100 + 1 GREAT IDEAS Senior writer Daniel P. Smith’s TRE program offered inspired ideas from America’s run shops.
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ith a sprint to the finish, Running Insight senior writer Daniel P. Smith accomplished his ambitious feat at the 2021 edition of The Running Event. In one 45-minute session, Smith shared 101 of the smartest, savviest and sharpest ideas he has seen America’s run shops implement to ignite their respective brands and drive results. Leveraging a decade’s worth of stories he has penned for Running Insight, Smith’s program covered unique fun runs, strategic community outreach endeavors, creative marketing initiatives, innovative youth programs and other novel efforts from the nation’s running specialty stores. “This was by no means a comprehensive list, but certainly a robust look at the creativity, intelligence and enterprising work of America’s run shops,” Smith says. “I hope every attendee left motivated, inspired and with a boatload of potential ideas they might adapt and apply at their respective stores.” 25 Out Of 101 For those readers who could not attend the session – why not!?! – here is a sampling of 25 interesting ideas Smith highlighted in Austin.
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In conjunction with his annual staff holiday party, Runner’s Edge owner
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Fleet Feet Chicago’s Historic Run Series blends physical fitness with civic knowledge by taking participants to some notable Windy City landmarks for a quick history lesson.
Anders Brooker rents a bus for his entire team and their significant others, who then personally hand deliver carefully curated gift boxes to the store’s top 100 customers.
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A past Best Running Store in America honoree, Runner’s Edge makes the effort and sends handwritten thank you notes to its top 1000 customers each holiday season.
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Fleet Feet Chicago’s Historic Run Series takes runners on a guided tour of notable Windy City landmarks.
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Sticking with the holiday season, Geneva Running Outfitters’ Christmas Eve Elf Run features owner Eric Ott and his crew of elves hitting streets on Christmas Eve morning randomly dispensing gifts – sunglasses, hats, water bottles, race tees – to those they encounter.
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