Saturday

50 Marketing Programs


Listed here are 50 membership marketing plans and programs that have actually been tried and worked in clubs throughout the country. They’re certainly not all guaranteed to work for you in each case, but will certainly provide a starting point when thinking about a promotion.

External Marketing Ideas:

1. Drawing offered to people who join, plus the referring member. Prizes: 1 year’s lease on a BMW or a trip to Hawaii. In some states, questions may arise about lottery issues. Reference your particular state statutes.
2. Various membership referral contests with prizes: Restaurant and gift certificates for both old members and new members.
3. Farmer or student membership: 6-9 month seasonal.
4. Various discounts and giveaways.•  50% initiation fee.•  Merchandise from community sponsors.
5. Renewals encouraged to join at old rate “rollback”.
6. Fantabulous week: a seven-day open house-type program with discounts.
7. Charity Donation: Receive a free membership.
8. Grand Re-Opening.
9. Monte Carlo Night: $10.00 fee. Free guests. Everyone gets chips. Vegas-style games. Tickets went into drawing; winning ticket = $10,000. No initiation fee that night. Beer, wine and cheese.
10. Free-use coupon in newspaper with follow-up.
11. Catch-22: promotion calling for only 22% of every membership type. Everyone wins with this Catch-22.
12. Shopping Center Booth: free membership drawing. Everyone actually “wins” a free week.
13. Direct mailer to households with income over $25,000. Invitation: We cordially invite you to a tour and free use of the club. Discount certificate.
14. Free rating clinic for tennis players.
15. Membership Dividend Program: upgrading.
16. Christmas: letter of discount with follow-up.
17. Bumper sticker campaign with radio station and record company. Call in when you see bumper sticker. Report license plate and receive prize.
18. On-the-spot radio remotes: blitz.
19. Get-Involved Program: tennis clinic for $35. If you join, it’s applied to membership.
20. 2-For-1 group fitness classes.
21. Cookie Jar promotions: 50 memberships available at $50. For member referrals only.
22. Certificate book good for discounts on programs, goods, etc. Direct mail. Value pack: reserve a party, racquets, court time. Join now and receive value pack.
23. “Free Bees”: 2 little costumed bees giving away “freebies”.
24. Phone solicitation: 1 free guest visit offers.
25. Trades with merchants or media to be used in marketing campaign.
26. Give free memberships to college athletic teams in return for endorsements.
27. Direct mail in-escrow closing list.
28. 99 days for $99: summer promotion.
29. Co-op with other clubs.
30. 24-hour racquetball marathon: set fire to car, open house extravaganza, etc.
31. Offer quality, raise rates.
32. Fair booth: free personal training session if you win at the ring toss.
33. Videotape racquetball matches and give to videotape recording stores. Get free publicity.
34. Day after Thanksgiving: $30 holiday gift coupon.
35. Celebrity tennis/racquetball.
36. 14 months for the price of 12.
37. Free summers.
38. November: 1 month free and turkey.
39. Increase initiation fee $10 per month for a specified period of time.
40. Christmas 25% off special: December 1 through January 8.
41. Join now at last year’s rates.
42. Join now at 1956 rates.
43. Buy memberships from failing/closing competition.
44. 2-for-1 initiation fee.
45. Certificate dividend given to existing members.
46. Send check to existing members in the amount of $25. It will be endorsed if they bring in a new member.
47. Easy payment plan on initiation fee.
48. Grab Bag initiation fee: $1 to $82 (10% or 82%).
49. Trial membership.
50. Lead Box at local sporting goods stores. Give away a free membership for those who register.

For more on this subject, give us a call at 925-672-4800 and we will gladly do our best to answer your questions.

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