Whether talking with Camp Directors, vendors, friends or the media, the number one question I'm asked lately is "What trends are you seeing in camp registration?" With our camp customers processing about 400,000 Summer 2009 registrations to-date, we have a pretty good sample size to spot emerging trends.

This month, I'd like to share some insights on high-level trends that we are seeing in hopes of providing some comparison and guidance as you evaluate trends affecting your camp. Removing camps that are either significantly up or down for the year (typically due to opening new locations and/or adding/reducing program weeks) we're seeing the following trends:

• Our average camp customer is trending down approximately 6% compared to 2008.
• As a general rule, higher-priced day and residential camps are down more than lower-priced day camps. However, the higher priced camps that are bucking this trend are typically located near major metropolitan areas along the coasts or in Texas.
• Almost across the board, there has been a positive year-over-year trend with each month being stronger than the previous month—March ended as the best month so far and caps an encouraging trend.
• One dramatic trend affecting both higher and lower priced camps is the increase in deposits paid by campers (when available), rather than paying for camp programs in full. In analyzing February's data, we found the average payment per registration was approximately 30% lower than 2008 while camp prices remained generally flat or increased slightly for these same camps.

In summary, we are encouraged to see the month-over-month trends from January through March continue upward and hope they continue to do so through the end of the summer.

We at CampRegister want to make sure we're doing everything we can to help drive increased registrations for your camp programs; here are a few suggestions:

• Use the Invite-a-Friend feature, contact the support team today to get this added to help drive parent referrals. A recent ACA survey indicated that nearly 91% of residential and day camps rely on friend and family referrals as a core part of their ongoing marketing efforts.
• If you attract campers from a major metropolitan area, talk to your Account Manager about our camp marketing packages. We offer online and direct marketing opportunities to highlight "Featured Camps". on local events newsletters that reach ~1.9 million people each month. Additionally, we've added most camp sessions to our Active.com online directory viewed by ~6 million monthly visitors searching for activities for their family to do in their area.

As always, please continue to let us know how we can help you improve your camp business and drive retention, financial health and long-term growth.

Best wishes for a prosperous 2009!

Stephen Branstetter
General Manager, CampRegister
Camps@ActiveNetwork.com

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Active offers our camp clients unique sport and location-specific marketing opportunities to reach your ideal audience including:

• Geo-Targeted Banner Ads to millions of parents using eteamz
• "Featured Camp" to over 400,000 readers in "Tips and Drills" Newsletter
• Geo-Targeted Camp Spotlight in "Local Events" Newsletter

Reach subscribers in specific targeted cities, states and those looking for activities in your area. Link viewers directly to your registration page or website to drive participation in your camp programs!

Click here to request a complimentary consultation to learn how Active's marketing programs can help drive awareness and participation in your camp programs.

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Consider the following tips for riding out a tight economy by building loyalty, attracting new campers and flattening out the peaks and valleys.

1. Extend payment options with payment plans
One way to entice parents to prioritize your camp programs on their list of "must haves" is by providing a longer period of time for them to pay for their kids' camp programs. This will also make it easier for them to register earlier and allow sufficient time to budget appropriately. With CampRegister, you can easily automate your payment plans offering parents up to 12 months to pay in full.

2. Reward repeat campers with special discounts
In today's economy, identifying small savings can have an impact on a family's budget, especially with larger families. Consider offering repeat campers a special savings or multi-sibling discount or "bring a friend" discount. According to a recent ACA survey, nearly 91% of residential and day camps consider referrals as an integral part of their ongoing marketing efforts. Rewarding your returning campers with a discount along with a great camp experience is a sure-fire way to build loyalty and to get them talking about your programs to others in the community.

3. Offer early registration for next summer's programs now
For a parent, nothing beats hearing their child express that they "...had the time of their life at camp!" as they appreciate the values, friendships and experiences their child will benefit from for years to come. Providing parents the opportunity to sign up for next summer's programs when a child's excitement is at its peak, especially if teamed with a special discount and/or extended payment option, can provide your camp a competitive edge. Not only are you able to generate/distribute your revenue over the off-season, you are also collecting data earlier for your own budgeting/forecasting purposes, allowing you to make strategic investments and other decisions more timely.

Is your camp doing something new or different given the current economy?

Submit your camp's "best practices or tips" to Camps@ActiveNetwork.com.

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No April Fools! There is a new FAQ located in every management center (i.e. Program Dashboard, Filtering, Program Setup, etc.) that now offers a quick and easy way to get help information on the area you are currently working in. The added FAQ functionality allows you to immediately access the most commonly asked questions for that section without having to go to the help file and search for a specific topic.

As new content is added, the word "NEW!" will be displayed along with when it was added; if something is coming out soon, it will list the anticipated release date.

If you do not find the guidance you were seeking, you may still submit a support request through the Management System ( Help > Support Requests > Submit Request) to the support team.

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I joined the Active Network as a CampRegister sales consultant in June of 2004 and was promoted to sales manager of Active's camps division in 2005. In my new role, I work directly with the sales team, clients and prospects to educate them on the value that CampRegister can bring to their camp programs.

I grew up attending all kinds of camps and some of my best childhood memories are from the experiences I had while away at camp. What I love about my job is that I get to stay connected with the camping industry and get to hear first-hand great stories from our clients and prospects about the amazing experiences their own camps offer participants. To be honest, sometimes I wish I was still a kid! When I went to camp I never got to jump on a blob water toy or wind my way through a ropes course which seems like a lot of fun even now.

Outside of work, I have the world's greatest wife who I love spending time with! We will celebrate our 1st anniversary on August 2nd (see, I didn't forget). I'm also a huge sports fanatic; especially when it comes to the Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Mariners! Since the Sonics left town, I've also become a soccer fan with the arrival of Seattle's new Major League Soccer team–the Sounders FC. I also love playing sports myself and am a regular on Active's basketball, soccer, softball and flag football teams.

E-mail Cody

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Church Sports and Recreation Ministers Conference (CSRM)
April 23-24, 2009, Peoria, AZ

Let us know if you're going to be at at this show - we'd love to meet you there. And if you have recommendations for other shows we should attend, we welcome your suggestions. E-mail us at Camps@ActiveNetwork.com.

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