Fitwittering

Why should fitness equipment suppliers care about Twitter? Observations of a Twitter newbie.

Twitter is the fastest growing online networking tool and an internet phenomenon - it as grown tenfold in the last year in the UK. Source: http://is.gd/kcYI

There are already Twitter communities (predominantly US based) of fitness enthusiasts, semi professional athletes and professional sports personalities. See http://www.blogger.com/www.twittfitter.com as an example.

These communities swap training programmes, nutrition tips, diet ideas and performance updates. The vast majority of these communities regularly use fitness equipment. In addition, they are information hungry. Do you want to know what is being twittered about your company? Then go to http://search.twitter.com/ and put in your brand details. See below for Precor:

JPmicek: @GMicek36 LOL! I just tweet while I'm doing cardio on the Precor. No way I culd tweet during workout w only 30-45 seconds between sets :)
about 8 hours ago from Twittelator · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

Tajah: 35min on precor: avg HR 154, cal burned 507.8, gluteal workout 2. Yay! It feels great now but I'm gonna hurt 2morrow!
about 8 hours ago from mobile web · Reply · View Tweet

Dallas_Listings: This Precor commercial treadmill were just inspected and serviced. There are 5 left to choose from. Features:... re: http://ff.im/1eVCT
about 9 hours ago from FriendFeed · Reply · View Tweet

PubKevin: Headed to the ymca gym on clement. To run or to precor?
about 11 hours ago from TwitterBerry · Reply · View Tweet

16thstreetj: The whole staff just worked off the hamantaschen by carrying new Precor dumbbells into the fitness center. Insert dumbbell joke here _____
about 18 hours ago from web · Reply · View Tweet

FatBoyGetsSlim: @Smudged I used to love this one eliptical called the "AMT" (All Motion Trainer) made by PRECOR. We had one at uni. Shame it's about $8k!
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

LakersDotCom: Andrew Bynum is on a stationary bike and the Precor machine: http://sn.im/cn99q
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet

adventuregirl: Going to go put my fat *ss on the Precor then off to Ikea...
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet

FullLife: @wendybattles Traveling - my plan? - have a fridge in the hotel -plan to fill it with fresh fruits and veggies + hit the Precor fitness room
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

nimmons: Precor usa. Cardio theater. 956I.
2 days ago from twidroid · Reply · View Tweet

glasgowunisport: 2 demo Precor AMT machines are now gone. Tell us what you think though! sport@gla.ac.uk
2 days ago from Netvibes · Reply · View Tweet

reaqueen: Studying genesis. Good time this morning. Now at gym on precor.
2 days ago from twitterrific · Reply · View Tweet

amesburyma: For Sale: PRECOR 5.19 EFX Elliptical Cross-Trainer Elliptical Ellipse (Amesbury) $1250: Rated Recently .. http://bit.ly/18zwyd (expand)
3 days ago from twitterfeed · Reply · View Tweet

Nycromancer: youll be performing at Hell, so hit the precor to be in great shape when youre on stage on Wed.
3 days ago from txt · Reply · View Tweet

msurman: @dria I LOVE my Precor. I use it all the time. I find them way smoother and nicer than Life Fitness.
3 days ago from TwitterFox · Reply · View Tweet

Twitter was not designed to be a commercial business tool but it can be used to derive commercial benefit. The opportunity exists for fitness equipment companies to develop pull marketing from thousands of gym equipment users.

Users of Twitter are naturally sceptical about businesses using Twitter for commercial benefit so an entry must be well planned and well executed otherwise it could have quite the opposite effect. The biggest benefit of Twitter is knowledge sharing and suppliers have plenty of knowledge to share: how to use specific pieces of equipment, training techniques, nutrition etc is valuable and Twitter is the ideal platform to utilise this.

The utopia is for a fitness equipment manufacturer to build up a network of followers (both brand users and non brand users) through knowledge sharing. As the community grows and strengthens more gym/home gym choices will be made according to equipment or demand to install a particular line of equipment because of the support network that can be accessed via Twitter.

Don’t believe everything you read/watch!

It’s not all doom and gloom!!

Last week LIW conducted research (via surveymonkey which is a fantastic tool) to over 200 health clubs and gyms and findings were interesting and very encouraging. In almost direct contrast to the Bleak Britain Corporation in fact.

44.6% of respondents said that recruitment of members had been ‘much better’ or ‘better’ than expected while only 16.7% said it had been ‘worse’ or ‘much worse’ than expected.

43.1% of respondents had more members than last year while 23.8% had less members than last year.

54.9% of respondents said they would be investing in new equipment this year and 25.4% of those would be spending more than £50,000.

68% of respondents were feeling ‘very’ or ‘quite’ confident about their business while only 5.8% were not feeling ‘not very’ or ‘not at all’ confident.

86.4% of respondents were considering visiting LIW to source new equipment and suppliers.

Follow LIW on twitter at www.twitter.com/l_i_w

'VisitBritain' Estimates Extra 5M Domestic Bookings

According to the Metro this morning, 'VisitBritain' is unveiling a £6.5m campaign to encourage Britons to holiday at home this year. This is helped by the weaker pound - as highlighted by Colin Dawson from BALPPA further down this blog. Christopher Rodrigues (VisitBritain Chairman) estimated this could lead to an additional 5m domestic bookings. This would be a real boon for the attractions industry on the back of two wet summers.

The attractions market is looking forward to 2009. No, honestly

A quick snap shot survey to the attractions sector would seem to suggest that operators are relatively optimistic about the year ahead. It would seem that Colin Dawson Chief Exec of BALPPA has his finger on the pulse (scroll down to see video posted in January) when we saw him earlier this year in terms of the sector looking forward to 2009 despite the doom and gloom.


On a scale of 1 – 5 how confident are you about the 2009 season? (1 being not confident and 5 very confident:))

5 13.6%
4 25.0%
3 52.3%
2 13.6%
1 0%

We didn’t ask what the reasons were but certainly a weak pound will help (more stay at home holidaymakers and more tourists) and surely this MUST be a good summer following two back to back stinkers! The old wives tale of hard winters and hot summers must be doing the rounds as we trudge through the snow and sleet.

Good on the attractions sector for their optimism and positive outlook. Many a lesson for other industries there. Let’s hope they are right.

Leisure Review Grills Jonny Sullens

It was with some trepidation that LIW welcomed in the gun slingers from the Leisure Review known for their no nonsense questions. The results can be found here:
http://www.theleisurereview.co.uk/articles09/sullens.html

The Leisure Review is a magazine offering an independent view of the leisure industry for leisure professionals working in the management, development and promotion of all aspects of leisure, culture and sport.