- bpcreative2014
How a Rec Center used Promo Products to Increase Triathlon Event
In just about every community you don’t have to look too far to find the local recreation center. These centers host sporting events, exercise programs, summer camps and just about all kinds of athletic and health related events. A local rec center, in Utah, discovered the power of using Promotional products to attract new racers and increase the overall number of patrons. Here is there story.
Three times a year this rec center puts on a mini triathlon for their patrons and the community. They have spent a lot of time acquiring sponsors for these events, collaborating with the city to block off roads and pathways for the race and creating a lot of buzz for these events. Their first triathlon saw minor success with only about 25 people, of all ages, enter and compete. After all the work that went into the first triathlon, the only word to describe the feelings of the staff was disappointment.
They had signed a contract with the sponsors that in the first year there would be three races and on that note the staff knew that they had to put on two more race events. Looking into ideas and having numerous brainstorming sessions the staff decided to create an experience unlike any race that the athletes had been a part of. Here is what they did:
They went out and hired a local promotional products company (Wink, wink) and brainstormed ideas for the event.
They came up with the idea to have custom t-shirts and hoodies, headbands, running shorts, gloves, beanies and running socks all with the racing logo printed on them. (More SWAG then the race before)
They used social media very heavy to promote the race, hosting contests for free promotional products and gave away free entry passes for the winners. (More active engagement)
They went to the local health stores and running stores and left a bunch of promotional products at those stores to promote the race and for people to have for free. (Collaborating with community)
Seven days before the race, on social media, each day they posted a picture of a pair of custom running shoes, (custom meaning that it had the race logo on the back of the shoe) and told people where they could find the shoes. They left them at local stores to help promote the store and when people saw the shoes they had to take a picture of the shoe and post in on Instagram to be entered to win the pair of shoes. Huge response on social media came from this with a lot of people doing the promoting on the race’s behalf. (Created a Promotional Item that the racers wanted and used Social Media to promote)
Besides all the race day stuff you normally see at races, fruit trays, power bars, water coolers etc., they had custom car window stickers printed up and when athletes were leaving the race the staff asked if they would like to have the sticker put on their back window. (A promotional product more and more people could see)
In a nutshell, this race saw fantastic results in growth in number of participants in the race but saw a spike in new memberships for the rec center. Using promotional Products has the power to generate massive amounts of attention, retention and overall action for the cause.
Do you have any examples like this one of our local rec center? Let us know in the comments below.
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