Promote Skatepark Memberships by adding value, events!

Often we look at membership as either an exclusive way of dealing with people, such as in gym memberships, or as a price break mechanism like in grocery stores.  In the gym membership model, people are necessarily excluded because of spacing issues and the rest are roped into constant fees.  In the more often thought of structure for memberships skateparks offer discounts for members.  Like loyalty cards at the grocery store, there is one cost for members, and another cost for others.  Many of these programs offer rewards, which I have not seen offered by skateparks.  Often the memberships allows the skatepark to send mail, email or other stuff to the members (don't forget the opt out option), and this is often in keeping with other loyalty programs.  But if this is the model, then rewarding people for loyalty should also be in the making.  Tracking visits, purchases, and the like should be a routine system designed into the memberships.  Adding these tracking systems is likely part of most membership software reports and can be monitored through non-digital means with a punch card.  This would be easy enough for visits and could be duplicated with skateshop purchases and justified at the end of the month by an employee relatively quickly.  These incentives give the member a feeling of worth, identity, and "loyalty".  Future purchases might not be made at the park because of personal circumstances, but when someone gets close to a "goal", this could be a decisive issue in a purchase decision.  Similarly, a program like this allows the owner to keep memberships real, constant, and worthwhile.  This topic reflects a desire to make the most of "member services" so that the additional costs of a membership provides real value beyond just cheaper entrance rates.  Having so many benefits that you would need a brochure to list them makes a membership more valuable.

Adding events that are geared toward members really adds value to these memberships as well.  These events can be as simple as member discount day, to more elaborate as member only contests or parties.  While many of us would ask why a business would want to offer such a money losing event such as a free party at the park, I would suggest that there are more than one way to pay for these events such as exclusive product sponsorships, or the like.  None the less, think of a member party as a way of invigorating your membership, promoting membership sales, and creating a good feeling about your park.  A similar way to get members to feel like they matter to your business would be to invite them to an all member meeting.  This meeting could be a way for members to add their ideas on the business, or a way for you to see if a new pricing for memberships could work.  Those of you who read the last posting on memberships would know that if you are in business already, changing park policy could be tricky.  Calling a meeting and seeing what the members could do, or would pay for such a privilege would help in selling the idea, getting feedback, and/or testing the waters.  Don't forget that the way to most people's hearts is through their stomachs, so feed them.

Obviously there are many things that can be done with memberships that can help create good feelings with your members and their parks.  Think of ways to make your memberships special.  And as I have said always, if you have memberships, get your staff on board to selling them every visit and checking them every visit.  Show that theses are important.  Good Luck!

As a note, the spa-usa.org offers an insurance program for skateparks that involves personally insuring individual skaters.  Memberships can offer this as part of their pricing.  More on this at a later date.