Linda Mitchell is the director of marketing and PR at Newtown Athletic Club (NAC). NAC is hosting a kid’s triathlon this August 2012, and in the Q&A below, we discuss the Kids Tri and other kids’ programs NAC has to offer its members.
Q: Our first question: How important are kid’s programs to Newtown Athletic Club?
A: Since we are a large health club with a strong emphasis on family programming, kids programs really define us in the marketplace. Kids programs are largely included in the membership fees, which make the family membership very valuable and differentiate us from our competition. Kids programs not only help drive membership, they also drive non-dues revenue, as many of the programs are available to non-members as well
Q: Why did Newtown decide to host a Kids Tri?
A: We were looking for another event to utilize as part of our marketing strategy to promote youth program registration for the fall. The summer months are traditionally slower than the rest of the year in terms of club usage. We try to find ways to create excitement to encourage people to be active. Ironically we have not seen the summer slow down as much this year, but we still felt that this event would give us a platform for promotion. In addition, we are always looking for ways to promote youth fitness in general. That is why this event is open to the public, not just members.
Q: What kind of feedback (from parents and their kids) have you gotten about the Kids Tri?
A: At first parents were puzzled, then intrigued. They were puzzled because it was a completely new idea and then they were intrigued because they were interested in having their kids participate and benefit from the experience. The kids thought it was cool because they had seen their parents do this kind of event and never had the chance for themselves. I will say that the kids did express concern about doing it, as they were not sure what it entailed.
The kids are separated into age appropriate groups and activities and the emphasis is on fun rather than winning. To dissuade their fears, we organized two Kids Tri Clinics which are 2-hour sessions to teach them about the activities and how to transition from one to the other. These events have been very successful and offered their own opportunities for promotion.
Q: What type of coverage from the press has the Kids Tri gotten?
A: The coverage has been great so far. Two local newspapers and two local online hyperlocal magazines have covered the event. I have included 2 links as examples, here and here.
The press coverage has actually gotten us some sign ups as well. You never know what the press is going to grab on to, so we just keep on putting it out there and see what sticks.
Q: How can other clubs implement a similar event?
A: This event was easy for our club to implement as we have indoor pools, an indoor track and 20 acres of ground. If a club does not have all these features, you may be able to partner with a local school or other local facility. This partnership may give you access to promotional opportunities within the school, which is often hard to do. You would need a strong organizer and some solid marketing support. In our case the kudos go to our aquatics director, Brandi Perkovich, and events director, Caitlin McKenna for organizing the event and to the marketing team for creatives, resources and strong promotional support.
Based on the success of this event so far, we are planning to make it annual and a regular part of our marketing strategy.
Interview by Rachel Zabonick
