Rant: Selling versus Education

Author’s Note: In the new year I am hoping to do more writing both in the blog format and hopefully for the CF Journal. I am likely to post my writing on a separate blog starting January 1st but for today I thought I’d hijack this one.

Selling

I have no desire or need to sell to you. I could, mind you. Sometimes when times are tough or bills are due I am even tempted to sell. I could turn our first meeting into the experience you are all too accustomed to whether it be at a gym, car dealership, or appliance store. It would go something like this:

1. I would give you a very polished tour or demo of whatever I was selling. Maybe ask you some questions in the process, get to know you a bit. I might try to get you to talk as much as I can.
2. I would then take you to an office or cubicle. If I’m smooth I will close a door behind you or
   the room will be setup so the door is behind me not you. Some object whether my desk or the door
   blocks your exit. The pressure to part with your money is on.
3. I will present a crisp, maybe even laminated, paper showing up-to but no more than three prices. I
   already have a target in my head of what I want you to buy. The option that makes me the most commission
   or maybe the one my manager told me to push during yesterday’s staff meeting. You might then tell me
   you deserve some discount because you work for a large local company, you have a coupon, or your friend
   referred you. Most likely I will pull out another slightly discounted price sheet.

Now maybe you’re an easy sell and you buy. If not and I don’t feel like being pushy I will ask if I
can contact you tomorrow or on a specific day next week. If I think I can push I’ll pull out my bag of
tricks, maybe dangle some carrot, or leave the room to get my manager so you can sell yourself while I’m gone or she can use her more extensive bag of tricks to close the deal.

I will know in advance what objections or excuses you might use. You see, I do this everyday and people
really aren’t that unique when it comes to buying decisions. You might say you need to check your budget,
talk to your spouse, visit a competitor, or just think about it. You might even think you’re being clever but I heard the same objection ten times this week. If I’m worth my salt I’ll be prepared to deal with all of these objections if I think I can persuade you today.

If I believe in what I am selling I might justify this process by believing that in the long run I am helping you. In a month you will be happy with your purchase and you won’t even consider that I persuaded you to buy. On the other hand I might not believe in what I am selling, I might just be a good salesman. I might have even built in ways to keep selling you even after you have paid so you will still be sold when the buyer’s remorse sets in. If I sold a product, maybe a clever add to remind you how great your purchase was. If I sold a service, maybe some free 30-day consultation to remind you what a great decision you made.

Education

For us it is not as much about selling as it is about education. I know you will get better results with our program, a coach and a community backing you. However, if you come in for a free intro, decide not to join (for now) but you learn how to squat properly or you go away to consider adding some more intensity to your own workouts then I taught you something and at the end of the day that is what matters most.

I do not sell because you represent more than a dollar figure to me. You are a part of my life’s work. I know what I am offering will change your life if you commit to trying it for just 6 to 8 weeks. And I know that by changing your life I will improve the lives of everyone you meet. Your co-workers, your family, our community. I know I am asking you to take a risk so I’ll happily return your money if this doesn’t work out. If you commit to our program, engage and ask questions but feel you did not get what I promised then you can walk away with the only loss being a little time. Yet, I bet you will still learn some useful things in the process. At a minimum you will have learned that our program is not what you are looking for in your life right now and that is fine. Its not for everyone.

I Need To Know More

Do you? Really? At some point, action always trumps education. Do you think there is one right answer when it comes to health and wellness? I am making my livelihood on a program that I think is one of the best but I will readily admit that it is not for everyone. Plus I am forever tweaking the program based on our athlete’s results, their feedback and our studies.

How can you know if its right for you? Try it and try it for long enough to make an educated decision. What is 6-8 weeks out of a year, a decade, a lifetime? What might you regret more, not trying something that might have changed your life or being sick and dependent in your golden years?

Maybe you are still saying you need to know more. Due to the recent history of the nutrition and fitness industries it is going to be difficult for you to understand at first why what I am offering is so valuable. In fact, just defining it is complicated and arduous. I am happy to give you as much information as you would like.

• We could talk about how the traditional gym business model encourages good people to try to sell you something you will never use.
• We could discuss the advent of isolation training (e.g. machines), how it changed the fitness industry, and how it is completely ineffective.
• We could discuss the emphasis in the media and at regular gyms on endurance and long distance events and why that probably will not get you the fitness you want.
• We could talk about fad exercise programs and diets and how a long-term view is better for you.
• We could touch on the individualization of exercise and how your iPod will never motivate you like three friends working out beside you.
• We could wax philosophical about exercise as a ritual that fills some primal need.
• I can tell you about how big food businesses are essentially conspiring against you getting fit and they might be in cahoots with the medical industry and even academia.

I am a fitness nerd so I love discussing all of these topics and will happily do so with anyone who wants to listen or debate. I love when clients expose holes in my knowledge because it means I get to spend the evening studying and analyzing so I have a better answer tomorrow.

If you need that background information just ask. If you don’t trust me as a source just say so and I’ll point you to the literature.

Honesty

In the end all I am asking for is honesty, attention, and a willingness to learn. If you do not believe or understand what I tell you. Tell me. If you try a workout and absolutely hate it. Tell me. If you do your private introductory training and start classes but find you dread coming. Tell me. Your honest feedback will help me improve and I will happily pay for that knowledge with the money you gave me in the first place.

If you really cannot afford my services but you really believe in what I am are offering. Tell me. I value commitment over anything else and I do my best not to turn anyone away due to price. Real fitness should be affordable to everyone.

If you do not have the time or the desire for honesty, attention, learning, and quite possibly the best wellness program out there right now then go find a regular gym.