LoudRumor CEO Mike Arce interviewed Dave Posin, Co-Founder of SoldierFit. SoldierFit has 13 total locations across 4 states, 7 of which are franchise locations. Dave shared how his brand focuses on teamwork and camaraderie as the key elements of their military culture development and gym sales training.
The SoldierFit Philosophy
It all started with a boot camp in a dirt field. Isn’t that the best part of most training facilities is the group dynamic where everyone works together towards a common goal? Dave and his partner Danny took that idea and ran with it.
Their brand doesn’t have general managers; they have Barracks Commanders. And they don’t have studios; they have Forts, and coaches and trainers are called Blackhats. Prospects are Recruits, and once they are bought in, they become Troops.
SoldierFit is a functional fitness studio with a strong US Military theme. They work with all fitness levels on both physical and mental goals. Their emphasis on teamwork and camaraderie is how they plan to “revitalize the American dream through civic engagement, humility, and unyielding optimism.”
Cultural Differentiators
Dave reports that their large boot camp group model brings in 80% of their revenue with fees that range from $99 to $149 for over 700 total members. To make that work, they knew they had to create a team culture, get buy-in, and invest in gym sales strategy training.
“We preach vision and mission every day, all day,” Dave says. And it starts before they even hire by properly setting expectations, rather than just selling to the new hire. “Here’s our vision, our mission, do you get it?”
They live by the “Traction Method.” They make sure every team member can GET it, WANT it, and has the CAPACITY to do it. For example, referrals are a top priority, and to make sure everyone is on the same page; Dave repeats this goal to his team as many as 1 to 3 times a day.
Dave believes in speaking to his people using transformational language. “It’s not another deal. It’s the opportunity to change another person’s life.”
At Loud Rumor, we also believe in having the RIGHT people doing the right things right. Want to make sure you are hiring the right people? Click the button below to get a FREE worksheet to help you narrow down the traits of the ideal employee for your fitness studio.
Gym Sales Training At Soldier Fit
SoldierFit’s top seller has an average of 6 referrals for every sale. While that’s not what they all bring in, you can bet that’s what they’re all striving for. The gym sales training process at SoldierFit includes their internal training in addition to Loud Rumor’s GSD360 comprehensive sales training process.
SoldierFit has team huddles twice a week and focuses on getting the whole team involved and getting their perspective on relevant topics. Dave also prioritizes the numbers. “We speak to our people. We talk about the numbers, talk about the revenue.” This is how you tie their goals into the goals of the business during gym sales training.
Dave thinks one step ahead when it comes to sales. Think about the referral offer and how the sales team presents it. It has to be appealing to the salesperson, so it’s appealing to the member, which makes it appealing to the prospect.
The SoldierFit Growth Model
He’s focused on the development of the SoldierFit franchise and growing that into a national brand. They’re looking to expand to one hundred locations over the next five years. This required a long-term view of their process and their brand.
They had to do some behind-the-scenes work to identify and repair bottlenecks in their process in order to create a scalable franchise. Dave and his team focused on making sure all of their existing locations were successful, profitable, and happy.
“That’s really what’s going to sell the franchise – making sure those guys are successful, so they become brand ambassadors or multi-unit owners… If we bring good people in, we know they can run a location successfully. I’d rather have ten owners of ten locations than one hundred different owners.”
We have no doubt SoldierFit’s 5-year goal is well within their grasp!
And if you’re also interested in growing your fitness studio or expanding to other locations, at Loud Rumor we work with gym owners to get to a point where their studios are running without them and able to expand! So click the button below to jump on a free strategy call with us today!
