Our industry faces the task of motivating procrastinators to a healthy life every day. Our best sales people are brilliant at this, and it leads to members that stick, and members that refer. 

When convincing this procrastinating prospect to take action and commit to a healthier lifestyle, we can utilise the feel, felt, found platform to deliver our problem solve or motivational spiel.  This simple but effective format decreases intimidation and delivers the motivation in a non-argumentative way, whilst using social proof.

FEEL, FELT, FOUND

I know how you FEEL

that’s exactly how (I, another single person, a group of people) FELT

But what (I, he/she, they) FOUND was (motivational spiel)

The 3 types of Feel Felt found, are 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd person.

First person - I

Example?  I know how you feel, I felt the exactly the same way…

Second Person - Another single person

Examples? My mum felt the same way….OR… Our eldest member John felt the same way…

Third person – A group of people

Examples? The 70 so far that have joined on this promotion also felt intimidated by the gym… OR Our entire pump class felt…OR 70% of our members are over 50…

FFF examples based off specific objections - 

What if I don’t keep my motivation up and I quit?

2nd person – I completely understand how you feel.  Before my mother started exercising she felt the exact same way.  She had wanted to get fitter, lose weight and get down to the beach and finally feel happier about herself for so long, but she felt so worried that she would lose motivation and not keep going.  Especially as she had tried and given up so many times before. Just like you, she weighed up her nerves of quitting against her desire to lose weight, feel better and essentially live longer and happier.  Eventually she found that the ongoing reassessments would keep her motivated.  She found that each reassessment she was shown how much she had achieved in the past 6 weeks, through weight loss, measurements etc.  From that little pat on the back, her motivation was perked up every 6 weeks, ongoing.  And now you should see her, happiest she has ever been.  She even said, ‘I just wish I had started earlier and I see how much you guys actually help keep me motivated!'  So can you see, just like my mum, how those reassessments are going to keep your motivation up, and how this membership actually suits you?

Intimidation?

3rd person – I completely understand how you feel.  The 67 new members we have already felt the exact same way.  They are essentially all new starters to exercise and when they first came into the gym they felt intimidated and nervous to start.  Just like you, they weighed up their nerves of starting against their desire to lose weight, feel better and essentially live longer.  But eventually they found there was no better time to start than now.  No better time, with the amazing offer and the other new starters, and they found that actually their first visit was the hardest part.  They found that each session got easier and easier, much like the first day of school.  So can you see, how like our other 67 new starters, that you’ve already done the hardest part, and it will get easier and easier for you from now?

Whatever motivational spiels your sales staff are comfortable with, they will have more success using them in the Feel, Felt, Found format.