Customer Snapshot
- Events per year: 13
- Years operating: 11
- Event types: trail runs and ultra marathons
Since 2014 the Human Potential Running Series (HPRS) has created an inclusive place for all interested to participate in trail and ultra races. With a core focus on community instead of competition, it’s no wonder why they’ve become the largest trail and ultra running series in Colorado and the second largest in the United States.
HPRS hosts 13 events throughout the year. Most of them are in Colorado, with one happening in Texas. Managing that number of large scale events, while maintaining a high level of quality, isn’t an easy thing to do. Decades of experience in the trail and ultra marathon space is the biggest factor, but having access to the right tools certainly doesn’t hurt.
Stepping out into the unknown
When HPRS first started they used an ultra-specific platform to manage registration. It worked for a time, but eventually a lack of features and innovation proved problematic. “For me it was all about functionality, when looking to switch,” said HPRS founder John Lacroix.
He started the search and checked out a few options. Nothing jumped out. Then he had a call with RunSignup. “I hopped on a call with a salesperson and he gave me more insight and was honest about what could and couldn’t be done, and that got me to switch over.”
John let his board know that he was going to make the switch, but they had some concerns. “There was some suggestion that if we weren’t on the previous platform that registration for our races would decrease.” However, those worries never came to fruition. “We’ve only seen increases since switching over to RunSignup.”
As HPRS has grown, so has the RunSignup platform. Something John greatly appreciates. “The willingness of RunSignup to request feedback and then do something with it has been awesome.”
Help for the helping hands
Since trail races and ultra marathons last for long spans of time and cover large distances, volunteers are essential to a successful event. Using RunSignup, HPRS is able to easily manage those wanting to pitch in. On each event site there’s a volunteer button. Once someone signs up HPRS uses RunSignup’s free email tool to send out communication and make sure they have the most up-to-date information.
HPRS offers volunteers race credits for hours volunteered. They can choose to use them for a future event of their choosing. Or, they can choose to pay it forward to the community. “We have this thing called the Community Fund at HPRS.” If someone wants to, they can donate the money they earned volunteering to the fund. The fund is open to anyone from the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities, or anyone with financial hardship.
Programs like the Community fund show that HPRS is truly committed to building a community. It’s certainly part of why they continue to grow and attract new participants. That, and their willingness to try new things to get the word out to the community.
Spreading the word
Though switching to a different registration platform didn’t prove problematic for HPRS, growing competition and saturation in the trail and ultra marathon space has meant growing hasn’t been as easy as in years past. The team at HPRS does things like send out a monthly newsletter to keep in touch with past participants.
But they’re also exploring new channels to bring new people to their events.
“We use social media a good amount. Facebook and Instagram ads have been useful.” However, those aren’t the only channels they’re using. “I’ve been moving toward short-form video. There’s been a learning curve, but we’ve seen good results from them…Tik Tok is where Gen Z is, and they’re the next customer base.”
They even had a video go viral on Tik Tok, exceeding 20 million views in total across accounts. They’re also investing in a new online community to give people another way to engage. “We’ve also started using this thing called Mighty Network. We’re hoping that will be a big channel for us moving forward to stay in touch with people.”
Utilizing those different channels, and staying open is a big part of what’s let HPRS continue to bring new folks out to events. “You can’t be stuck in mud. You have to be willing to try new things and look at new channels if you want to continue growing.”
Keeping in touch
Communicating with potential new participants is important, but so is keeping in touch with those signed up for an event. RunSignup’s email tools make that an easy task. “The email interface is really intuitive and easy-to-use.”
HPRS customizes all the emails sent from the platform. Features like the new image gallery make those customizations simple. “I can reuse images now, which is really helpful for building emails across my different events.”
They also use the email tool to contact people who didn’t complete registration. It’s a built-in feature of the platform, and even something you can automate. Making it a no brainer to help boost registration numbers.
A bright future
With a strong set of values and focus on community, HPRS is well-positioned for future success. As they continue growing and attracting new members, we’re thrilled to partner with them. And if you’re in a similar spot, looking for a new solution like HPRS was, consider giving RunSignup a try.
Create your free race here.