Get a Bigger Fitness Center for IM East!

           For my assignment I created a Facebook page to “Get a Bigger Fitness Center for IM East.” This is obviously a ficticious cause, although it wouldn’t be a bad idea since IM East’s fitness center is very small in comparison to IM West’s fitness center. In creating my cause and facebook page I had a lot of positive feedback and comments from people. Most of the support and comments I received were from people I invited to my page, and in doing so they not only supported my cause, but they also gave their own input and let their own voice be heard. In response to other potential positive comments from supporters I would most definitely “like” their comment or post, and I would try to comment on their post or give them some feedback letting them know that their voice had been heard and that they made a difference. 

      Luckily I didn’t have to deal with any negative comments, but I’m sure there are many causes and pages out there that have lots of negative comments from people who are in opposition of the specific cause or page. In dealing with any potential negative comments my reaction would vary depending on the situation but in general, I would not “like” their post. I would reply back to their comment in an attempt for them to see my side of it and why I think my cause is one to be heard, and if it was something really ridiculous or completely false then I would intervene and ask why they think that or how they came to that conclusion. Potential negative comments that I can anticipate for my page are comments on how expensive this will be for the University when money could be spent elsewhere. Another negative comment I could anticipate would be people who think one big gym (IM West) on campus is enough. In response to questions from the media who want more information or want to follow up online, I would more than gladly get in touch with them and set up a time and date to give them the information they need. I would give them both my email address and phone number so they would be able to reach me offline at whatever time is convenient for them.

      To pitch my cause and its Facebook page to a reporter or blogger I would engage with them on the topic of the facilities on campus where students and faculty are able to exercise. I would then show and tell them the comparison of IM West’s fitness center to IM East’s fitness center and give them the demographics of the students in each neighborhood on campus. By doing this I am showing them facts and am able to fully engage them in what my cause is all about instead of just talking to them expecting them to believe me. I would then explain that the rest of the university is slowly being renovated and redone for the ever-expanding student population, so it would only make sense to do the same to the facilities these students regularly use. Hopefully by that point the person to whom I’m speaking with has a better understanding and is in support of my cause.