social media
The brand experience now exists everywhere there’s a chance for a conversation to take place
In order to ‘unleash the consumer’,
the digital tools required to mobilise and harness their infl uence had to become widely available. This we have, with digital communications now both abundant and relatively affordable. For example, you can now buy a Flip video recorder that captures high defi nition fi lm – with ‘one- touch’ upload to YouTube – for £80.
Entering the social web A key part of my report is a series of interviews with social media practitioners to clarify how the social web is transforming the relationship between consumers and brands. The key message from Allister
Frost, digital marketing strategy lead at Microsoft UK, is that brands should stop ‘shouting’ and begin ‘engaging’. He explains: “Shouting is my shorthand for the outdated marketing approach of simply pushing out messages to customers according to a marketing plan. Today, the social web has given everyone a voice, and brand owners now fi nd themselves at the centre of a multi-party conversation in which they are just one voice.” In terms of clubs starting the process of embedding the social web into their
Stepping into the social web
■ Identify, engage and monitor relevant online communities ■ Clarify your overall social media strategy before jumping in and using the media ■ Develop social media guidelines for your organisation ■ Start with a single platform, such as blogging, and master it ■ Persist once you have chosen your preferred social media platforms
Health clubs have an opportunity to use the social web to create shared experiences – a sense of community – among members
businesses, Frost advises: “As always, start with your customers. Find out how their behaviours have changed and see how else you could offer a better, more valued brand experience. “A health club business exists to
create both individual and shared experiences; it is therefore the perfect platform for experimentation on the social web. The brand experience no longer starts and stops at the entrance to the health club – it exists
everywhere there’s a chance for a conversation to take place.” Rob Gregory, co-founder of
LoveTheGym – an online review platform launching this month – believes the health club industry has some way to go before we see genuine club and member engagement: “If you ask yourself some simple questions – for example, to what extent have we allowed our members to share experiences, expertise and opinions, or how have we made information more accessible to members (eg publishing prices) – it’s easy to see that the industry has not changed much in the way of ‘socialising information’.” Gregory envisages signifi cant
opportunities as clubs and members begin to engage online: “Members have been longing to have their voice heard. If the environment is created properly, operators will be amazed by the power and potential of connecting with their members. I have no doubt that the experience will improve and, importantly, mutual trust will evolve.” Justin Webb, founder of the Social
Media Leadership Forum, suggests that clubs start the social web journey by fi rst listening: “Listen to what people are saying on gym blogs and forums. Get a feel for the community. Make some small contributions and take it from there. Set up your own tools and experiment. Do not be afraid to make mistakes; you can easily correct them.”
48 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital june 2011 © cybertrek 2011
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