The first transaction step in any fitness business is to get someone to take the first step towards reaching their goals. One of the best ways of doing this is by having a low barrier to entry offer.
What’s a Low Barrier Offer?
It’s a way of giving people a little push to make the first step to do business with you.
Its often used in the form of a free trial, discount, or by throwing in something extra. An offer that wouldn’t make sense to turn down. From our experience 7 day or 14 day trials work really well.
Giving away a free trial is a great low barrier offer designed to get people into your gym. This is normally first step to getting the chance to convince them to sign up with you.
Amazon and Netflix do this when they are selling memberships. Your first month is free before you start paying. So we know that this low barrier to entry stuff works.
How many emails from Amazon Prime or Netflix have you had to delete that are offering a free month trial (or are still sitting in your inbox if your anything like me)?
The purpose of them is to get you onto the free month trial where they can then convince you to stay.
Be Less Worried About Giving Away Stuff for Free
Giving someone a free trial shouldn’t be seen as working for free. Look at it as an investment. Your investing your time for the potentiality of them signing up with you and becoming a life long client.
People want to find out about a gym/studio before investing. Allowing people to see what you have to offer is more likely to increase your clients.
“But I don’t want to give away a free membership because it just attracts time wasters” I hear you say.
Well, time wasters are not the problem. The only thing holding you back is your performance in getting them to stay. When you get someone who comes in for free, it’s your job, it’s your responsibility, and it’s up to you to WOW them.
It’s up to you to convince them to stay.
Even Though Something Is Free, It Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Over-Deliver and Go the Extra Mile
A great example of this is a small independent gym we work closely with who offer a free trial week. During this trial week you are given a nutrition plan to help you benefit the most from the time you spent at their gym, even if you don’t decide to stay after the trial.
During the consultation with them they will find out your goals and write up a nutrition plan based on what you want to achieve. They also gave recommendations on supplements and offered samples for them to try at the end of the week.
You may be thinking, “That seems like a lot of time and effort to put in to something with no return.”
That’s where you are wrong. There is a return, a big return in fact. A couple of hours a week to help someone, and you gain a life long client.
That’s a good return!
By Over Delivering With Your Trial Client, You Can Give Them a Reason to Stay
They will be impressed and wowed by what you offer.
This doesn’t just have to plans and products either.
If you have someone in for a trial week and you help them lose five pounds, they are never going to go anywhere else. Work with your trial clients the same as any paying client. Your not working for free, its and investment.
Use low barrier to entry offers to get people through your door, it is then there that you can sell to them. Give them reason to stay.