imATHLETE, MetroPCS Dallas Marathon + Loyalty Codes, Oh My!

imATHLETE BRINGS INNOVATION TO THE METROPCS DALLAS MARATHON WITH LOYALTY CODE TECHNOLOGY

Unique offering gives race directors a turnkey solution to reward participant loyalty

Santa Monica, Calif. (April 8, 2014) -  imATHLETE - a sports registration company that is changing the way event organizers engage with athletes - has been selected as the official registration partner for the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon.  The event, which draws more than 25,000 participants, will be held on Sunday, December 14.

Following a 2013 event that was cancelled due to severe weather, the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon required a unique solution to reward those that didn't have the opportunity to run.  imATHLETE's unique Loyalty Code functionality is allowing the 2013 participants to receive a special, personalized offer.

"We are proud to partner with imATHLETE as our registration provider," said Patrick Byerly, President of Dallas Marathon.  "Their increased functionality, support and attentiveness to the needs of our organization sets them apart as a leader in the racing industry."

imATHLETE's Loyalty Code technology gives clients like the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon the ability to reward participants for doing multiple events, regardless of when the participants register.  This provides race directors with the ability to reward participant loyalty without having to juggle excel spreadsheets and keep track of multiple discount codes.

Said Jeff Matlow, CEO of imATHLETE, "Not only does the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon have an impressive history, but their reaction to the 2013 cancellation proves a clear dedication to the happiness of their participants and the growth of the organization.  We're ecstatic to be working with them and help further strengthen the relationship with their runners."

To learn more about imATHLETE, visit www.imATHLETE.com.  imATHLETE can also be found on Twitter by following @IAmAthlete, by liking the imATHLETE Facebook page and, for goodness sakes, follow the blog.

  

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About imATHLETE

imATHLETE blends registration, fundraising and e-commerce technology with the social networking inherent in running, triathlon, cycling and all participatory sports. Recognized as a leading force in the sporting world with its industry-changing registration technology, imATHLETE is one of the fastest growing companies in the market. imATHLETE's robust technology platform is used by thousands of city governments, governing bodies, non-profits and event organizers, including the ASICS LA Marathon, Twin Cities Marathon, M3S Sports, GORE-TEX Philadelphia Marathon and a multitude of non-profit and sports organizations. imATHLETE technology is transforming the relationship between event organizers and their participants. To learn more about imATHLETE, visit www.imATHLETE.com. imATHLETE can also be found on Twitter by following @IAmAthlete, by liking the imATHLETE Facebook page and by following their really interesting blog.

About the Dallas Marathon

The Dallas Marathon is a nonprofit organization with a focus of promoting health and physical fitness through running events and related activities.  Dating back to 1971, the organization conducts and promotes year-round events culminating each December with Dallas' largest and Texas' oldest running marathon, the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon.  Now in its 44th running, the marquee property attracts over 25,000 participants and 300,000 spectators to Dallas' largest single-day sporting event, highlighted by a race course featuring iconic landmarks including the JFK Memorial, Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, the historic Swiss Avenue District, Klyde Warren Park and Reunion Tower.  The MetroPCS Dallas Marathon is recognized as The Official Marathon of the City of Dallas and, since naming a primary beneficiary in 1997, has donated more than $3.3 million to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.  For more information, visit dallasmarathon.com.

The Pricing Game #1: Low Prices Are So Passe

If you are a person who signs up for endurance events and not one who actually puts them on, you may not want to hear this.  Earmuffs.  If you are a race director, here is a very important tip for you... there are simple ways you can make more money from your participants. Potentially a lot more money. In some cases, hundreds of thousands of incremental dollars year over year. 

It all comes down to basic buying trends.

I will be writing a few entries scattered here and about with pricing strategy tips.  I'm not going to put them all in one post because, Lord knows, I don't want to piss off participants too much.

But today let's talk about Pricing Strategy #1: LOW PRICES ARE SO PASSE

We see a lot of events out there who pride themselves on being very low priced.  I'm talking about a 10k for $20 or a 5k for $15.  I hear race directors saying that it's critical to their business that they remain inexpensive.  Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're wrong (at least in many cases you are).

Event directors used to be concerned with how low their entry price needs to be.  They would compare their event price to their competitors and try to pinch their pennies in order to be the lowest out there.  The results of that is just a mad dash to who can lose the most money first.

But times have caused a dramatic shift.  Now, instead of a focus on how low they should make their prices, event directors are focusing on basic business fundamentals and trying to see how *high* they can make prices without effecting participation levels. 

I ran about ten 5ks/10ks over the past year and do you know what each of them cost? You don't? Well guess what, neither do I.  Even if you forcibly made me stand outside naked in Minneapolis in January eating an ice cream sandwich, I couldn't tell you which one was the least expensive and which was the most.  I have absolutely no clue.

An important thing to note here is that I'm a cheapskate. Its in my nature. I like saving a penny whenever possible and get frustrated when I have to spend more. I will still drive 10 minutes further to save $1.49 on a dozen eggs - I'm that type of penny pincher.  When I pay too much for something I take it personally and I remember it. But the last thing I remember in a running event experience is the price because, frankly, in the end it doesn't matter.

And herein lies one of my key points: The popularity of an event is not at all proportional to the amount it costs.  In fact, the most popular events are often the ones that cost the most money.

I know what you're saying. You're saying "the popular events charge so much because they can. They are so popular that participants will sign up regardless." Well, my disbelieving friend, that's bull hockey.
Or mostly bull hockey.  One reason they charge so much is because they put on quality experiences.  Not only do quality experiences cost money but people will pay more for quality experiences.  

The largest 5k/10k event in Los Angeles charges up to $50 for the 5k. That's $16 per mile.  Absurd? Well, nobody balks at the price. In fact they continue to get more and more participants every year.  Why? Because they give an amazing shirt to all participants every year, and because they put on a fun race.  If they charged $30, it would be a far less exciting experience because they just wouldn't have the money to create the experience.

So if you're an event organizer, don't fall victim to feeling like you need to be the cheapest around.  You don't.  Forget the low end of pricing and focus on what you can do to create a kick butt experience, then determine how much that costs.

And don't be scared... Raising your prices isn't a bad thing as long as you're giving the participant the value for the dollar spent.

Next up: Procrastinators And Their Wallets

A View From The Sales Floor

It continually amazes me the people who apply for sales positions.  If I had a sawbuck for every time I heard somebody say "I love sales" I'd be super wealthy.  Or at least I think I would - I'm not quite sure what a sawbuck is.  But let's just assume it's a kabillion dollar bill, just for the sake of me being super wealthy.

 "I think I'd be great at sales" job candidates will say when their lengthy resumes don't have an iota of sales experience anywhere to be found.  Not even one at McDonalds.  "When I'm given the opportunity I will do really well in sales," they say.  The thing is, they're not even selling me on themselves, how the heck will they be able to sell my product?

That was a rhetorical question - but in a way not really.  Because if you can't sell yourself - the one thing you should know better than anything else in this world - how are you effectively going to sell anything else?
Again, rhetorical question. But not really.

There are such things as natural sales people. What makes somebody a natural sales person is that you don't have to give them the opportunity to sell - they make the opportunity themselves.  You just can't stop true salespeople from selling because sales is what they do.  It's what they've always done. They sell. They have paper routes, they start companies in their teens, they work on political campaigns, they buy a bag of Chips Ahoy for $3 and resell the cookies on the corner for $1 each.  True sales people sell - it's in their blood.  Nothing can stop them.

I'm a sales person.  I started my first company when I was 12.  I started my second when I was 16.  I made beer mugs at college and sold them out of my backpack outside of classrooms.  I started a company shortly out of college, then another one, and another one, and another one.

It's taken me years to accept the fact that I'm a salesman.  Probably because there's been such a bad stigma around salesmen.  I blame used car lots.  When you say sales, many people think of words like sleazy, liar, weasel, slick and the such.  But sales doesn't have to be sleazy.  Sales is really just another way to describe somebody who likes helping others.

I've found that the best sales people are the ones that are not just passionate about the product and believe what they're selling is the best thing ever but, most importantly, they have a true desire to help make their customers' lives' better (excuse the apostrophe attack).  Good sales people want to honestly help others - not just in their job, but in their life.  Good sales people know that it's not about convincing somebody the product is good as much as it is understanding the customers challenges and helping them solve those problems on their own.

So you want a sales job?  Don't *tell* me how you think you'll be good at sales... show me.