If you’re a tennis coach, club owner, or academy manager eager to host a bustling summer camp, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’re going to dive into effective marketing strategies that can quickly fill up your camp’s registration list. Prefer to sit back and watch instead? Check out the video link at the bottom for a visual roundup of these tips.
Every year, I hear the same lament: “We’ve got top-notch coaches, fantastic facilities, and endless enthusiasm, but our registrations just don’t add up.”
Let’s change that.
Here are five strategies proven to not only fill your tennis camp slots early but also generate buzz and long-lasting momentum for your program.
1. Define Your Camp’s Unique Edge
Vague camp names and descriptions just don’t cut it anymore. It’s critical to highlight why your camp is the preferable choice over the competition. What sets your camp apart? Is it the elite coaching you’ve got lined up? Perhaps tour-level training sessions, themed weeks, unique match play formats, or even fitness-focused activities? Parents are after value, safety, and environments that nurture real skills and confidence, not merely another series of drills.
For instance, branding your summer junior program as “Tour-Level Training on Clay” can work wonders. Such camps get booked to capacity because they’ve communicated a compelling and specific offering. Tailor your message similarly based on what your club can provide.
2. Start Your Promotions Early
Many camps begin promoting registration around May, but that’s often too late as families already have summer plans set by then.
Kick off your promotion in February with early-bird specials. Use March and April for sharing testimonials, behind-the-scenes content, and stories from returning campers. By May, your marketing should focus on creating urgency with countdown reminders.
Pro Tip: Offer a 10% early-bird discount in February and watch your sessions fill up ahead of schedule. As spots disappear, this generates buzz and a fear of missing out.
To make your promotional planning seamless, download our free content calendar planner template and map out your strategy today.
3. Market Like A Pro
Simply putting a flyer on the front desk won’t do the trick. Today’s parents juggle Instagram scrolling, Facebook browsing, and reading emails between school runs. Your marketing tactics need to intersect with their digital habits.
Here’s how you can achieve that:
– Use Instagram Reels to showcase a typical day at your camp
– Highlight your camp’s structure, safety, and development aspects on Facebook
– Email past participants offering exclusive early access and returning discounts
– Use retargeting ads to follow up with families who’ve visited your site but haven’t signed up
Advice for Traditional Marketers: Flyers do still hold value when executed well. Our ebook, “Tennis Club Marketing 101,” available on Amazon Kindle, covers creating impactful flyers. Alternatively, watch our free Canva tutorial to design one quickly, or let us handle it by dropping us an email.
4. Turn Current Players into Advocates
Word of mouth is still your most potent marketing tool. Encourage current players and parents to spread the word by:
– Offering simple referral perks like discounts or free gear
– Posting short and simple testimonial videos
– Hosting “Bring a Friend Friday” during spring clinics
Simple Testimonial Strategy: Ask parents to record a short video answering these questions with their phone:
– Why did you choose this camp?
– How did your child feel about attending each day?
– What improvements did you observe?
– Would you recommend this camp to others?
Share these testimonials on your website, email them to prospective families, and post them on social media. They build trust faster than any traditional advertisement.
5. Create Urgency and a Sense of Scarcity
People are driven to act when there’s a risk of missing out. If your available spots are limited, make it known. If you’re nearly at capacity, let families know this too. Share updates like “Only three spots left for Week 2” or “Camp 80% full.”
This tactic works particularly well in emails and can even double your open rate with an enticing subject line!
Ready to Fill Your Camp?
You don’t need an enormous budget or a marketing degree to see results—just a solid plan, which you’ve got now.
Here’s your action plan:
– Identify what makes your camp unique
– Start your promotional activities early
– Use social media and emails effectively
– Involve your campers and their parents
– Inject urgency into your marketing
Need a hand with any of this?
Let Resourcely Take the Lead
At Resourcely Marketing, we specialize in propelling tennis businesses forward. Whether you require a new website, streamlined email automation, compelling blog content, social media assistance, or a holistic marketing strategy—we’ve got you covered.
Resourcely Services Include:
– Website design and development
– E-commerce setup
– Email marketing and automation
– Video scriptwriting
– Webinar and promotion support
– Blog content creation
– Marketing coaching and strategy sessions
Let us help remove the stress from your summer marketing plans.
📧 Drop us an email at [email protected] or check out our 🌐 website at www.ResourcelyMarketing.com. Follow us on 📲 Instagram at @iva_resourcely for more.
Fancy watching the full video version of this post? 📺 Click here to view on YouTube.
Now, with these tools in hand, it’s time to fill those courts!
