Full courts typically equal a successful pickleball club. How do you keep players on the courts and grow your membership? The answer is marketing. Whether you are an established club or new to the pickleball scene, we’re here to share some proven ways to help you get the most bang for your marketing buck.
For new clubs, getting your name out is a priority and a portion of start-up costs should be allocated to marketing. Ronald Elizondo, Director and CEO of Al Kruse Pickleball and Tennis Center in Corpus Christi, Texas found digital marketing very successful for the center early on.
“We hired a digital marketing company to ensure our name rose to the top when residents searched for pickleball clubs or pickleball supplies,” he says. “Popping up in people’s homes and on their phones helped to get us started. We were well established with members when the six-month contract was completed.”
Local media is also a great marketing tool. Media outlets love to have stories submitted to them ready for the press. Hiring a media company or recruiting the help of a talented friend to write a press release for local papers is a way to help spread the word. When submitting a press release, remember to cover your facilities who, what, where and when. An attention-catching hook such as a grand opening event or free play can increase the chances of publication. Be sure to send the release to local radio and TV stations as well. The simple act of a news or radio station hosting an interview is some of the best free publicity available and helps to reach a diverse group of potential members.
Social media is also very effective when marketing your club. Ronald says they currently use free Facebook posts along with paid ads to market events depending upon the goal audience. “We hit our current members and Facebook followers through free posts and target new members with paid advertisements. There is so much going on in town that without the Facebook ads, I don’t think anyone would know what we are doing.”
Facebook has also been successful for Ronald when advertising monthly beginner classes. These three-day sessions are limited to 16 people for a nominal price. Most attendees aren’t current members and it is a great way to get new people into the sport and the club.
Another economical and highly successful marketing tool is advertising on the club’s scheduling app. The Al Kruse Pickleball and Tennis Center utilizes PlayTime Scheduler, the most popular scheduling app in the South Texas area. It is free for those looking to play and extremely reasonable for advertisers. Ronald states it is the most cost-effective for him and it is where almost all pickleball players look for court time. For a small upcharge clubs can customize their posting colors to stand out from the crowd which he has found to be very effective. “I place league signups along with tournaments and they all fill quickly. If I’m advertising something special I will change our posting color to get the most attention.”
League play is a staple for clubs and a favorite of members. When members voiced frustrations that many in the six-week league weren’t consistently attending. Ronald switched their league sign-up methodology from six-week commitments to a weekly first-come, first-served basis. He announces through the app when the sign-up window will open and all 16 spots fill up almost immediately. Being more flexible and creating a sense of urgency has led to more reliable league attendance, more consistent play and happier members.
Marketing doesn’t have to be intimidating or necessarily expensive. Keeping an eye on your demographics and making it a part of your business model will help you reach diverse age groups, engage players and create a community to keep your club thriving and growing.
