Social media—a term used to


describe a variety of Websites and services that allow users to interact with one another—has exploded in popularity in recent years. Market leader Facebook now has an active-user base exceeding 500 million people, up from 400 million in early 2010. If it were a country, Facebook would be the world’s third-most-popu- lous nation. As the use of such networks


expands, more and more busi- nesses are recognizing the value of making use of social media marketing (SMM). Thus far, however, the fitness


industry has taken a rather lei- surely approach to adopting SMM. “I think the surface has barely been scratched,” observes Karen Jashinksy, the founder of 02 MAX Fitness, a Santa Monica, California-based fitness and media company that targets the youth market. Steve Groves, the chief intelli-


gence officer (CIO) and vice pres- ident of technology for Goodlife Fitness Clubs, the large Canadian chain based in London, Ontario, agrees. “It’s really the early days of this movement,” he says. But that’s beginning to change…


and quickly. It was just three years ago that


Groves received a cool reception when he raised the issue of SMM during a marketing seminar at an IHRSA convention. “Largely, the response I got was, ‘We really don’t want to cater to a bunch of 12-year-olds,’” he recalls. “Today,” he continues, “that


attitude has largely disappeared. People are enthusiastic about social media and how they can use it.” Tellingly, next month, Groves will deliver a presentation,


“Release Your Inner Geek: Social Media for Fitness Professionals,” during IHRSA’s 30th Anniver- sary International Convention and Trade Show, March 16-19, in San Francisco.


SMM: the theory


Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are the three most popular, and heavily utilized, social media services. Edison Research, a mar- keting research firm, reports that Facebook now enjoys an 88% rec- ognition rate, followed closely by Twitter, at 87%. And Alexa.com, a Web research company, points out that YouTube is the third-most- visited Website in the world. The remarkable popularity of


these sites should make them pri- mary targets for club operators, most SMM authorities agree. “As a business, you need to go where the consumers are, and the majority of consumers are on Facebook,” notes Justin Tamsett, the managing director of Active Management, Australia, an indus- try consulting firm. Incredibly, users spend 11.7 billion hours visiting Facebook each month. But simply creating a Facebook


page, a YouTube channel, or a Twitter account isn’t enough. Before you begin posting any-


thing, you have to understand a few things. The experts agree that SMM should be regarded as an extension of a club’s tradi- tional marketing program. As a result, you need to sit down and take the time to decide what message you want to send, and how to frame it correctly, in order to generate the best possi- ble results. Keep in mind, how- ever, that while SMM is a form of marketing, it’s one that has to be used differently.


Conrad recommends making


use of a blog on your Website as a focal point for all your SMM activities and as a destination point for followers. “SMM should dovetail with


your standard marketing plan,” Tamsett reminds. “If you gener- ally run newspaper ads featuring ‘no joining fee,’ then you should communicate the same message online. But first, you might want >


SMM is about creating a com-


munity and engaging people in a two-way conversation. It’s as much about listening to pros- pects and members as it is about getting them to listen to you. “Social media is a way to have a


conversation with your public, and to establish a level of trust and respect for your subject matter— which is health and well-being,” explains Casey Conrad, the president of Communication Consultants WBC, Inc., an indus- try consultancy based in Wake- field, Rhode Island. “You use it to engage your community.” Once you’ve done so, she says, you can then market your club to your social media followers.


www. ihrsa.org | FEBRUARY 2011 | Club Business Internat ional 47


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