January 2006 -- Many people ask me how we have created such a successful Cardio Tennis program. The first step to successful marketing is ensuring a quality product. The Cardio Tennis class itself is a great product, but it must be conducted with the right energy, enthusiasm and creativity. You should motivate your class by making them want to improve their game, while offering a flexible workout and burning a maximum number of calories. You should be an accurate feeder in order to keep the class at a rapid pace and give participants the proper arena to learn correct technique. Since there is no strict agenda for a cardio class, it provides a great opportunity to tailor each class to the participants who are there that day, enhancing their cardio experience.
It is one thing to have a good Cardio Tennis program and curriculum. But, how do you get people to try this great new program? You could just sit back and wait for people to sign up or you can use all the resources available.
The essentials – use the Toolkit items
There are some basic things you should do. First, use all the items in the Cardio Tennis site “Toolkit.” I put the Cardio Tennis banner up in a very visible location. Display it outside your facility. If you are part of a fitness/tennis club, place the banner in the group exercise room. Next, I put up the Cardio Tennis promotion poster, heart rate poster, and counter card in very visible areas of my club. Besides the consumer brochures I received in the toolkit, I ordered 200 more from the TIA to put right next to my check-in counter and constantly handed them out.
Promotion essentials
There are many ways you can promote Cardio Tennis and get your program booming! The cardio class has the ability to sell itself once you get someone to try it. To get players “in the door,” offer a complimentary first class. Everyone loves to get something for nothing, and by sampling the class at no cost the member has nothing to lose but calories! Expand on the trial offer by encouraging players to invite friends for a free class and, as a reward, they enjoy half off their class. Another way to keep members coming back is to presell memberships. For example, a Cardio Tennis class is $12. By offering a membership package of 11 classes for $120, the player gets a bargain and an incentive to keep coming. It makes accounting easier on the club and can assist you in budgeting and staffing by knowing you have a prepaid clientele base. We also give the Cardio Tennis members a discount on the Polar Heart Monitors.
Another approach is to offer Cardio Tennis gift certificates. This is a great way to introduce new members to the class and a great customer service tool. Clubs or homeowner associations can offer certificates for a free class to new members to acquaint them with the facilities. Also, if a member has had a problem with a court reservation or other service issues, a gift certificate for a cardio class can be the perfect gesture to rectify the mistake.
However, the best thing I did was to do direct marketing.
I e-mailed every member of my club and everyone else I could think of, personally inviting them to Cardio Tennis, giving them that extra incentive to show up. I then made announcements of Cardio Tennis in the club newsletter. Finally, I made a special mailing to our club list.
I used the e-mail approach in other ways. I e-mailed everyone in the classes to keep them informed of schedules, weather changes or cancellations and promote any special activities that might be offered. Also, an e-mail can make each member feel like you are personally inviting them to Cardio Tennis, giving them that extra incentive to show up.
Reaching outside my clubThis is where Cardio Tennis is at its best. I contacted local newspapers, which ran articles on Cardio Tennis and my program. Cardio Tennis is such a great story. It just needs to be explained and people want to learn more.
We then contacted some local businesses. We handed out fliers, etc., to get nonplayers to try tennis through Cardio Tennis. It has worked great. Businesses look at this program as an ideal way to create a healthy, social workplace. We are adding new players and new members because of Cardio Tennis.
I am going to look into other promotional approaches in the near future such as radio and running a TV spot on cable TV with my club name at the end. The TIA has so many great tools for you to use (go to www.Partners.CardioTennis.com and see them on the “marketing and media tools” tab).
Two other key itemsDon’t overlook the music! We put in a sound system that is second to none with speakers on the outside of the clubhouse so the music projects over all the courts. Music is almost always on … even when Cardio Tennis is not in session! Music not only gives Cardio Tennis a great feel, it is good for all of tennis.
The other item which can’t be overlooked is heart rate monitors. We fit each member with a heart monitor to help them achieve the perfect workout level. At the end of each class, we are able to assess how efficiently they performed by logging heart rate ranges and calories burned. This proves to the member that they can definitely get their money’s worth out of the class if they are willing to put in the effort. At the end of the membership, each player receives a personal e-mail tallying the number of calories burned over the session. The personal touch and the reminder of how effective the workout is can ensure that participants will keep coming back.
Cardio Tennis is a fun, exciting new way to play tennis. The target market is everyone: new players, existing players, and former players. Getting your players inside the fence is only half the challenge. Keeping them and getting them hooked on Cardio Tennis is the real ticket.
Use your creativity and use the tools the TIA has supplied you. It will pay off!
