TFE #006: The Secret To Selling Your PT Services in DM

Read time: 4.5 minutes

In today’s newsletter, I’m going to tell you how to sell your PT services using your DMs.

I can’t tell you the number of times I go on Instagram, tap on my inbox and see yet another coach pitch me their services.

This usually results in a ping-pong word battle where no one wins.

• They send a DM
• I say “No thanks”
• They ask why
• I say “No thanks” (again)

You should give in public and ask in private.

This is a mantra coined by worldwide business coach, Taki Moore.

It’s a simple philosophy that gets overlooked by so many personal trainers.

Why? Because so many attach themselves to the result without doing the reps first.

Whenever you ask a stranger to “jump on a strategy call”, they see you for what you are: desperate for the sale.

I’m here to put a stop to that and make messaging more effective and pain-free.

Here’s how you can book more calls and enrol more clients using your inbox:

Step 1 - Get permission to chat

Most business coaches force you to spend every minute sending DMs so that you can bask in the glory of 1/200 saying “Yes”. 

The process looks a little like this:

• Find an IG hashtag
• See a pic of someone with their cat
• Message “That’s a cute cat”
• Immediately start selling

If you want to build a sustainable coaching business, you’re going to need a better strategy than this. 

The simplest method I've seen work is providing weekly value hooks. These are mini lead magnets that get people to raise their hands.

Once someone wants a piece of what you have, give it to them in private and start a conversation.

(Note: For more information on what lead magnets you could create, click here)

Step 2 - Start a conversation

It becomes easier to start a conversation when you give something first.

Imagine if a stranger walked up to you and asked, “What kind of clients do you work with?” You’d probably look for the nearest escape route.

Now imagine that the same person offered you a gift followed by a specific question relating to it. You’d likely be more inclined to stop and chat.

This is the part so many miss. As soon as someone signals their interest in a freebie, offer it to them alongside a question. 

For example:

"Hey, here's the nutrition tracker you wanted! Have you tried tracking your food and drink before?"

It will surprise you how many people would now be happy to chat.

Step 3 - Qualify

A lot of coaches feel they need to force a conversation, despite knowing the recipient is hating it.

My answer for this is simple. If someone doesn’t want to chat, don’t force them to chat.

It may be that they need a few more months of seeing content before they feel comfortable speaking with you. That’s fine.

But, if they become rude and tell you to “f*ck off” — follow their instruction and move on.

"Nothing good ever comes from not 'f*cking off' when someone tells you to 'f*ck off'” — Unknown

Some good news: If you have ever experienced this, you have saved a lot of time. They have shown their cards, so accept it and treat it as a win.

Step 4 - Book a call (only if it makes sense)

If you’re getting on like a house on fire, the next logical step would be to book a chat face-to-face.

This allows you to speak in more detail about their goals.

Make this initial call 15 minutes max. If you believe you're a good fit, you can always set aside some more time for a separate call to pitch your offer.

(Note: To see how this sales process could work for you, click here for some free training)

Step 5 - Close the loop

When you enter into a conversation with someone, you open a communication loop. You don’t want this to fade out into nothingness. 

Instead, you should define the end of the conversation. Here are some quick scripting examples you can use:

This avoids your inbox clogging up with unfinished conversations. This way, you and the prospect know exactly where you both stand.

There you have it. Selling in DMs doesn’t have to be scary. You can gamify it, make it fun and front-load every conversation with value.

Don’t be that coach that sends long paragraphs to strangers hoping for them to book a call right off the bat. You’ll end up with unqualified prospects and a bad reputation. Word travels fast.

 TL;DR:

• Get permission to chat
• Start a conversation
• Qualify
• Book a call
• Close the loop

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