Street Level Sales Tactics Fitness Professionals Need To Know

Recently I bought a brand new 2008 Harely Davidson Soft Tail Cross Bones. I can get a little obsessive about my businesses… constantly thinking about ways to improve them… ways to get more clients… ways to make more money. Going for a ride is extremely meditative for me. It's one place I can completely shut off ANY thoughts about my business and be 100% in the moment. It's important for me to mentally escape my businesses once in awhile so when I return to them I'm able to give it everything I've friggin' got. Every time I take my Harley for ride it's like going on a mini vacation… I always return refreshed and in a better mental state.

When I was at the Harley dealer purchasing my new bike it was pretty cool to see some of the sales tactics they used…

Most people who walk into a Harley dealership who are in the market for a new motorcycle are set on owning a Harley. Whether it's their first or tenth, typically they're not shopping around for other kinds of bikes at other dealerships. For them, a Harley is the only way to go. That's something we want our clients and local community to feel. When they're searching for an answer to their health and fitness problems we want to be the solution, the ONLY solution. We want people to feel as strong about our service as Harley owners feel about their Harley's. We want them to be proud to be one of our clients. We want them to feel like they're part something exclusive and elite.

Almost immediately after I made the purchase Harley Davidson has been sending me one cool thing in the mail after another. The more cool stuff they send me, the happier I am with my purchase. we can all learn something from this. Whenever someone signs up for your service, send them some kind of cool unexpected gift. Sort of a way of saying thanks and reinforcing their wise purchase.

Dating and seduction guru David DeAgnelo ( also known as Eben Pagan) does a killer little "stick strategy" when you purchase one of his info products. Rignt on the front of the package he slaps on a sticker telling you to call an 800# and listen to free recorded message before you do ANYTHING else. When you call, he basically thanks you and congratulates you for making such a smart buying descision. Then he tells you how to use the product. I can't remember what the exact percentage is but according to Eben this one simple thing dramatically lowers returns.

I think Joe Polish gets into this in his "Piranha Marketing" course. And I think you can actually purchase just the mp3 that explains how to do this if you want for like 20 bucks without needing to purchase the rest of the course.

Another smart thing Harley did was when I was looking at the bikes and deciding which one I wanted to buy they busted out the old "scarcity" card. I came in looking to buy a new Fat Boy, but when I saw the Cross Bones I really liked it's old school look. When I sat on it it fit me much better as it sits a little higher than the Fat Boy does, I'm almost 6'6" so height is important.

While I was sitting on the bike the salesman says to me…

"That's the only one in black we have and we won't be getting another all year"

Man did that make we want to by it now, knowing that this was the last one on black ( the color I was set on buying) and that if I didn't get this one I might miss out ( Even though in the back of my mind I knew I could go to another dealership) made me feel an urgent sense of needing to buy the bike right then.

After I decided I was going to purchase the bike and we were filling out the paperwork my salesman informs me that the bike is actually going to cost $600 more than he earlier had said it would cost me. What he did here is something car dealers are known for doing. It's in line with one of Robert Cialdini's Six "Weapons of Influence" ( By the way, if you haven't read Roberts book 'Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion' go get it right now. It'll give you a mind blowing look into how people are persuaded. One of the best books I have EVER read.)

The weapon is Commitment and Consistency. Which basically means if people commit, either in writing or verbally, to a goal or an idea, they are much more likely to honor that commitment. Now this holds true even if the original incentive or motivation is taken away after they 've already agreed, they'll continue to honor the agreement.

This is something to keep in mind in all of your marketing and sales efforts. It's why on web sites you'll see boxes people can check off themselves, it's why salespeople will try to get you to start filling out a contract before you've even decided to buy, it's why it's good to get a prospective buyer to keep agreeing with you and saying the word "yes". Get people to agree to a few simple little things and it's easier to get them to agree to something bigger.

You see, people want to see themselves and be know as someone who walks their talk. Someone of integrity who does what they say. And that's what Commitment and Consistency is, people wanting to follow through with what they've started.

Now Harley Davidson did a few dozen other really intelligent things when its came to selling me my motorcycle, but these few really stick out in my mind.

The used scarcity.
They used Commitment and Consistency.
They made me fell like I'm part of an elite club.
They sent me TONS of little gifts that reinforced my buying decision.
Plus, ever since I was a little kid I've been seeing pics of hot chicks on Harleys, those bastards got me from a young age.

And don't forget to opt-in for my free Kick Back Life Fitness Marketing updates… I'll also send you a link to a secret video that shows how you can make a lot more money and work a lot less hours from using little known underground Internet marketing tactics.