Chapter 5 ­ Marketing Program

The following remarks are intended as ideas to market polo programs of all types, to increase revenues through ticket sales, corporate sponsorship, membership development and other methods of capitalizing and enhancing an existing Interscholastic/Intercollegiate polo club with or without their own on-campus facility.

Think of your club as a business. Businesses market their products or services. When you extol the virtues of your club you are marketing, whether to increase membership, raise revenue, encourage corporate sponsorship, or create a favorable campus/community image. At the outset, club members, directors, and board members might want to review what the club is meant to represent. Is the club using a public facility, fully maximized to capacity, or a small, private, more intimate club perhaps not even conveniently located on or near campus. . Explore and discuss your options, and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of your choices.

Here is a list of considerations to amplify a marketing program.

1. Determine Goals and Requisites for Club
a. What do club members want
b. How do they visualize the perfect club
c. What are the existing facilities

2. What are members willing to pay
a. time
b. money
c. use of facility
d. privacy of programs
e. travel distance

3. What are the long term goals
a. 1 year
b. 5 years
c. 10 years

Once a clear vision is in place, here is a list of tools to help implement the plan.

1. Advertising (Avoid retail printed advertising if cost is a factor in your budget)

a. Trade (what you need for what you have)
i) Lessons or tickets for advertising
ii) Advertising banners on field such as scoreboard, fence, sideboards
iii) Announcer can do short commercials
iv) Web Site construction, banners, logos

b. Free Newsprint and TV Coverage (Get into every small publication possible)

i) Community Group Newsletters and meeting presentations such as Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Church groups, Special Interest Groups
ii) Local corporations and companies large enough to have "in house" newsletters, web site, or other forms of mass communication
iii) Send into local newspapers for calendar sections
iv) Talk shows on radio and TV (They're always looking for new, fresh stuff)
v) Public TV and Radio ­ Tie into a charity events to get regular support

c. Flyers and Announcements (Tag onto bigger events) "You mention us and we'll talk about your event on the "Public Address System" or printed pre event publicity.

d. Internet (links) Usually, no charge

e. Yellow Pages (Not Cheap), expenditures may have better results in small "What to do in Town" publications that go into hotel rooms.

2. Community Relations

a. Local Chamber of Commerce Great resource to all the companies in town

b. Annual Events Well organized and already have a budget, so tap into "trade"

c. Charities Rotate around different ones with different interests, to cover the entire community. Has to be a "win-win"

d. Schools The parents will always back the kids and the kids have fun being involved. Actively involving both parents and kids is even better.

e. Camps Don't over look the seasonal activities going on within the community

3. Local Resources ­ Who is spending the most money in town (Get to them early enough to be included in the next year's budget) Best place to determine this:
a. ads on TV
b. yellow pages
c. newspaper and print
d. banners/billboards
e. internet

4. Income Generators (Maximize the club's income potential)
a. Ticket sales Use different groups to mutually benefit so they sell tickets for you.
b. Merchandise Sales
i) T shirts
ii) Caps
iii) Coffee Mugs
iv) Pins
v) Bumper Stickers

c. Web Site Sponsors

d. Field Advertising
i) Banners
ii) Boards (Score Board and Side Boards)
iii) Boxes

e. Corporate Events (See what best serves a corporation's needs)
i) Tented events
ii) One Time or reoccurring
iii) Clubhouse or Grandstand
iv) Time (week ends, day, night, etc.)

f. Food and Beverage
i) Catered
ii) Donations

g. Additional uses of facilities
i) Lessons for other than Polo
ii) Stabling (outside of regular season)
iii) Unrelated Events
1) Weddings
2) Horse shows
3) Any outdoor exhibit
4) Any indoor exhibit
5) Special interest shows
cars, flowers, arts and crafts, Farmer's Market's, books, musical concerts, private parties, large tented gatherings, other sporting events, retail or special holiday shows

h. Expansion of facilities by adding membership of additional interests including:
i) Tennis
ii) Swimming
iii) Track and Field Events
iv) Health Club
v) Other Equestrian Events
vi) Retail Shops

5. Staffing
a. Marketing
b. Concierge
c. Sales
d. Temporary

6. Budget
a. Free
b. Trade
c. In House
d. Friends and Members
e. Retail

.
101 Marketing Tips:

1.Put your season's schedule in a clip out format when advertising.
A. Local Newspapers, magazines, In-room publications for hotels, flyers at distribution centers
B. Advertise in other areas within an hours drive
C. Don't forget to ask your local club newsletters to run the schedule for you. I.e.: Elks, VFW, Rotary, Masons, local service organizations.

2. Put an ad on your answering machine announcing the next big event.

3. Trade live announcements during games with other sports venues, equestrian events, trade shows, fairs, or anywhere there's a big crowd.

4. Offer free tools on the home page of your web site that others may want to bookmark and use. i.e.: time zone clock, currency converter, calendar

5. Run a different "something" ever day on your web site home page to get interest in checking your site often.

6. Host hotel concierge or sales staff people at an early season Sunday match so they talk up your polo activities at their own properties.

7. Offer nearby hotels and restaurants complementary admission tickets to pass out to good clients.

8. Check with various charities to see what kind of fund raising events could be promoted at your clubhouse or games.

9. Find out where any of your associates has recently made a large purchase, such as a realtor or car dealer and call on them for sponsorship pointing out that this is their target audience.

10. Write a story to go along with photographs and submit it to local newspaper for the sports section.

11. Offer to submit scores and photos weekly for your local newspaper sports section.

12. Charge $10 a carload and play up the "Tail Gate" informal picnic

13. Print and give away tickets with all your information: Who, What, Where, When, and Why.

14. Look into any Riding for the Handicap Society and plan a joint fundraiser.

15. Print out a banner and put it in the back windshield, bumper sticker, or side of car or truck door.

16. Invite the local equestrian club for a joint effort of a day's activities.

17. Check your area for youth clubs and plan a special beginner's program for new riders from 4-H, YMCA, YWCA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Campfire Groups, etc.

18. Plan a beginner's program for any local high schools or colleges and pay a visit to the head of the recreational department at the school.

19. Offer your field or arena to other events just for exposure to the community.

20. Open the game with the local marching band. Encourage the rest of the school to come out. Give them tickets or a special section to sit in.

21. Put up tents or umbrellas and tables to be user friendly.

22. Have a fun half time show. Golf cart polo, Jack Terrier Race, or something fun with foot mallets that will get people onto the field having fun

23. Build a wooden horse for demonstrations allow newcomers to give it a try.

24. Plan a half time show with local dance school participants. Encourage all the parents to come.

25. Offer Parent/Child Startup programs to learn to play polo together.

26. Participate in local community events such as the polo club in town parades.

27. Fly club flags in town when a special tournament or event is running at the club.

28. "Two for One" promotions to encourage players to bring a friend for free for a day of Introduction to Playing Polo.

29. Offer the first lesson free for "two people at a time."

30. Offer Bumper Stickers with your clubs local information.

31. Offer free Vendor Tents to promote local produce, businesses and services

32. Fly flags or balloons at entrance to club on game days.

33. Visit your local high school, college, 4-H clubs to promote special group lessons.

34. Advertise on grocery store carts with local club information.

35. Contact local charities and offer the field for their venues.

36. Build a traveling hitting cage for school and club demonstrations.

37. Look into lighting from golf course hitting ranges going out of business and light the facilities for night usage.

38. Offer a grant or scholarship for lessons to build community relationships.

39. Put out a newsletter or computer generated brochure.

40. Collect signatures from 10 goal players on photos or polo items to auction off for youth or charity programs.

41. Establish a relationship with local agricultural groups, schools, or businesses to exchange facilities.

42. Offer your members an incentive to bring a friend to a polo lesson.

43. Hold a day honoring the local communities nearby. "Carpinteria Day, Ventura Day, Summerland Day." Invite the local dignitaries and put them in the pony parade to open the games.

44. Join the Chamber of Commerce and embrace their activities.

45. Build stands or grass berms to make the audience comfortable during the matches.

46. Put signs and directions up on the main roads the day of games inviting the public.

47. Focus on one big achievement for each year that at the same time may attract grooms, umpires, higher goal players, or just one great annual bash to give your club celebrity and notoriety.

48. Be a guest on local radio and TV talk shows.

49. Develop a good line of merchandise with your club logo. Ie: hats, shirts, coffee mugs, calendar, and accessories.

50. Desktop publish a club calendar at the end of the year with memorable photos of your club and members from the previous year to sell or give away.

51. Send out Holiday Cards with group photos of your members. Use this opportunity to ask for donations, or to include next season's schedule of events.

52. Save your old publications of Polo Player's Edition or Sidelines to pass on to others, as a sales tool, or just as a friendly gesture.

53. Make up a brochure of your club that could be distributed with information of memberships, schedule of activities, and facilities available.

54. Archive your club's history with photos and stories. The older they get, the more valuable they become for display.

55. Display your club's facilities at trade shows and fairs with photos, videos, sample tack and equipment, etc.

56. Invite underprivileged children for a day of riding. Be sure to include the local press.

57. Keep a suggestion box open to feedback and ideas from the public.

58. Find an event coordinator to work on commission and give them the opportunity to make enough money to want to continue.

59. Have a photographer available to take photos at events, and can in turn sell them to interested parties.

60. Advertise in the local movie theatres.

61. Ask related web sites to hot link to your own.

62. Look for local industries to contribute to your events. Ie: Commercial operations for flowers, chicken, beef, beer, fruit, wine, etc.

63. Contact your local highway clean up programs that thank you with roadside signage.

64. Put your ads in local airport billboard signage.

65. Advertise in local "In Room" publications and "Where to Go" magazines.

66. Make up table tents for local restaurants.

67. Special event notices to be enclosed with restaurant checks.

68. Block off seating for special groups with ribbons, chair covers, or some kind of special recognition.

69. Advertise on brown bags at the grocery store. Remind to recycle.

70. Hold a "Handicraft Day" and invite local artists to display their wares during a regular game day.

71. Promote Pot Luck, Tailgate, and other low cost to big group and family activities in connection with your game days.

72. Have theme days for special holidays. Offer prizes. Best: hat, booth, dressed dog, costume, float, horse, etc.

73. Embrace ethnic costume occasions: ie: Fiesta, Cinquo de Mayo, St. Patrick's, Valentine's, Washington's birthday, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, etc.

74. Have a special event or event days for the grooms and their families.

75. Get a local celebrity to do a spot radio or TV commercial for your club.

76. Organize alumni games with local school graduates.

77. Find a local graduate to assist with promoting local high school and collegiate programs and beginner lessons.

78. Offer "after work" lessons that include everything but the rider.

79. Use the PTF and USPA programs to host clinics for your youth and instructor programs.

80. Consider Total Immersion programs as starter packages for people on vacation for one or two weeks, or perhaps even a weekend or two.

81. Have a band and snacks for "after the game" social events.

82. Announce human-interest anecdotes and game play explanation over a speaker system for the first time attendees.

83. Give pre game or half time demonstrations of different types of shots or what to look for in the "Best Playing Pony" or "MVP" awards.

84. Offer catered box lunches for attendees where no restaurant facilities are available.

85. Sponsor other equestrian events at half time or between games such as dressage, hunter-jumpers, or cutting horses.

86. Have a horse race, perhaps between grooms, before or between games.

87. Showcase Pee Wee Polo for pre game or half time entertainment.

88. Put golf cart polo in local parades using arena balls to dribble down the road.

89. Showcase demonstration games in local parks.

90. Incorporate polo players and polo gear in local fashion shows.

91. Become a NARHA Accredited Therapeutic Riding Center by contacting www.narha.org or call (800) 369-7433.

92. Use the USPA and PTF initiatives for promoting international play, umpire programs, and free clinics.

93. Participate in trade shows such as the annual Polo Expo by Randy Russell www.poloamerica.com

94. Give annual Social Memberships to local government and school officials so they feel welcome to attend functions at the club.

95. Develop a data base of interested participants to regularly fax, mail, or e-mail announcements, invitations, and news.

96. Offer discounts to corporate groups for joining, taking lessons, or purchasing seating for games.

97. Develop a social schedule to entertain and plan events in addition to polo games.

98. Consider trading memberships with corporate clubs within the community.

99. Contact the USPA Circuit Governor or national office of USPA for making contacts or participating with international players.

100. Get involved on a national level with other polo organizations such as PTF, USPA, and FIP or with fundraising polo related charities to broaden the thinking base of the club and borrow good ideas from other sources.

101. Poll your club members regularly to see if their needs and desires could be met in a more comprehensive way or with some long term planning. Happy club members attract more of the same.

Table of Contents| Forward | Chapter 1: Getting Started | Chapter 2: Contacts | Chapter 3: Fund Raising & Help | Chapter 4: Mentoring Coordinator | Chapter 5: Marketing ProgramChapter 6: Safety Around Horses | Chapter 7: Riding Preparations | Chapter 8: Code of Conduct | Chapter 9: Sample By Laws | Chapter 10: Summer Horse Lease | Chapter 11: CoChair-Member Duties | Chapter 12: CoChair - Team Duties | Chapter 13: Public Relations Chair | Chapter 14: Horse Manager Duties | Chapter 15: Horse Donation Program |Attachment Sample -Handbook By Sue Sally Hale