Question

Topic: Strategy

Strategy For Marketing A Charitable Event

Posted by Anonymous on 1/30/2010 at 2:35 PM ET 250 Points
I have an exercise consulting business that mainly focuses on recreational runners training for a marathon. The business includes in-store running clinics and customized training schedules. Over the past 5 year I have pretty much broken even with the in-store clinics. Most of my revenue has come from people signing up for online programs once the clinics are completed.

In the past instore clinic have cost $85 for roughly a 4 month period. I have minimal expenses, essentially $500 in hiring an instructor.

I have considered donating proceeds to the charity that the marathon is associated with in hopes that I can garner more particpants.

Some of the options i'm looking at include;

1 - Advertise all money raised goes directly to the Charity. An hope the increased participants will result in increased business.

2 - To have a pre-determined percentage going towards charity such as 50% raised to cover costs and donations.

3 - Advertise a FREE clinic and try to raise money by individual donations.

What's a effective strategy for increasing amount of participants?

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RESPONSES

  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 1/30/2010 at 2:43 PM Member
    I'm sure you get as I do-- the advertisements from marathons over the country which benefit a specific charity. You get # of pledges and you get to run in a fun place.

    I'd model the promo around this. Fusion market with the charities. They get the pledges as usual-- they can increase the size of the donation and become a better runner by signing with your training. It's a win/win.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 1/31/2010 at 8:22 AM Member
    What's your competition like for marathon training? If there are many others (all of whom have data that shows that 95% of the people that signup, finish the marathon), then having a charity tie-in may be something that'll separate you from other businesses. But someone won't signup with you because of the charity connection alone.

    As for an effective strategy, have you recorded video testimonials of people from signup day & finishing day? Their families? These may, if placed well, inspire people who never thought they could run a marathon to signup with you.

    Have you noticed that when people are training for charity-based marathons/centuries the leaders (and many of the participants) wear t-shirts announcing the connection? Does your running coach brand your offering? They'd be a running billboard announcing your business. If you want to be "guerrilla", have a bunch of your friends wear the t-shirts when they run to spread the message amongst other runners.
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