Q: We are in the process of developing a brand new summer camp series for youth and would like some input on marketing the camps. We plan to send a mailer to Baby Boomers but should we also send out a postcard or small brochure to the rest of our customers? Any input would be greatly appreciated!
A: In general, the target audience for youth programs should be the youth who are in Generation Z or Generation Y, along with their parents who are usually older Generation Y and Generation X. Below are key points to keep in mind when marketing to this audience.
· The brochure is your image.
· Brochures still generate the majority of enrollment.
· The Youth Programs/Summer Camps’ brochure should be separate from the adult brochure.
· Tailor the cover to your participants. Promote fun, friendship and individuality on it.
· On the inside pages use interesting graphic layouts; intersperse real participant pictures with stock photos and animated characters; and testimonials emphasizing fun & making friends
· Only collect pertinent information on the registration form. Do not have parent permission slips, medical releases, etc. as a part of registration. It takes too much time and is cumbersome for registrants. Send out these forms as a part of the confirmation process. Even if you don’t confirm enrollments in adult programs it is important to do it for youth programs.
· Programs with the highest income do their first mailing in February, January and March (in that order).
· Use a microsite as the webpage to which the promotion directs people. This microsite should have the same look and feel as the print promotions.
· The most effective marketing practices are multi-modal. Email, social media and mobile should all be a part of your marketing mix. Smartphone saturation is around 50% or higher for your target market and they use these phones to make decisions and plan for most every aspect of their lives.