Marketplace Secrets of Park and Rec Departments (Profit and Recreation: Municipal parks departments offer more than summer fun)

Some months, the center ran promotions for members who scanned into the fitness center at least 10 times or those who participated in other contests. These included walking or running a specified distance, attending special events or classes, meeting with a trainer and participating in raffles. Prizes included earbud headphones with the recreation center’s logo and coffee mugs imprinted with “Happy Holidays” along with the logo and filled with hot chocolate.

Finally, members who renewed their membership received a logoed T-shirt. In addition to giving back to members, it was great free advertising as members wore their shirts while out and about in the community. Overall, the promotional program had a substantial impact on our retention in just a matter of months. The increase was well over 20 percent, while the average cost per member was minimal. I was surprised how much people appreciated the small tokens.

Exposure

I can think of several times when the park district used promo products to expose the public to a new idea or information. For example, we launched an e-mail address to allow residents to anonymously report safety concerns or ask questions about anything in the park district. To promote it, we sent information along with pens imprinted with the e-mail address throughout our facilities. It caught on like wildfire. After several weeks, we saw the pens in local restaurants and in people’s homes. It became a big promotion.

Another major trend in park and recreation departments as a whole is the attempt to go green. In Highland Park, the cause received a major boon when one of our administrators was out at a football practice and noticed a huge pile of disposable water bottles in and around the field and garbage can. He then had the idea to give out reusable water bottles to all our athletic program participants.