Steak Done Well
Sell What Sells
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Jeffrey Pinkerton
We were going out to dinner in New Orleans and decided to head to a neighborhood favorite, Charlie's Steakhouse. My brother and his wife live in New Orleans, so the waiter recognized them as soon as we walked in. If Charlie's even has menus, the waiter knew that we wouldn't be needing them. After a quick welcome and a confirmed order of old-fashioneds for the table, he was ready to take our orders. Or rather, he was ready to confirm our orders. Everything was going great... until I ordered, because, as I learned, at Charlie's Steakhouse, there is a right way and a wrong way to enjoy a steak.
"Okay, we'll get some creamed spinach and steak fries for the table. The old fashioneds are on their way. Do we know what kind of steak we are having tonight?" It was my first time at Charlie's. It was a little disorienting but mostly refreshing. I loved the casual conversation-style ordering. No need to leave us alone to stare at a multi-page menu. The man was there to sell steak, and we were there to enjoy.
"How would you like your steak done, young man?" our waiter asked. "Ummm... well-done please?" I said with a bit of hesitation. Before I had even finished my sentence, our waiter dropped his hands, leaned towards me, and with a kind but cautionary finger pointed in my direction, said, "I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that." I looked at my brother, who had ordered his steak medium-rare, and he just shrugged and smiled. The waiter continued, "Here's what I'm gonna do. We'll have the kitchen cook it medium, and when it comes out, if it's not one of the finest steaks you've ever had in your life, I'll take it back to the kitchen myself and make sure they burn the hell out of it on both sides. Good? Good." And, with a quick head nod and a smile, off he went.
As promised, the steak was one of the best steaks that I've ever had in my life. In fact, that experience changed the way I order steak. It took some salesmanship and some confidence from the waiter, even creating a bit of tension in the moment, but he knew what was best and made it his mission to make sure I had a great experience and an incredible dinner that night. He knew my bad decision could reflect poorly on Charlie's Steakhouse's multi-generational reputation...
If you've read this far, I hope you see the connection – I think you should spend less time selling and more time telling. You know what's best for your members, and you should make it your mission to make sure they have a great experience and an incredible workout every time they show up. It may create some tension. It may force your members out of their comfort zone. It may not be what they expect, what they have done in the past or what they are used to. But, when you make a strong recommendation with confidence, you're helping them make a great decision, and preventing them from making a poor one, which could reflect poorly on your reputation...
If the steak wasn't amazing, I would have blamed the kitchen, not my bad ordering skills. Similarly, when someone leaves your club, doesn't get results, can't find something that sticks, my guess is they blame you, not their bad decisions.
If you're like most health clubs, you have a big menu of services. Your tour covers a lot of features, lots of different choices – from treadmills to squat racks, to Smith machines and stair-climbers, there are group fitness classes and small group training classes and personal training, and on and on and on. You probably give people the menu (the tour), give them a little time to stare at it (think about it), then ask them what they'd like to try. But, they don't know what you're great at or what will be best for them. "Ummm... I guess I'll try the treadmill?"
What's your signature experience? What is your Charlie's Steakhouse steak? What is your most successful, most engaging, highest retaining, most wide-reaching experiences? If you want to attract the most people, and if you're serious about giving people what they need, it should be a strength training workout. And, with all of the benefits of moving in time to music, the motivation of a great instructor and the camaraderie of the shared group fitness experience, it should be a group strength training workout.
My recommendation: Be great at group fitness. Be great at strength training. Deliver an amazing experience. And, don't just try to sell it to your members and prospects. In Charlie's waitstaff's style, take charge of the conversation. Be confident in your recommendation. Tell people how your club is going to deliver the results and relationships they need to start and stick with the life-changing habit of regular exercise and the benefits of working out while building community and connection.
Because, when the steaks sizzle and satisfy, the people return. And, your members will too, when they experience that rare taste of service done decisively, done directly, done... well.
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Is your menu a mess? Do you need a proven strength training workout that can be your signature delivery dish? Let us sell (tell) you: Your group fitness programs can be amazing and can ensure every prospect and member has a motivating, memorable workout every time. We'll help train your instructor team, and we'll teach your sales team how to make confident recommendations. Or, are you just going to do things the way you've always done things?? I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that.
