I want to talk to you today about gratitude marketing, how to get more clients for your fitness business by having more gratitude. This is about how get those people on Facebook—who are watching in but not necessarily calling in—to become clients.
That’s right, gratitude marketing. I’m going to give you stuff right now that’s going to work today, this moment.
You ready for this?
First of all, gratitude is super powerful. If we don’t live in a state of gratitude, guess what happens?
We start getting a little bitter. We start getting entitled. We start feeling a little blah.
I want to encourage you to live in a state of gratitude, man, because you got your two arms, you got your two legs, you got your health, you got your vision, and you have a purpose in changing lives.
The enemy, by the way, is not your competition. The enemy is McDonald’s, it’s Taco Bell, it’s Coca Cola. These are the products and the places that are trying to compete against you and take your potential clients’ money, instead of them coming and spending it with you, so you can get them in shape.
Gratitude is important.
The first thing you’re going to do today, right after you read this, is you’re going to send a text message out to your top 25 clients.
You’re going to send a text message out that says, “Hey, thank you so much for being a hard-working client. I really appreciate it when you come in here. You work out so hard. You bring the energy, because you’re a big motivation and inspiration to everybody who works out here.”
What do you think they’re going to do?
You’re going to hit send on that, and they’re going to reply with, “Oh my gosh, thank you so much. No one’s ever sent me a meaningful text message like that.”
You’re going to say, “Well, I did, because I love you. I care for you. You’re a great client. And by the way, I want more clients like you because I’m on a mission to help more people in our community get fit and stay healthy. Who do you have? Friends, family, coworkers that you could refer to me so that I can help them, as well?”
They’re going to refer their friends, family, and/or coworkers to you, and you’re going to reach out to those people. You’re going to offer them a free session, a free week, a low barrier offer, whatever.
You’re going to get them into your program.
That’s how you’re going to get your existing clients to refer people to you today.
But wait…there’s more! There are all those contacts you’ve got on the interwebs, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram…
Let’s talk about that in depth for a second, but let me first show you the power of gratitude in action.
To that point, let me just thank you. Let me thank you right there for being a subscriber, a client, a fitness franchise owner, a follower on social media, whatever level you and I are connected on.
Thank you so much for giving me your time, for trusting me with your business— it’s been about 16 years now helping personal trainers grow their businesses, make more money, and make multiple six and seven-figure businesses.
We are crushing it more than doctors, more than lawyers, more than accountants.
We are making an impact and making a really good living doing it. Thank you for the opportunity for letting me help you grow your business.
Now, I meant every word of what I just said. Here’s the thing: how many of you felt (even a little) obligated to share the good stuff we’ve got going on over here with someone you know?
Someone who’s struggling to survive the world of small business…
Someone in desperate need of guidance and help…
I bet the next time you discuss your own success with someone, you’ll mention that this blog helped you fix a few of your business weaknesses.
That’s not to brag. That’s fact. When you feel cared for by someone, you want to share that same love with others.
So, what’s the next thing you’re going to do to get people off the social media platforms to contact you and say, “I want to train with you”?
By the way, let me remind you that these are all things you can do RIGHT NOW. The economy’s not slow. The competition’s not steep. People don’t stop thinking about fitness.
They want to get their asses in shape around the clock, around the calendar.
Here’s what you do: You take 25 other clients that you did not text, and you go to their Facebook wall. You put a meaningful gratitude text or, in this case, a post on their wall.
You tag them on their wall, and you say, “Mrs. Jones, thank you so much for being an awesome client. I really appreciate having you in my life and having you come and work out here at my gym, or boot camp, (etc.).
“YOU bring the energy, YOU motivate people, and YOU inspire people.”
That’s it.
(You might want to throw in a little high five emoji or a happy face emoji too).
What happens next? Their friends, their family, their coworkers, they’re going to like that. They’re going to repost that.
Now, you’re going to contact all the friends and family members who have liked it and posted right below that comment. Reach out to them via private message, especially if they’re live within your area.
All you have to say is, “Hey, thank you so much for liking that post that I put up for Mrs. Jones. That means you are a supporter of hers, and you support her in getting fit, and you believe in the fitness lifestyle. I see that you’re local to my town here, so I’d like to offer you a free _______…”
You’re going to get some communication going, and it’s really a non-threatening way to get someone off the Facebooks and into your gym.
You catching what I’m pitching here?
This all stems from that one word: appreciation. When you do good, the universe just has a way of paying you back for it.
That leads me to my last point, which is to show your gratitude with no strings attached, with no agenda, and especially with no intentions beyond loving up your clients.
Frankly, your clients will read right through you when you’re disingenuous.
Gratitude marketing isn’t about milking your clients for every referral they have. It’s about appreciating them to the point where they can’t wait to tell their friends and family about your program.
Go out there and give some thanks!
Committed to your success,
Bedros