A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY
TO
THE PROFIT MARGIN
8/8/05
nce
upon a time, making money as a drag strip operator was pretty
much a stroll in the park. Throw some kind of a show together,
print up the tickets, do a little "in kind" advertising
with the local rock-n-roll radio station, and get ready to
count the money. Plenty of race cars, plenty of cash carrying
drag fans—it was all good!
It was so good, in fact, that many tracks put
on separate feature shows on Friday and Saturday nights, another
one on Sunday afternoon, and if any one of those shows hit
the proverbial home run, the promoter would go into full scramble
mode and assemble a Wednesday night special to boot! Funny
car shows, Top Fuel match races, Super Stock showdowns, Junior
Fuel eliminators (remember them)? -- all that and more could
be seen at local drag strips, and by and large tracks made
the honest dollar in the process.
But times change, and with them the Art of War, or drag race
promotion anyway. Looking around, I see a lot of tracks putting
on feature grade drag racing shows, with widely varying results.
Consider the Short fields, crowds that are well below expectations,
and racers dissatisfied with payouts (wait, that part's not
new), and today's local/regional drag scene has a decidedly
different appearance than the halcyon days of the 1960s and
1970s, or anytime else in the recent to middling past. What,
if anything, can be done to improve the odds of success for
those drag strip promoters bold enough to attempt putting
on shows that will attract paying customers?
I have a few thoughts (imagine that)!
DO PRE-RACE PRESS
Once you decide to put a feature schedule together, let the
public know what you have planned. If you think the track
website will carry the day for you in that regard, you are
delusional, at best. Advertise the race, advertise the web
address, advertise everything ya got, and do it well in advance
of the start of the season. Drag strips long ago lost the
battle for the weekly paying fan to the circle tracks, and
wishful thinking won't make them flock to your track again.
The good news is media may be willing and able
to help you, where they wouldn't before. In my own town (Kansas
City), the local cable TV provider has aired a number of drag
racing features over the past several years. It can happen
where you live, too! But media won't come to you, you have
to go to them. If that means you need to hire a public relations
person, do so. The old saying "You have to spend money
to make money" is a true one.
HAVE A REAL ADVERTISING BUDGET
Now I don't have a marketing degree, but I do have a lot of
practical experience in promotion. The BIG undeniable truth
I know about promotion is simply this. You must advertise,
is some manner, if you expect to have any success at the front
gate. Yes, you will probably have to part with some cash,
but there are alternatives to cash. Radio stations are often
up for the good old trade out, tickets and access for air
time deal. It's an oldie, but a goodie, and surprisingly,
not everyone knows of this approach. When trading out, consider
this. The "cost" of comp tickets cost you nothing.
The people who get the comps ideally are providing a service
that will draw paying customers, and far offset the "cost"
of the comps. It seems easy to understand, but I know of many
promoters who would dispute the theory, even at gunpoint.
Air time is good, but don't be afraid to get out in the street
too. Racers do displays, tracks can too. Many businesses are
looking for something to draw attention to their venue, and
can be successfully approached for promotional projects. This
kind of action, done right, won't even cost you money. Here's
a scenario I know has worked for some racers and the business
they displayed at. Come in for free, being allowed to sell/pitch
/ inform whatever you have. The business runs an ad in the
local paper, letting THEIR customers know you will be there.
The business works up a short list of products they want to
promote, using your race display as the focal point.
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