Using services like Linked in ,My Space, and Facebook or the trillion other sites can be very rewarding But, they can also rob you of valuable time. Whether these sites are helping or hurting you is sometimes hard to quantify. One thing is for sure if you are not making connections that turn into some type of revenue you should probably look very closely at how much time you spend playing on them. I think some folks just get off on how many friends or contacts they stockpile but have never received any value from those relationships. I encourage everyone to use tools that increase productivity and all of these types of sites can be used as such however you must not be an observer you have to jump in and leverage those networks. That's the whole reason most people get started but following through is the problem.My best advice would be to ask everyone you connect with how (SPECIFICALLY ) they can help you and how you can help them, then do whatever you can to make it happen. If you are solving problems for others they are more inclined to assist you. Once you have helped others watch the true power of these tools come to light.By the way if you need something let's connect and see how I can help!
I never would of thought someone would spend $250 on jeans then balk at a $40/month life-changing fitness program. Oh well, no sense in whining it is what it is. So how do we as club owners/operators ingratiate ourselves to these trend-chasing folks with their priorities all out of whack?
(Fish where the fish are!)
That's right where do people in fancy threads hang out. Try the club! NO not yours I'm talking night clubs, bars, lounges, hip restaurants. You have to get into the lifestyle of our members and while I realize the boomer population is an ever-increasing portion our facilities base let's face it we'll always need to keep in touch with the young crowd. Keep in mind if they are image conscious and spend that much $$$$ on clothes, shoes, and watches then they probably workout or need to (True Religion Jeans dont come in HUSKY). If you become a regular at the locales where they meet up then it is easy to get in front of a steady stream of prospects. While I don't get out to the hot spots much anymore(too old) when I do I'm surprised there is not a gym rep there giving out passes, mingling, hosting contests, doing giveaways and just becoming part of the landscape(Not getting hammered and giving away tons of memberships to every attractive girl in the joint). When I was in sales I used to get half my weekly production from promo activities on the weekend it was about the most fun you could have working!
If your club is not involved in off-site promotions and your staff is mature enough to conduct themselves in a professional manner then not only are you missing a ton of potential members your employees are not having near as much fun as they could while still earning a living.
Have each of your salespeople set up 1 off site bar promotion a week allow them to offer VIP passes , have some shwag to give away, and tie into some event like poker or trivia night by providing winners with a comp short term membership. (ADVANCED TIP)I usually don't expect a ton of leads the first go around remember the secret is to become part of the landscape once patrons are comfortable with your regular presence then it's game on.
