Tips for Running a Tennis Sports Complex

Running and managing a tennis sports complex requires much more than simply building courts and a facility. Once the facility is finished it is important to turn your focus to membership building and client retention. Focusing on marketing and promotional campaigns can ensure that your tennis sports complex is successful long-term. Sports Facility Management has helped hundreds of sports complexes turn their facility into a successful business. Today, we would like to give a few tips to ensure your tennis sports complex becomes — and remains — successful.

Tips to Grow Your Membership Numbers

• Focus on Digital Marketing – In the ‘Age of Google,’ your digital footprint is possibly THE most important aspect of your business. A vast number of people find their shops, doctors, and everything else with a Google search. Ensure that your website is attractive and easy to navigate. Hire a search engine optimization team to make sure your website ranks well on a google search. Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly. Engage with people on social media. This is a difficult process but can be outsourced to third-party digital marketing teams. For instance, SFM offers digital marketing services for our partners.
• Run Promotional Campaigns – An important step to any new business is to get your first members into the door (or the court in this case). Promotional campaigns can offer discounts and promotions that can entice people to try out your tennis sports complex. Some facilities offer discount membership prices during their first month, while others offer free trial periods. The exact method is up to you, what is important is that you get people to try your facility out.

How to Retain Members

• Offer “grandfathered” rates – After your promotions end you will inevitably need to revert to “standard” rates. One incredibly effective way to retain your members is to allow them to retain their old rate. Studies have found that people are much less likely to cancel a service if they think they are getting a special deal that is not available to the public. Sports complexes have less day-to-day costs than many other businesses and have much more of a margin. Collecting less than your standard rate for older members is better than no income for that member. Keep your members on their original rate and you will find your retention percentage stays very high.
• Treat Your Customers Well – The number one way a sports complex can stand out from the competition is through excellent customer service. If you go above and beyond for your customers, they will remember how you treat them and stay loyal. Emphasize customer service to your employees and train them to be excellent.

Interested in Improving Your Tennis Sports Complex?

SFM is the number one sports-business management team in the United States. We have helped businesses across the country meet and exceed their business goals. If you are interested in learning how SFM can help your business separate from the competition, contact us today at 727-877-1791.