vulnerable or open up about their struggles in a group class setting with strangers. This is why the private, one-on-one session is such an important first step to increase gym revenue.
“It’s really all about creating connection,” Trevino said.
The next part, he explained, comes down to your personality. In order to make them feel comfortable and welcome, take a help-first approach. And be sure that your body language reflects a warm and welcoming persona.
“Don’t cross your arms,” he said. “Make good eye contact and lean into the person.”
Trevino added one caveat: Don’t invade their personal space by being a close talker.
2. Focus On The Why.
The reason potential clients come to you is that they’re looking for help in fixing a pain point. So, while most gym owners have learned the importance of finding out what that pain point is, Trevino says they might not be digging deep enough.
For instance, if someone tells you their goal is to lose 20 pounds, do you accept that as the real problem or do you keep digging?
“Losing twenty pounds isn’t a good enough answer,” Trevino explained.
Instead, keep asking why. Why do you want to lose that weight? Why is that important to you? Continue to dig with the why questions in order to “find the root cause.”
“If you can do that, people will trust you and start to believe you have the solution to their problem,” Trevino said. He then added that this - and only this - should be your only focus during their initial visit.
“We don’t even talk about CrossFit in a sales conversation,” he said. “We don’t talk about anything but the person, and the solutions they’re looking for. And helping them find something they think will stick.”
From there, frame the program you’re selling as your prescription for solving their problems. Appointments-based services are the most effective way to increase gym revenue, and retention as well.
Pro Tip: Want to learn how PushPress Grow can help you generate and convert even more leads? Book a demo with our team today!
3. Get Them To Sell Back To You.
Once the prospective member has uncovered their real pain point, Trevino first makes a recommendation for helping them to solve it. He explains the options and what the person will need to commit to in order to be successful.
From there, he asks the client to repeat what they just heard by asking them a variety of questions. What stands out to you about our program? How do you think this program will help you? What do you like most about what you have heard?
In this sense, Trevino says, “They’re now selling it right back to you.”
Getting someone to think this way helps them to see the big picture. You’re ensuring they understand how you’re going to help them and how what you offer is what they need.
4. Recommend Nutrition Coaching From Day One.
Many new clients will ask about nutrition coaching options at the start of their journey. But Trevino says it’s a service some gym owners offer to members down the road. The idea is that after they’ve already seen some results, that’s the time to take their fitness to a new level.
However, Trevino says it’s much easier to increase gym revenue by getting new clients on board with nutrition coaching on day one.
To get them going from the very beginning of their journey, he recommends bundling nutrition options right into your fitness program. This is beneficial for several important gym metrics. First, this will this increase your ACV (average client value). Second, it will help your clients see better results, driving member retention numbers as well.
5. Don’t Give Them The Option To Say No.
When you truly believe that you can help someone, it’s not about if they should start the program, but when.
After presenting the options, many gym owners will ask something like, “So what do you think? Are you ready to get started?”
Trevino says to reframe your questioning. For example, ask them, “Which of the program and payment options do you think works best for you?”
After that, he says, even if it means sitting in silence for a moment or two, “Shut up and let them choose.”
From his experience, 90 percent of people will answer this question with one of the program options you offered them.
Trevino added that “it comes down to confidence.” To help people and increase gym revenue, you have to have confidence in yourself and what you’re selling.
How PushPress Appointments Makes It All Manageable
As of last month, PushPress released V2 of Appointments, making gym owners’ jobs a whole lot easier. Not only for booking intro sessions but selling personal training and nutrition coaching as well.
In a nutshell, coaches are now able to input their availability into Appointments V2. They can even leave blocks specifically for either remote and in-person appointment times. Then clients can quickly and easily sign up for upcoming appointments.
For more on this new feature, check out our recent blog post about how booking appointments benefits coaches, clients and your business.
Trevino says he’s especially excited for one main reason. He said, “It helps remove barriers.”
For your coaches, removing barriers translates to saving time. And for the client, it’s all about convenience and improved accountability. It sure beats the old, time-consuming system of coaches and clients comparing schedules to find a time that works for both.
For Trevino, whose gym hosts about 75 personal training sessions each month, this time adds up.
In the past, “It was cumbersome,” Trevino recalls. “So having that ease of use is a big win, especially for the coach.”
As for client compliance, it’s a helpful tool as well. For example, if a client has one, monthly nutrition coaching session, it used to be hard to keep track of when each client was due for their session.
Now, the upgraded system knows when the client is due for their session. And if they don’t use their appointment, they’ll lose it. In this sense, your appointments-based programs can increase gym revenue while improving client accountability.
“The ease of use is a huge win for the client,” Trevino said. “Limiting barriers is always a good thing. It’s going to make it a lot easier for people.”
