Consider this: Before 2010, the two largest competitive race organizations in North America, Tough Mudder and Spartan Race, did not exist. But by 2013, they had more than 500,000 participants in their running and obstacle-course events across North America. This year, the two organizations will attract more than 1.5 million participants to their events.

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As impressive as those figures are, it comprises just a small percentage of the total number of people who participate each year in competitive races, fun runs and walks connected to raising money for different causes. It is, indeed, serious money. In fact, the 30 largest race fundraising organizations in the U.S. accounted for $1.53 billion in money raised in 2016.

Why are fundraiser races and walks so popular? The recent explosion in participants can be traced to the heightened focus on individual social responsibility, corporate social responsibility and employee wellness.

In addition, it’s proved a successful way to generate donations. “More nonprofits have found that it’s really effective when their supporters go out and raise money for the cause rather than the organization directly soliciting potential donors,” says Peter Panepenteo, content director for Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum (formerly the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council). “They also find that races and walks are among the most effective means of enlisting people to participate and raise funds.”

In particular, social media and online engagement makes the promotion of cause-related events incredibly easy, and makes it simple for race participants to rally support and for friends and family to donate. But as Panepenteo notes, it has also “democratized” the fundraising landscape. “It used to be that the very big charities with chapters all over the country would run these events,” he says, “but now, it’s so much easier for smaller, more locally focused charities or organizations like hospitals to organize runs and walks. They all have a unique base of people they’re reaching out to, so it gets more people involved.”

The combination of all these factors means promo distributors have ample opportunity to fulfill the product and apparel needs of not just race organizers, but also companies that sponsor races or even sponsor teams of participants. What’s more, with a bit of strategic thinking, distributors can often persuade their corporate clients to have some type of noticeable presence at races, fun runs and walks.

Get With the Planner
It’s the first choice for charity race giveaways: T-shirts. Beth Harber, an Atlanta-based account manager for HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000), works with several grade schools that each coordinates its own fundraiser walking events to support Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Each school aims to engage roughly 200 students, parents and teachers per event, and purchases T-shirts that cost Harber about $4. “I sell them for $6 and then participants buy them for $12, with the profit going to the charity,” she notes. The school’s logo appears on the front, while the two largest sponsors get their logos printed on the back along with a list of other sponsors.

Kimberly Tompkins purchases 3,500 Nike Dri-Fit shirts annually as race director for All American Marathon/Half-Marathon/5K, held in Fayetteville, NC. She decorates them each year with a variation of the race logo on the chest, plus additional decor on the sleeve. Because the race supports the Fort Bragg Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation division, an American flag is most often used on the sleeve, though this year the 100th anniversary of Fort Bragg was featured in a special logo.

For a unique race held in mountainous Bisbee, AZ, each year – called the Bisbee 1,000 for the number of stairs that runners must navigate along the course – RJO Corporate of Quincy, MI, provides 1,500 performance tees purchased through SanMar (asi/84863). More expensive tees may have things like brand-name value, but as RJO President David Brown points out, quality budget-priced garments are “not only important to my bottom line, but also to customers who are donating race proceeds to a cause.” Brown orders nearly 30,000 shirts each year for organizers of running and walking events.

Of course, other products beyond T-shirts will make useful race day giveaways. Tompkins purchases somewhat hefty medals for each participant who finishes a race. The marathon medals incorporate the race logo plus the jump wings of the fort’s 82nd Airborne Division, and cost $6 each. The half-marathon medal has its own logo but also uses the jump wings, and costs $4.50. “We aren’t going to skimp on what we give them,” she says. “We’re the morale division, and anyone who runs that far should get something substantial.” She also provides a large refrigerator magnet with the race logo and date in the goodie bags participants receive at check-in. Sponsoring companies and suppliers to Fort Bragg add other goodies to the bag, including ChapStick, Body Glide anti-chafe balm, sweatbands, cooling wraps, ankle socks, clip-on shoe safety lights and similar sports-related products.

Sponsored Sale
Much like a charity race shirt, there are two sides to the promotional opportunities of these events. And if the front of the shirt is for the race itself, then what goes on the back? Corporate sponsors. It’s another avenue for distributors to create sales opportunities among existing corporate clients.

Distributors can ask their clients about charitable causes they support and any related events they might participate in. Alternatively, a distributor can also gather information about the various fundraising runs and walks in a region, and then suggest useful products a client could provide in participants’ gift bags. In conjunction with having the company’s name or logo on the event shirt, such products give sponsors lasting exposure among a desirable audience.

Brown has received positive feedback from fundraising race organizers and participants about PopSocket, a collapsible grip and stand that attaches to the back of mobile phones. He recently ordered 2,000 for 60 cents each, then sold them for $1.60. “They’re large enough to print a name and logo, turnaround time is quick and recipients love them,” he says. Other recent product successes for races include slim wallets that adhere to the back of a cellphone, and latching cellphone cases with pockets. “These are exactly what people need when they’re doing something athletic,” Brown says.

At a higher price point (the $6 to $8 range), are items such as tennis visors and J+S Active Plus Athlete’s Sunglasses with cleaning cloth and case. Such products are used by one of the “big four” consulting firms for certain fundraising runs and walks in various cities. The firm’s buyer is a recruitment and talent development manager looking to make an impact in cities where the firm needs workers with specific skills. At other running and walking events, the manager opts to brand the cinch bags given to participants at check-in, or to brand the cups and napkins used at the post-race party. “More and more we’re seeing food trucks servicing these events, so we give them items that have the web address for our careers site,” she notes. “They are inexpensive enough that I give each truck a month’s worth of cups and napkins so they’ll be used at a few other events in that city too.” Lastly, the manager is considering sponsoring physical therapists or masseuses who work fundraising runs and walks, and who sometimes apply kinesiology tape – which can be branded – to participants before the race.

Interestingly, Brown finds that he’s often able to land new business from race sponsors once they see the quality of the shirts he sources and decorates for the event. “You’re not a cold call anymore,” he says. “I just say, ‘We produced the shirts for that recent fundraiser – did you like how they turned out? Would you keep us in mind for when you have a marketing need?’ They’re almost always open to listening and putting you in their contacts. And a few of them say, ‘We’re glad you called because we’re working on something right now.’”

Well Thought Out
There are other ways to mesh corporations and races beyond just sponsorships. By connecting local fundraising races and walks to a larger corporate wellness program (potentially including a teambuilding and morale initiative), distributors can develop another recurring stream of business.

“It’s a fairly easy sell to HR people who look at wellness and preventive measures to minimize the company’s healthcare costs and absenteeism,” Brown says. “If you identify some running or walking events coming up in a few months, HR can start an internal campaign and see how much interest they get from employees to train and then participate.”

Allyson Krichman, senior director of product sales for Brainstorm Logistics (asi/41515) in Pine Brook, NJ, adds that “engagement is such a big conversation in companies right now. We’re seeing corporate initiatives that lead up to a team of colleagues participating in an event while also raising money for a cause. It builds camaraderie and motivation not only among participants – many of whom become friends for life after doing an event together – but also among co-workers who come to the event to cheer them on.”

Krichman recently built a merchandise program for a distributor and its large insurance company client that wanted to encourage employees to train for an upcoming 5K charity race. The program included apparel, fitness tracker bracelets ($30), duffel bags ($10) and even Jabra Sport Pace sweat-resistant wireless earbuds with built-in workout programs ($60). Participants agreed to train a certain number of times prior to the race, and could enter competitions for most miles completed during training and most improved running times. Brown has built similar programs for some of his clients, adding in gift cards to reward demonstrated progress at certain intervals prior to an event. For companies that have developed a base of employee participation for several racing and walking events, Krichman also provides Garmin Forerunner or Vivoactive smart watches with GPS plus data capture and other fitness features ($70 and up).

Once race day arrives, corporate teams can be outfitted in several ways to promote the company; employees will be especially amenable to wearing branded items if the company matches all or part of the money they raise for a particular cause. At the large consulting firm, “we let employees pick whichever charities are close to their hearts,” says the recruiting and talent development manager. “Then they can recruit co-workers to participate with them or donate or just come to the race to show support. Besides providing some matching funds, we outfit everyone who gets involved.” Participants receive performance shirts branded with the company name and logo as well as a motivational theme, while supporters receive identically branded cotton T-shirts to wear on the sidelines. One additional touch, says the manager: “High basketball socks are back in fashion, so we provide those with the company name embroidered on the top edge.”

HALO’s Beth Harber has seen more clients use high socks lately, matching the colors either to the company or to a local college team and then stitching the company name at the top. She’s even stamped company names and inspirational messages on shoelaces. “That’s not for getting more exposure, but team members think it’s pretty cool every time they tie their shoes,” she says.

Lastly, corporate buyers can maximize the ROI from apparel and product programs around fundraising-related races through internal communications and external social media channels. They can also encourage employees to post event photos to their own social media accounts. “If you’re getting people to take time for certain causes and do it alongside their peers, show that engagement to the outside world,” Krichman says. “Social responsibility is an important thing these days.”

Rob Carey is a contributing writer for Advantages.