If you have run a fitness business for very long, you likely know that a few of the first questions you may get from a potential client are these:
What makes your fitness business different?
What kind of results can I expect from your studio?
I’m “this age”, “this fitness level”, etc – will this work for me?
One of the easiest ways to answer these questions is through testimonials. As human beings, we want to belong and we want to know that we are like other people. Testimonials are the “social proof” that other people like you and that you are worthy of someone else’s (a new client’s) trust.
There are multiple ways that you can use testimonials:
1. Use your iPhone (or other smart phone) to get video testimonials from your clients. You can literally film the video and upload it to your social media within 10-30 seconds – without it costing you a dime.
In addition to using the video testimonial and posting it to your Facebook page, you can edit it to make it shorter and hit the highlights and make it a short instagram video. In addition to using it on social media, you can post the videos to your website, linked in, youtube, and more – ALL for free!
2. Ask your clients to give you Facebook, google, and Yelp reviews. As a business owner, yelp is a double edged sword. It can give you tremendous visibility and set you apart from the crowd. It allows potential clients to get a peek into your business before ever meeting you. On the negative side, as a business owner, you may have heard, “If you don’t do this, I’m going to give you a negative yelp review.” In my studios, we offer a groupon or living social voucher to first time clients. All our vouchers specify that they are for first time clients. One day last month, I had a client buy multiple vouchers and then say, that if we didn’t honor all her vouchers she would give us a negative yelp review. In that case, there is just no reasoning with a client. All you can do is surrender or take the negative review. By getting tons of great reviews from all your happy clients, that one anomaly will stand out as an anomaly and won’t harm your online reputation. But, you must take charge of your online reputation and interact on all review accounts.
3. Take the reviews that were given on your review accounts and highlight them on your social media! These people have taken the time to note what they love about you and your business. Create Testimonial Tuesday or something of the sort and highlight a fabulous testimonial once a week on your social media, in studio, etc.
4. Ask your clients for written testimonials and photos. You can do this through a Client Feature where the client tells you about themselves, their life, and what they love about your business. You can then use these features to post on your Facebook page, as a photo with words on instagram, and as a photo/with words on twitter. You can also use these testimonials on printed materials, flyers, etc – providing social proof for you and your business each time that you interact with a potential client.
Reference your reviews, your testimonials in as many of your marketing pieces as you can. Again, reviews and client testimonials are a COMPLETELY FREE way to build your reputation and your business! Use them!
If you are interested in learning more about how to build your fitness business on less than $100/mo – learn more about our Fitness Marketing Made Easy Program. Launching soon…
