Today I want to highlight the most common missing system I see in training gyms and micro gyms…
And that’s the follow-up.
Let’s assume you’ve got…
- A compelling low barrier offer that makes it easy to get started and removes all risk
- Communication channels to make that offer (email list, paid digital, texting prospects, asking for referrals, etc.)
If that’s the case, you’re going to be getting leads. Some of these are hot leads referred by existing clients. Some of these may be relatively colder leads coming from paid digital marketing. But regardless, there are people raising their hands that are interested in what you’re doing.
Now what?
Well {Contact}, this is where the magic happens.
Or, all too commonly, this is where the magic does NOT happen.
First, real talk: many training gyms don’t have a good LBO and/or don’t communicate about it enough to get traction. If you don’t have this in place, you won’t be getting many leads. So you want to solve that first.
But assuming that’s in place and leads are coming in, the vast majority of training gyms do minimal to any follow-up.
When an inquiry comes in, they’ll maaaybe respond with a single email that answers any questions, often lacking a clear CTA for next steps.
They won’t ask for a phone number, so they can’t call them or text them back, even though most people prefer texts to email).
And there’s no system to continue to follow-up over time if they don’t hear back.
They may not even put their contact information into their email database, so the lead gets no long term nurture via regular value-building email content.
Even worse, many owners fail to follow up because they “don’t want to be annoying.” This is in spite of the fact that we’re talking about a human who has explicitly opted in and/or reached out with interest in doing your low barrier offer.
YIKES.
Now I have empathy here. Particularly for smaller training gyms, there’s always a lot going on. You’re likely coaching sessions, managing your team, and handling your current clients. So I get it.
Nonetheless, if you have any interest in growing your business, or simply not shrinking over time due to attrition, you NEED to have a follow-up system in place.
This can look differently based on your capacity and how much you want to automate. But it’s worth knowing most people don’t buy till the 5th to 12th outreach. (!!!!!)
Here are a few best practices to implement:
- Decide on your follow-up pulse and length. For most training gyms, you’re looking at 5-14 days, with more frequent follow-up (usually daily) in the beginning.
- Follow-up via different channels. Use a phone call, send a text, and send an email.
- Acknowledge that you’re going to keep following up because the individual said they were interested. Be a human and not a weird sales robot.
- Send them content that can help them learn more about what it’s like to work with you. Bonus points if it’s personalized based on their stated goals.
- Use video texts. Most people will assume your emails and texts are automated. To break through this, be extra human and personalize your outreach a much as possible.
- If you haven’t heard back, make a note to follow back up again in a few weeks. Do this forever.
- Add their email to your email database so they get your regular value-building email content (including offers for what to do next if they want to work with you). Sometimes it will take them a few months — a few years – for the timing to be right. Play the long game.
Does the above feel a bit much to you? I get that. The last thing you want is to be pushy.
I’m all for respecting people’s autonomy, but here’s the thing to keep in mind…
They reached out to you for help.
They actively expressed interest in your services.
It’s not like you’re spamming a cold list you purchased from a broker. These are real live humans who reached out to YOU to learn more.
Yes, for many of them, life will come up. Maybe now isn’t the right time. And of course, if they do respond and let you know that’s the case, you’ll stop following up (at least until the time you’ve mutually agreed upon for you to circle back).
And most of the time when you DO make contact?
They’ll usually thank you for your continued outreach.
Think of your follow-up pulse as the beginning of your coaching relationship. It’s a reflection of your dependability, dedication, and commitment to their success.
I believe in you!
PS Have you checked out the Business for Unicorns podcast lately?
Lots of actionable takeaways for your training gym from some of the best in the biz. Scroll through our most recent episodes HERE.