I like it! Fit n Fast Gyms are a new player serious about making a huge impact in the fitness/gyms marketplace — and I reckon they could have a winning marketing formula.
Using a combination of Facebook, Foursquare, and Twitter, they’re spreading the word through the power of personal social networks on what I imagine is a shoestring budget. Arrive at your gym, and Fit n Fast can automatically check you in to Foursquare as you swipe your membership card — which in turn can automatically broadcast the fact you’re at Fit n Fast (along with their logo embedded in the message) to your Twitter and Facebook. That’s brilliant — every time somebody arrives at a Fit n Fast gym, they’re advertising the gym to their entire online social network!
Fit n Fast have also created a Facebook app so that their Fit n Fast Facebook page actually does something useful, unlike many other corporate Facebook pages. You can get some meaningful info, sign up for a ‘Quickie’ (great light-hearted way of turning gym workouts into an exciting proposition!) , find out about the latest competitions (they even have chocolate as prizes! Talk about getting healthy without sacrificing all the little treats in life!), and discover the jobs they’re currently advertising. Spread that around with a bit of good ‘ol ‘Like’ love, and you’ll set the world on fire!
How many other organisations could benefit from adopting these creative strategies? Foursquare is a great way to spread a brand — it could be used at not-for-profit events, fundraisers, fun runs, professional seminars and workshops, and just about anywhere else people are pre-registered and checking in.
Of course, there’s some privacy considerations to take into account, but these are by no means insurmountable, and I’m sure many participants/clients would be easily persuaded if the networking benefits were highlighted to them — for example, if you’ve just checked in to an event or seminar, the other participants also checking into the same event would be drawn to your attention and easily identified by Foursquare, enabling you to follow up with them more easily afterwards. Challenges exist to help us think creatively!
Much kudos to Sam Mutimer (@sammutimer) from Thinktank Media for her work on this social marketing strategy!
