AusLeisure

New fitness industry entrant Fit n Fast, who last week opened their first gym in Penrith, are powering ahead with a social media client engagement strategy.

As part of this they have just released online membership signup to their gyms via Facebook backed by Ezypay Direct Debit Gateway (DDG) technology.

This means that their Facebook fans, as well as being able to engage with other fitness members and the gym staff via the Fit n Fast Facebook page can now take advantage of a one-stop-application to take up membership and maintain their details.

As Fit n Fast Chief Operating Officer Nic Monteforte explains, “from a marketing perspective, this has been an absolute coup for us.

“Facebook has really proved to be a great way to connect with our market and to be able to provide them with the most convenient way to manage their membership has just increased the value of the application for us.”

The team at Think Tank Media in Melbourne has created the Facebook App specifically for Fit n Fast to work directly from Facebook.

Think Tank Media Director Sam Mutimer adds "we’re very excited to be working with this enthusiastic brand on what is a world first for the fitness industry."

The new application is made possible by incorporating the Ezypay DDG system into the application iFrame so that the Fit n Fast Facebook users can sign up directly from within Facebook.

“The DDG is incredibly simple to use,” says Mutimer, adding “and we’ve had very fast responses through our testing accounts.”

Monteforte (pictured above) continues "we were already using the Direct Debit Gateway system from Ezypay to allow members to join online and manage their own membership.

“Having the ability to just replicate this kind of member engagement within Facebook itself and allow our members to have more control makes them have more of a connection to and ownership of their membership.”

With the results from the Ezypay run 2010 Australian Fitness Industry Survey showing that most gym members used Facebook to communicate online, developing a Facebook application was a logical step in the promotion of a gym that allows its members to signup online.

“We’re very excited about this new application of our Direct Debit Gateway system,” says Celeste Kirby-Brown, Sales & Marketing Director at Ezypay.

“It demonstrates how versatile the system is in allowing businesses to give their customers flexibility and control over their subscriptions and direct debit accounts.”

The Ezypay DDG allows businesses to have a seamless integration through their website, and now through Facebook, to their direct debit signup system and can be fully customised and branded.

Kirby-Brown concluded “Fit n Fast is seeing some great results with the DDG.

“In the first day of launching their new gym in Penrith 30% of their sign-ups were directly through the DDG.”

Through a series of online opportunities such as connecting with people on Twitter, several Facebook competitions and pay per click Facebook advertising Fit n Fast hope to be able to drive engagement on their Facebook page and website so that they can build their brand awareness and community engagement.

Ezypay is an outsourced direct debit service provider dedicated to offering a payment collection system that assists businesses in the regulation of their cash flow and revenue without the hassle of managing members' bills.

With close links to the fitness industry through, they offer small to medium growth business operators of all types an easy online payment collection options at www.ezypay.com.au

Image: Fit n Fast Penrith.

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