During the COVID-19 outbreak, some business owners are unsure about how much focus they should devote to making sales. Fitness professionals have asked us repeatedly if they need to be selling at this time – or just generating leads to use later.

It’s a fair question with a simple answer: You have to keep doing both, now and always.

This is not profiteering. It is not unethical. It is not inappropriate.

It’s your commitment to your business, your employees, your customers and your community. And like everything else nowadays, it just takes nimble thinking and determination to continually assess and re-evaluate.

Let’s break it down into four components.

Messaging. Strong communication is everything. You must position your offer well. Remember:

• This is the new normal. At least for the time being, you’re an online fitness business owner, so embrace it.
• Customers’ fitness needs remain, and they still want your expertise, time and support. Your messaging should lead with the value and benefits you bring, like accountability and community.
• Keep the focus on how you’re helping clients and on what your prospects need.

Marketing. You never stop getting new leads and building your prospects list. It’s an essential task of your business. Try ideas like these to gain email addresses:

• Create compelling content to drive traffic to your blog, podcasts and webinars.
• Give away valuable resources (like e-books and cheat sheets) as lead magnets.
• Run a sweepstakes or a contest.

Selling. Leads are important, but you’ve got to convert them to bring in any revenue. Here are some smart tactics:

• Direct-response advertising on social media or search engines will direct traffic to your offer.
• Referrals and “bring a friend to Zoom” promotions are opportunities for exposure, community-building and feedback.
• Exchange email blasts with a joint-venture partner. (This is good for building your list as well as selling.)

Adjustments. Keep your long-term offers and pricing strategies in place. Add value wherever you can. But in rare instances, consider how you might make modifications.

• Can you change the terms – say, from annual to monthly agreements, or make one-time sales to some prospects?
• Create a new front-end offer at a lower price point and see what adjustments you can make to transfer them to your core offer.
• Have something like this as a last resort, unpromoted: a low-cost, weekly option for clients in a financial jam.

By always spinning both the marketing and the sales wheels, you’re doing the right thing for your business now during the crisis – and for the future, whatever it might look like.

Fitness Revolution is here to help you through these challenges. We’re sharing resources here to protect your business and to help you stay alert to the challenges and, yes, opportunities ahead.