Youth sports camps are a powerful way to build your brand and increase exposure in your community. Whether the mission of your camp is to evaluate a large group of athletes for an upcoming season or to introduce young athletes to a sport, there is no shortage of ways to structure your camp. Not to mention, youth sports camps are a popular source of revenue for many sports organizations.
One challenge when running youth sports camps, however, is the natural turnover rate. Each year, older athletes will age out of the camp and new athletes will age in. The key to building a sustainable, profitable youth sports camp is to develop a strong event management and promotion strategy. This will not only encourage past campers to return, but will also encourage new campers to register.
So, how can you fill your roster for your upcoming camps and clinics?
5 tips to increase your sports camp enrollment
1. Make the registration process easy
An athlete’s first experience with your event is often when registering. So, it’s critical that you create a positive first impression. Make it easy for your campers, or their parents, to register for your camps by utilizing an athlete registration software.
Using a sports camp registration software will make it easy for athletes to find detailed information about your event, and will make it just as easy to sign up. There are many benefits of a sports camp registration software, from customizable registration fields to flexible and secure payment processing. Software like Upper Hand also makes it easy for parents to easily register multiple athletes for an event under one account. This will do a lot for client satisfaction, and encourage both returners and first-timers to attend your youth sports camps. And, as a result, this enables event and revenue growth.
P.S. There’s an added benefit for you. All of your rosters, athlete waivers, and payments are collected and stored securely in one place. This makes it easy to stay organized and focus your attention on your athletes and programming.
Related: Dominate the (registration field) with Upper Hand
2. Have a strong sports camp agenda
3. Don’t neglect a marketing strategy
It’s also important to not overlook your marketing strategy. Sending out emails prior to your event – especially to past athletes who might be interested – is a great way to keep your events top of mind and to encourage word of mouth referrals. Also, once your sports camp has concluded, you can analyze which strategies were most effective, so that you can use them for future promotional efforts.
Once young athletes are registered for your youth sports camp, ensure that you continue to communicate important information, such as what to bring or where to check in. This will ensure that they are excited and prepared heading into camp, and that they have a positive experience with your brand.
Related: How to Elevate your Client Experience with Marketing Emails
4. Focus on the benefits and value
When you’re promoting your events, whether via a website, email, or on social media, be sure to highlight the benefits of the camp, not just the name of the camp itself. Emphasize what campers will learn and what they will do while they’re at camp. This will help you set your camp apart from other programs and help you attract the right athletes.
Including testimonials and images from previous camps will provide prospective campers with social proof that your program is the right fit for them. Additionally, you can shine a spotlight on your staff members and their experiences. Highlighting the accomplishments of your staff members will help boost credibility and get campers excited to learn from the best.
5. Collect feedback from parents and participants
Just because the event is over doesn’t mean you should stop thinking about it. I know what you’re thinking; after countless hours invested in running your youth sports camp, that’s the last thing you want to think about after you send your campers home. But, post-event feedback is critical to elevating your event year after year.
You’ll want to reach out to your athletes after the event to hear what they liked, what they didn’t like, and what suggestions they have for future camps. This will help you make adjustments and examine any impending roadblocks to future event success. Emailing out a simple survey right after the event will ensure your camp is fresh in their minds. Take their feedback into consideration, and implement their suggestions; especially ones that are repeated.
What’s next?
Whether you’ve been running a youth sports camp for awhile, or are just tossing around the idea to start one, camps are a great way to build your brand and bring your community together. Schedule a demo of Upper Hand to see how you can elevate your sports camps with software built for sports businesses like yours.
Be sure to check out these additional sports camp resources:
