Why You Ought To Be More Like Costco
I hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving and enjoyed hanging out with your family (for those of you living in the U.S.).
I agreed to go to Costco with my wife the other day since we were going to host Thanksgiving dinner here at our house.
(For those of you who don’t know, Costco is one of those mega warehouses type membership stores where you can buy EVERYTHING in bulk.)
Anyhow, I’m fortunate enough where I don’t have to see the inside of a supermarket for months at a time…
… and I like it that way.
So I was actually excited to go shopping for a change. And once we got into Costco I realized that this company is really on top of their shit.
1. They’re membership based. So even if you never step foot in the store you’re still paying them something each month or year. They have EFT dialed in.
2. They understand that people are willing to pay more for bulk if they’ll save more “per unit”. If you still selling single sessions or small blocks of sessions then you’re leaving a TON of money on the table. (in which case pay the $57, get Close Clients, and in an hour you’ll know exactly how to sell BIG multi thousand dollar programs).
3. They’re handing out samples on every isle. This works on two levels…
a. The law of reciprocity. (read Robert Cialdini’s “Influence” to learn more on that).
b. We’re seven times more likely to buy something if we “test drive” it.
4. They understand the importance of getting the prospect’s attention with strong headlines. Check out the picture I took of the product below. Freak’in brilliant, right? LOL… Got Turkey Neck?
5. They’re customer service is unmatched. Costco has a policy where they will automatically double the manufacturers warranty on any product you purchase from them. A-N-D they offer a refund policy that is unmatched by anyone in the retail business.
The equivalent would be if you if you offered a double guarantee that stated: a. Guaranteed to get in you in shape twice as fast as the big box health clubs. And b. Follow my program for 60 days and if you don’t lose X inches and X pounds I’ll give you full refund.
How can any mega gym compete with that?
They can’t!
And that’s why YOU’RE gonna blow it up! 
Comments on Why You Ought To Be More Like Costco »
Killer post, Bedros! Hope you had a good Thanksgiving,too. Thanks for the awesome tips!
Dan Campos
Steve Auxier @ 9:28 am
Great post…really makes you think how the big dogs do it with success! Thank you !!
Troy @ 9:41 am
Awesome tips Bedros as usual! Great knowing how we can learn from an already established and successful company like Cosco.
Your absolutely right! I love going to Cosco because to me, I love the fact that I can get anything I could ever think of at a discount.
Thanks for easily breaking down what they do and how we can use those same strategies to transform our fitness business!!
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
Troy-
Kenneth Reed @ 9:46 am
Hey Bedros,
This is right on time because what I’ve been promoting is…
(I Guarantee Your Success, Or I’ll Pay For Your Training)
Now I’m starting the EFT in my fitness center. I just got my package from my bank for the EFT the other day.
Thanks for all you do!
Kenny
James Patterson @ 9:52 am
Awesome post Bedros! The “Turkey Neck” line is awesome - I’m using it in today’s e-blast.
So true…and the quality of their products is impeccable. Nowhere else can I get brown rice that cooks in 1 minute and tastes awesome.
Yo Bedros,
Great insight as always mate
It’s funny you should put this out now as for the past week or so I have been revising my Bootcamp offers/programs and looking to totally raise the standard in terms of value, results and service. All to be backed up by no less than a 100% guarantee no questions asked.
If you cannot stand behind your product that strongly then it ain’t much good. Raise the standard 10 fold on what you currently deliver and become totally associated to your program being the best in town. KNOW IT don’t just TALK IT
Cheers
AT
jeff beckham @ 11:41 am
U the man . I like the facebook marketing you put together . Im new to this whole internet marketing thing and you make it easy as he!!. Thx for all your help < and you have got my attention.
Jeff Beckham
Becky Fox @ 12:07 pm
That’s great! We don’t have Costco, but we do have Sams which is pretty much the same! Great concepts…thanks!
Al @ 12:16 pm
This is good reading for you John 3:16
Put on the new armor today. Epesians 4:29 et no corrupt words proceed out of your mouth.but what is good for the necessary edification,that it may imprt grace to the hearers.
God wants to give us a new language to use everyday.Only if we seek His kingdom and all his rightenous, He can begin to help you renew your mind and your spirit man. We all need His forgiveness and his grace is abound to all who call on his name. (JESUS) As fitness professionals we are always being looked at watched an admire by hundreds of clients etc. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven… Your Bother In Christ Merry Christmas.
Justin blum @ 12:18 pm
Bedros rock it,
I wax on costco the other day and those damn ” test drive” booths got me . Lol.. They let you try all seven flavors of the brauts and oh man you just have to buy! So smart to offer prospects a test drive week to you bootcamp or a test session to your group training..
I have had 3 new people test drive my bootcamp this week and we were in action m-w and took Thursday and Friday off for turkey day, ANSI have received e-mails from 2 of them stating” I miss bootcamp already, it’s something I feel like I need now , I’ll see you mon morning !!
So I agree costco has is down.. Oh yeah bedros may get it a little bit too .. Haha
rock on
JB
Excellent stuff, Bedros. Thanks for the post. Customer Service is what sets so many great companies apart from the mediocre.
Mmmmmm Costco—- I heart Costco!
Gets my mind rolling Bedros.
Thanks for provoking my thoughts after yesterday’s turkey coma =)
Tyron @ 11:52 pm
Awesome point on the double guarantee. I’m gonna consider incorporating part of that to the guarantee I already have
I hope u had a great thxgiving.
From a Canadian who had a great Thursday ( no turkey for me though…that was last month yum!).
AlbeRRRto @ 6:04 am
Yo Bedros,
What are your New Year’s Resolutions going to be? (cool idea for a post)
By the way, great post!
Alivia Terrell @ 8:37 am
That’s awesome!!! Great post!
Temecula Personal Trainer @ 12:05 pm
Great post Bedros. It shows even the biggest businesses use simple proven techniques.
Dman @ 8:32 pm
Awesome post Bedros…..everyone great comments and Al….I struggle with the language thing and yes what you quoted is 100% and even tho we may not be preachers, if we know right from wrong we should choose the straight road so that we may share in the hope we got with our clients. Thanks for sharing, takes guts, peace from Australia !!
Bob Garon @ 9:01 pm
Awesome post and totally makes sense. Right on brother!!
Joe Morris @ 7:35 am
I can get behind all that you are saying until it comes to the guarantee. I hate em, I know and you know that more times than not people start well enough but soon loose there staying power and then its lost, and I find myself motivating the hell out of them to try and put them back on track, its just not worth the money. Having said that.I do want you to know that I did just yesterday buy your system 9 package, and hoping that I can pull the rabbit out of the hat so to speak. I’m not the run of mill trainers. I have been at this for along time(17 years) and have beaten myself to death and back again. So I’m in hopes that your program will bring me out the cellar. So I work my guarantee the same way Bowflex does there’s. Read it! Tell me if you do it the same way. I’m hoping that your program will do the trick for me. Thanks.