This past year has been a wild one, to say the least. No one could have predicted it was coming, and when it did no one knew how to handle it.
It’s important to acknowledge that this past year has affected every single one of us. Like any challenge we go through, though, it’s the choices that will follow that’ll decide what’s coming next for you and your business.
The good news is that we’ve had some time with this new landscape, so we should have a much better understanding of what we’re up against. It’s on us to make decisions that will allow our businesses to move forward from here.
For this to work, you’ll likely need to shift your perspective a little bit, though. Take a deep breath, open your mind and repeat the following phrase:
Let go of what was, to make room for what will be.
With that thought, let’s jump into the topic at hand: How are you going to convert your leads better right now?
Your new mindset will play a huge role because in order to do what is right for your fitness business and your life, you’ll have to be willing to make adjustments without the emotion you may attach to your previous methods.
Up until this pandemic, there has been a growing trend towards automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and more technology in general. This is great and certainly has its place, but with the changes that are presenting themselves now it shouldn’t be the main focus of your outreach moving forward.
I like to think in terms of what’s called a “Blue Ocean Strategy.” That means taking an approach that’s either different, or that others are just not willing to take.
When you follow the hot trends, it usually means you’re in a crowded space with your competition who may be doing things you can’t compete with. Think about it, there are major players known more in the technology space now tapping into fitness. Do you really think competing in their arena will lead to a fruitful outcome for you? Following their lead will tend to highlight their strengths, not yours. Keep the game in your court and approach it in a way they never could.
How do you use this approach to convert more leads and build a stronger business? Make it personal. It may not be as sexy as the latest bot or AI technology, but this is your edge.
Stay with me here… What we just went through shouldn’t be taken lightly. People’s buying habits have changed, how they interact with people has changed, what they value has changed.
The fitness businesses that are most stable right now are the ones that have put equity into building solid relationships and meeting people where they are. They’re not faceless businesses hiding behind a sleek email funnel.
People want to know you CARE, now more than ever. They are craving HUMAN interaction and they want to be HEARD, so if you’re struggling with converting people right now, take a step back and look at your process.
Are you still trying to do what used to work, or have you adjusted to what’s happened over this past year?
People will always need your service. That hasn’t changed. The only difference is how you present it and build a connection with them.
Try this: Instead of kicking people to an autoresponder, how about sending them a personalized video saying their name and speaking to them directly?
Right off the bat you’re grabbing their attention in a different way and showing them that they matter. The goal is to make each person feel like you’re standing in the same room with them talking face-to-face. That is the approach that will set you apart.
That is the approach that is built on solid relationships.
That is the approach that creates trust.
Then, as they move toward a buying decision there will be fewer objections because they’ll see YOU as the best option to meet their individual needs.
The game has changed and it will keep changing. Even with all the advancements in home gym technology, they still can’t compete with the level of personalization you can offer.
Stop making it easy for people to treat you as a commodity! This new approach will let people see you for what you really are: a caring and personalized solution to their problems.
Everyone in the fitness industry can rattle off how personalized their programs are and how well they adapt to everyone's needs. That’s great, but why wouldn’t you take that same approach to marketing and sales?
If you’re just doing what the latest guru is doing, chances are it’s a pretty saturated approach (or soon will be) and won’t allow you to stand out in a unique way. In other words, if you want to connect with people and have the impact you want from your business, it’s about focusing on being personal and specific.
Make it easy for the right people to find and do business with you. When you do that, the nurturing conversation will be more meaningful, which will lead to higher quality people getting on a call or booking a consultation with you. That ultimately leads to more sales and more impact!
At the end of the day you are NOT in the fitness business, you are in the RELATIONSHIP business. Never lose sight of that.
With that in mind, think about your current approach. Are you truly putting the relationship and connection first? Or are you putting the system first and turning people into numbers?
Challenge yourself to evaluate your current approach and look at how you can make it more about connection than efficiency. The ones that are winning in this new landscape are the ones that fully understand who they serve.
They express this start-to-finish, from the content they put out to the personalized outreach to prospects. The beautiful part about this approach is there is no right or wrong way to go about it. As long as you know your message and your outreach expresses it, it will land every time.
Let’s get personal, go old school and put people first.
