Helloo!!
Ok so I am
a few weeks into my placement at IBM! So far I have been settling in and
getting to know the organisation, learning tools & procedures etc. I am
working in C-suite which means my team directly targets CEO’s, CFO’s, CIO’s,
CHRO’s etc. so basically all the top companies with boards of directors!! Which
means I am going to meet some amazing people this year!
My team
mainly use events, digital & telemarketing and social media marketing so I
am going to get to use lots of different channels this year which is exactly
what I wanted to do so very happy with my position!
Last week I
went up to the London office in South Bank which was such a cool experience as
I got to sit in on a meeting between IBM and a B2B marketing agency to discuss
a campaign we are executing with them. I found it really interesting and it was
probably the best bit of the placement so far! The London office is where all IBM’s sales are
made so the office is really swish and some really important people sit up
there!
I’m going
to get to help run events and run through from organisation to execution which
is very exciting!!
So overall
enjoying it! Will keep you posted on what else I get up to!
So as I’ve
just moved to Portsmouth,
I had to find a new gym to join which meant going on a gym hunt! I did want to
join David Lloyd but I would have to drive there and I don’t have a car so I
did some research and went to view a few!
I had had a
negative perception of Fitness First in the past as when I had wanted to join
the Preston club a few years ago they did
nothing but bombard me with calls and emails which really put me off as I don’t
like a hard sell.
But there
is a Fitness First really near to where I’m living at the moment so I decided
to check it out.
The staff
were friendly and we had a tour of the gym and I noticed there were soooo many
men and barely any women! This really put me off as I can find really hench men
working out to be a bit intimidating, especially when I’m sweating on the cross
trainer or struggling to do kettlebell squats!
Whilst
making my decision on the gym I had a look at the class list as I was told by
the gym instructor/receptionist/salesman that there was “over 50 classes a week”
yet I couldn’t see my favourites on there like kettlebells, aerobics or total
toning (basically the girlie classes) yet there was body pump, boxercise and circuits…
all of which I enjoy but I felt the gym was very male orientated and they weren’t
really trying to attract women like me.
This almost
put me off as despite the fact I was being heavily sold to, I felt as though I
didn’t fit in at the gym and as though I wasn’t welcomed. I explained the fact
I felt slightly intimidated to the salesman and he explained “I had come at the
wrong time and there wasn’t usually this many men at one time” and he proceeded
to offer me 2 months free, personal training sessions and a sunbed course if I
signed up “that day and that day only” which I knew was a total lie as I could guarantee
he would offer me the same deal if I had gone in the next day.
Obviously
in a service organisation i.e. a gym, the people (staff, instructors etc.) play
a huge contributing factor and I found the staff to be very friendly and that
they would be supportive within my gym experience and if I had any problems. I
also found the ‘Physical Evidence’ aspect of the 7 P’s (the equipment and premises)
really nice so I decided to have a think about it and ultimately decided to
join.
I do really
enjoy going to the gym now I have been going for a few weeks and am even enjoying
the more ‘masculine’ classes. However, what I am trying to get across is that,
by not providing a wide range of classes/experiences targeted towards females
(I know I am being slightly stereotypical), especially women who may be far
less confident than me or that haven’t really been to the gym before, I could
see this really putting them off.
I think
that Fitness First should take a more open approach to their marketing and
realise they may be missing an entire market in people who aren’t categorically
‘gym freaks’ and that they have the services & product available, they just
need to change their unifying themes & messages amongst their marketing to
capture the rest of us……
Maybe they don’t
want to? What are your thoughts?
Opinions
are entirely my own- Steph
