Turn Members into Social Media Ambassadors

Have you ever wondered how to get the most value out of your social media presence? To begin doing so, first it’s important to understand the different types of exposure one can experience on a social platform to begin with — a topic recently discussed in a webinar by Tony Stehn, UPshow’s senior vice president of sales.

According to Stehn, the three types of exposure clubs can earn on a social media platform (and with marketing in general, for that matter) include paid, owned and earned.

Owned social media would be your Facebook business page, for example, and is ideal for keeping in touch with fans of your business. This type of exposure is great for creating avenues for members and potential members to communication with or learn from you.

Paid social media would include boosting ads on Facebook or Instagram. Paid media can be used to reach a larger audience than just those who follow your page, promote big events or pre-sales, and drive awareness and conversion.

Lastly, earned social media is essentially word of mouth. When a customer posts about your gym and tags your Facebook page — that’s earned media. Say one of your members has 2,000 followers, for example. They post a workout on Instagram and tag your gym — providing you with exposure you didn’t have to pay or ask for.

According to Stehn, earned social media is arguably the most beneficial type, as it allows your brand to spread to thousands of potential new members every day — all at no cost to you.

So, how can you create “shareable” moments at your gym that result in earned social media? Here are a few ideas courtesy of Stehn:

• Create something visible at your gym that creates a photo op — either a cool background or step-and-repeat vinyl banner. Or bring in a cardboard cut-out as a prop.
• Encourage trainers and members to post success stories.
• Use signage to promote your gym’s hashtag and social accounts.
• Branded TV with technology like UPshow.

For further insights on how to turn members into social media ambassadors, watch the webinar here.