USPA
Pacific Coast Circuit

MARKETING PROGRAM FOR POLO CLUBS (GENERIC) The following remarks are intended as ideas to assist with an existing or potential marketing program to increase revenues through ticket sales, corporate sponsorship, membership development and other methods of capitalizing and enhancing an existing polo facility. Club members and directors might first want to analyze the mandate of the club and determine a clear vision to set and maintain a course of action. A consensus of members (or board) on exactly what the club is meant to represent, such as, is it to be a public facility, fully maximized to the limit or a small, private, more intimate club. Determining the desired end result is key in selecting some of the following suggestions or how much of the club privacy members are willing to give up. If exclusivity and privacy comes at a cost too much for the members to bear, here is a list of suggestions on a course of action to produce additional income. 1. Determine Goals and Requisites for Club a. What do club members want b. How do they visualize the perfect club c. What's being set aside for future improvements 2. What are members willing to pay a. time b. money c. use of facility d. exclusivity 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 (off of 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 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. Chamber of Commerce - Great resource to all the companies in town b. Annual Events - Well organized and already have a budget, to 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. 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.) c. Food and Beverage i) Catered ii) Donations d. 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 e. 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 Please contact us: Any suggestions or ideas that have worked for your club that have not been incorporated herein, would be appreciated. To keep the ideas fresh, dynamic, and ever broadening, please e-mail your comments to sandyherron@aol.com or fax (805) 695-0522. More comprehensive comments and discussion can be had by calling (805) 695-0141 during normal business hours or contacting our web site at www.pccpolo.com and news clips are always welcome for our E-Gazette Newsletter.