How to Convert More Lesson Prospects into Students Without Sounding Like a Used Car Salesman
By: Doug Emerson, The Profitable Horseman
These early days of spring, with rising temperatures and the sights of the new season, trigger enthusiasm and renewed interest in becoming a better rider after a slow and sleepy winter.
Spring sunshine has a magical effect for creating demand for riding lessons. Are you ready to capitalize on the seasonal draw of spring for your lesson business?
Here are more questions for you. Your marketing program consisting of word-of-mouth referrals, website, electronic newsletter, blog posts, video, articles, demonstrations and bulletin board flyers is producing many prospects for riding lessons; how many of the qualified prospects you talk with are becoming your students? Are you closing sales and signing up 95% of your prospects who are a good fit for your lesson program? Or is your sales closing ratio perhaps half of them? Or is it a disappointing one new student out of six or seven prospects you talk to?
If it’s less than half, it’s time to evaluate your approach to selling. You say, “But wait, I’m not a salesperson, I’m an instructor!” I say a riding instructor who is not also skilled at selling has skinny kids. New students are the lifeblood of the riding instruction business.
Selling a riding lesson program is more than explaining days, times, and prices. That’s important information, but it’s the same information a prospect gets from your competitors. Your sales pitch needs to sell YOUR lesson program.
After introductions, begin by asking plenty of questions directed to the prospect before you do any talking. Ask about their experience with horses and instructors, both good and bad, what their expectations are from lessons and what goals they have. The prospect, when allowed, will explain fully what they want from a riding lesson.
Repeat in your own words what the prospect told you to reinforce what was said. What is heard isn’t always what was intended by the spoken word. Your prospect will genuinely appreciate your ability to listen and summarize what he/she said.
Once you’re clear on what the prospect wants, then it’s your turn to talk. Begin speaking about the top five benefits you offer as an instructor and how they apply to the information you’ve been told by the prospect. The “questions first” process allows you to begin a relationship beyond the “how many lessons for how much” sales message.
People like to be sold. What you’re selling to a prospect is beyond riding lessons. You’re selling you.
As examples, you are likely offering your students these benefits and more:
- Helping to build their self confidence
- Improved physical coordination and balance in the saddle and in their daily lives
- Problem solving skills
- Stronger understanding of teamwork
- Better safety consciousness
As examples, the way you deliver the benefits is through:
- Regular, scheduled lessons for consistent growth
- Experience as a professional instructor with proven teaching methods
- A lesson program geared to the needs of the individual
- A sensitivity in knowing when to push and when to relax with a lesson
- A passion for your chosen career to work with horses and people
The benefits you offer and how you offer them make up your sales pitch. Your pitch can be customized using the above as examples. Limit your points to five. Have a minimum of three. The brain likes the odd numbers of three and five. If you have two, come up with a third. If you have four, you undoubtedly have a fifth as you think more about it.
A sales presentation, a pitch, doesn’t have to be accompanied with a PowerPoint slide show, a slick video and a flip chart to be successful. It needs to be brief, focused on the needs of the prospect, and delivered confidently and authentically by you. Memorize the points you want to convey, and the words will flow effortlessly from your mouth in a confident voice whenever you choose. It just takes a little practice.
Effective selling happens when you’re prepared to have a good conversation. When you’re clear on the points of what you offer in riding instruction and how you offer it, selling is no longer work, it becomes fun! And think about it, that’s what you sell.
Get clients excited about your email program by writing a warm welcome highlighting how it will keep them informed of all the latest trends and expertise. Emphasize the value your emails will offer, such as industry tips and trends that will help them succeed, as well as how often you’ll be sending emails. Lastly, encourage clients to add your email address to their address book to help ensure they receive your emails and stay in the know.
Doug Emerson helps professional horsemen struggling with the business half of the horse business.
Visit his website: www.ProfitableHorseman.com for more articles like this one and to subscribe to his free electronic newsletter about being profitable in the horse business.
