Call To Arms | Fitness Industry Unites On 1st June
For the first time the entire fitness industry can unite across the globe to hijack every social media platform with these two simple messages:
- Exercise is medicine
- Gyms are safe
No matter what aspect of the industry we look at we have all taken a hit – owners, trainers, group fitness instructors, suppliers, business coaches and associations. No one has escaped COVID 19.
I was inspired last week from a post by Chuck Runyon, President of Anytime Fitness, where is shared the positive infections of going to a gym: strength, happiness, immunity and more. And I thought Chuck is one person yelling a positive message but the noise around him means he is being drowned out.
We need to call on all our troops to broadcast a consistent message.
Government’s across the globe have consistently allowed exercise as they know it helps the mental health of people. They have opened the door for us and rather than knock and ask if we can come in, we must unite and charge through the door. We must tell the world that exercise is a great medicine.
Additionally, while 20 to 30 or 40% of our members feel safe to return to our clubs there is still a group that don’t and together the industry can reinforce that gyms are safe.
Just imagine for a moment IF:
- Every fitness business on the planet posted a consumer facing message that identifies why exercise is important and that gyms are safe;
- 50% of employees of a fitness businesses on the planet posted a similar message; and
- 25% of every gym or studio member on the planet shared they love their gym.
Why can’t this happen?
It can and together we can make it happen!
Now is the time for the fitness industry to call on our troops as we go to battle across the globe to ignite our industry and bring confidence to our product and locations.
Together we have enormous reach, so let’s unite on the 1st June to blitz every social media platform!
Every country and even every state are in different stages of opening or even not opening. That is not a reason to not participate in this Call to Arms. Your county, state or even country Politicians might just take notice if there is a ground swell saying gyms are safe.
Friendship circle No matter the situation, we all need to show to solidarity and tell our communities that:
- Gyms are safe
- Exercise is medicine
The Social Media Attack
On the 1st June every fitness business, supplier, staff member and members post on their social media platforms this style of message:
If you didn’t know:
Gyms and fitness studios that follow the frameworks are safe and the place to build your:
- Immunity
- Strength
- Energy
- Motivation
- Positive mindset
- Resilience to stress
- Happiness
- Mental alertness
#gymsaresafe #exerciseismedicine
You can do a static image, a video message, a long post or even a Tic Toc!
The key to this is to use the two hash tags #gymsaresafe #exerciseismedicine, so for 24 hours this is a trending topic across the platforms and the world.
Kept Simple
It is that simple! And meant to be that simple so everyone can do it!
This Call To Arms has deliberately been kept simple, to allow businesses of all sizes to be involved and then add their own brand to it.
There is no website for you to sign to or a lead capture activity for gyms and studios who participate. This is just a coordinated approach to dominating social media for one day!
A grass roots approach to bring attention to the benefits of exercise and that gyms are safe.
Your Actions
Turn the above copy into a relevantly branded image which should be branded with your business logo and website.
Post it on your business social media accounts.
Have every one of your staff to post it on their social media platform on the 1st June.
Ask your super hero members to share it too!
The key is to include the hash tags: #gymsaresafe #exerciseismedicine
For Your Business
Suggested copy for your team with the image, “We care about your health. Your gym/studio/trainer is ready now to help you get healthy and build your immunity. #gymsaresafe #exerciseismedicine”
For Your Team
It would be ideal for them to post their own message, rather than share something from the club or studio. Suggested copy for your team with the image, “Exercise is important to everyone’s health. Come and visit me at a [insert gym/studio name]. #gymsaresafe #exerciseismedicine”
For Your Members
It would be ideal for the members to post their own message, rather than share something from the club or studio. Suggested copy for your members:
- “I feel comfortable going to my gym/studio/with my trainer. You can too. #gymsaresafe #exerciseismedicine”; or
- “I love [insert gym name] #gymsaresafe #exerciseismedicine”
This Is Not A Political Message
The success of this attack is about reach and if we politicise the message it will get lost as people will not share! We need the #gymsaresafe #exerciseismedicine to organically grow!
On June 2nd, you can collect all the data and then send that as a message to your local politicians. But in reality, any person in office will be watching trending topics and if we all deliver the consistent message #gymsaresafe #exerciseismedicine it will be trending.
I appreciate that this is a grandiose plan! A real Big Hairy Audacious Goal to have every gym on the planet to post such a message but image if we together we can so this.
I am also not “owning” this movement. I am sharing the concept to our industry and hoping it becomes a movement with whomever wants to promote it.
You can brand it or put any twist on it that you like – just ensuring we keep the #gymsaresafe and #exerciseismedicine as part of the key message.
Finally, I want you to understand that is not a campaign for my company to gain your emails addresses and then try to advertise to you. There is no website to opt in, just make the posts yourself, knowing other people around the world are too!
There are 3 actions in this Call To Arms:
- Commit to posting on Monday 1st June a message to boost consumer confidence in the benefits of exercise and that gyms following the frameworks are safe.
- Have your personal army support you! Have your staff and your members post themselves.
- Reach out to anyone you know in the industry to do the same. Ask any of your suppliers or vendors to share the Call to Arms – the Precors, Technogyms, billing companies, software providers – ask them to contact all their customers to join the battle.
Together we can turn consumer confidence.
Together we can get more people moving and moving more often.
The key – ‘together.’
Let’s gather the troops and take the first step in the war on saving every human, by winning the first battle on the 1st June!
#exerciseismedicine and #gymsaresafe
Monday 1st June Is The Opportunity
To Make It The Fitness Industry Day!
Justin is the Managing Director of Active Management, which he began January 2004. He offers coaching to businesses worldwide in everything from start up and design to marketing and sales systems. Justin also facilitates four Australian and New Zealand ‘fitness industry roundtables’ events, which allows him to see a huge cross section of business models.