Building a Community Builds a Business

Case Study 2: Expanding Community Engagement Through Events

Challenge: Build brand visibility and deepen customer loyalty in a small market when up against a larger competitor and online sales.

Approach: I coordinated and promoted in-store and off-site events, including group runs, product launches, and training clinics. The key was to build events that would interest our strongest customer base. That demographic was women who are aged 32-50, professional, and have a college education.

Most of the events I created were to bring education and fun at the same time. One was a self defense course led by a local woman-owned and taught gym, another was a techno yoga night. These unique events appealed to our core demographic, but also outside of that demographic as well.

The self defense course was attended by women of all ages and the techno yoga night attracted a younger audience and some men too. These events also tied into products we sold such as safety devices and visibility accessories.

Other events were demo nights of new shoes that have been launched paired with a special event. A few times I collaborated with a local running group to bring a demo shoe run to them and during their annual scavenger hunt. Another time we hosted a syrup lap run on New Year’s Day with a house made pancake breakfast to promote a maple syrup based energy gel.

These events fostered a stronger sense of community, encouraged repeat visits, and positioned the store as a trusted resource for local runners.

Results: Increased foot traffic during key campaigns, improved customer retention, and significantly strengthened the store’s reputation as a community hub for running enthusiasts.

(Editor’s note: My store was called Runner’s Alley before it was changed to Marathon Sports.)