How To Setup A Health Fair Table
A great way to pick up new clients is to team up with a health-minded partner and set up a table at their location where you offer a benefit to their clients or customers. Here are the steps you should take to set up the perfect health fair table where you give yourself the best chance to pick up new clients:
One way we’re able to get our name (brand) out in the community is by setting up “health fair” tables at events around the area.
This method of client attraction is actually easier than you think and it all starts by “giving to get.” Check out the steps below to find out how you or one of your team members can use this technique to build up a client base from scratch.
Here are the 12 steps you should use to set up a health fair table:
1. Choose a Partner Wisely
I recommend choosing a location where you would like to start getting more business from (think local affiliates). You don’t want to partner with someone who would devalue your brand. We partner with Lane Cove Council at the Lane Cove Rotary fair every year, so we can get ultimate exposure to the entire community we serve. We also do Expo days for potential corporate clients to showcase our services to their employees. Another option is setting up outside the local supermarket where there is a lot of passing traffic.
2. Approach the Store/Organisation or Company Manager in Person
Ask if they’d be interested in you setting up a complimentary “health fair” table at their location.
3. Offer Tremendous Value
Let the manager/organiser know that you will offer BMI, Waist-to-Hip Ratio testing, and complimentary body composition analysis (use my health assessment template to take measurements), as well as answer any exercise and nutrition questions for free.
4. Tell Them Why You’re Doing It
Let the manager know that you are trying to reach people who may be timid about going to the gym or have never been educated about their health by a qualified professional. Let them also know it is non-invasive and that you will supply all the materials. It will cost them NOTHING. Let them know that in return you would also just like to leave out your business cards so that if any of their customers are interested in more information or they would like to follow up they can do so. Reiterate that you will NOT be selling anything…
5. Choose a Date and Time
Since Sunday’s are typically the busiest day of the week for grocery food shopping I'd suggest setting up outside the supermarket on that day. We also choose a 3-hour window from 11am – 2pm. For now just set up 1 date and then you can go back later with all the positive feedback you got from their customers who requested that you could come back and do a follow up to retake their body comp stats.
6. What You Need
Here’s what I do… I bought a 4’x2’ folding table that is easy to transport and set up. Once I set up the table at the entrance of the store (ideal location) I lay out a plan black or white tablecloth to make the table seem more professional. On the table I place a set of body fat scales, a progress report sheet, a tape measure, and a sign that says, “Health Fair – Complimentary Body Composition & Exercise and Nutrition Questions Answered.” The 8.5×11 sign is just printed in Word and placed in a plastic stand up holder in order to be clearly visible. You should also keep a stability ball and maybe a foam roller or something else at your table that SCREAMS fitness when people see it. You need to attract some attention
7. Put Out Your Marketing Materials
On the table I also place my DL Flyers for the Studio in a stand, my business cards, and an 8.5×11 sheet of our company services. I also have my stand up studio banner set to the side of the table. (Another sneaky thing I do is put out 1 of my best articles in my niche that customers can take with them and read later – and you may have already guessed that my contact information along with an offer for a complimentary fitness consultation is attached at the end of the article…)
8. Smile
Seriously, smile, say hello and be open to people approaching you. No folded arms, no holding the tape measure ready to assess anyone… just look approachable and friendly.
9. Make the Offer
When someone asks you what this is all about tell them what you’re offering. If they say they’re in a rush give them your brochure and business card and let them know that you’d be HAPPY to OFFER them a complimentary fitness consultation at your studio at their convenience… and the goal is to get them into your studio anyway so this is actually a much better success formula. How slick is that ; )
10. Ideally You Will Just be Setting up Comps
Your goal isn’t actually to assess everyone’s body fat in the whole store (that would take forever)… it’s to network, answer questions, make connections, and hopefully find 1-2 people who had been thinking about signing up for personal training but never knew who to approach. (Now they met you, like you, and feel comfortable speaking with you so the resistance barrier has already been broken down). BINGO .
11. Set a Date and Time that Week for a Comp
Don’t wait for them to lose your contact information – try to set up a date for the same week to come in for a complimentary consultation. At the very least, get them to write down their name and email so you can contact them for a complimentary week at your Studio. See my form I use here. Lastly, if you're doing an expo at a Corporate event, get the employee to write down what service they are interested in you providing for the company. So, when it's time to make the pitch to the employer for corporate services, you have a solid list, direct from their staff! This is very powerful
12. Do NOT Sell Anything
You are there to give out lots of great content. The location would be pretty upset if you were trying to sell your services to their customers anyway… Plus, the only thing you should EVER be selling is your complimentary fitness consultation.
There you have it – “A 12-Step Plan of Attack” for getting 1-2 new clients with every new Health Fair Table you set up!
Give it a shot and expect that the first time you try it there will be a little bit of a learning curve, but after that you will feel completely comfortable and ready to mingle with new potential clients! P.S. Give these steps to a member of your training team if they will be setting up the table and answering questions in your place. I don’t actually do these events anymore because of time restrictions, but any of my PTs who are looking for new clients do one every month.
Yours in Fitness Business Success,
Ben Dulhunty
