Fit Night Starter Kit

What is a Starter Kit?

We want to make your 3rd Thursday Fit Night event easy and enjoyable for you and your attendees. That is why we put together a comprehensive kit for participating businesses. The kit is $500 and includes nearly everything you'll need the day of the event along with guidance and support while planning. The starter kit will be sent out at the beginning of the season so you are set for Fit Night April through October!

What comes in a Starter Kit?

Flyers (25 half sheets)

Business Cards (500)

Route Markers (9)

Stickers (100)

Roll of Tickets

Liability Insurance (pricing varies)

Shirts for Crew (for an additional $12 per shirt)

What is 3rd Thursday Fit Night?

3rd Thursday Fit Night (3TFN) is a family event intended to promote fitness for all ages through running, jogging, and walking. We kicked this off in 2014, having the event from April to October. We provide a great environment, a great course, food, and drinks. There are prizes given away to participants like free shoes, socks, meals, health consultations, massages, and much more. We start right outside our store and head out to 5th Avenue South over to 32nd Street North towards the middle school. Participants can walk, jog, or run any distance they want and return to the store following the same route.

Once participants sign the registration waiver and put their name in the drawing, they are ready for the event and can visit with the month’s shoe vendor, Community Partners, and check out the merchandise in the store.

Portrait of a senior woman walking in the park with friends

Execution

Developing a Route

First and foremost, you need to develop a relationship with the City Rec Department and Police Department to ensure that your designated route is approved, as safety is the main concern. We have found that an out and back route is superior to a track route because it is easier to map out and manage.

Participants

Fit Night is constantly evolving, much like its beginnings in 2014 with just 25 participants. Over the years, our growth has been fostered through partnerships with local communities, leading to greater recognition and participation.

Community Partnerships

Don't fret about forming community partnerships; they'll develop naturally over time. As the event gathers momentum and visibility, local businesses will eagerly reach out to be part of it. When we first launched in Fort Dodge.

Food/Drink

Each month, a local water distribution company generously provides bottled water for our participants, fostering a strong sense of community. We also partner with nearby restaurants to offer healthier culinary choices for our attendees.

Marketing

Beginning the 2019 3TFN season, we adopted an updated, eye-catching logo for the event. This logo is used for marketing material like route signage, promotional flyers, apparel, etc. Advertising through radio advertisements and social media is also used to promote 3TFN.

If you'd like any help or want suggestions on marketing, let us know! We'd be more than happy to help.

Facebook

3TFN event pages are added to Brown’s Shoe Fit Fort Dodge ’s Facebook page. Announcements of shoe vendors, refreshments, Community Partners, and photos are added to both Brown’s Facebook page and the month’s 3TFN event page.

Instagram

The Brown’s Shoe Fit Fort Dodge Instagram page also advertises the event by publishing reminders and photos of participants.

Snapchat

More than just exercise, this event fosters meaningful connections. For 3TFN, we create a Snapchat filter, using the 3TFN logo, that participants can use at the event when sharing photos to their personal Snapchat account.

Flyers

Promotional flyers, of different sizes, for the event are used to raise awareness. 8.5 x 11in. flyers have the basic information about the event. These flyers are given to Community Partners and catering for their use and displayed throughout the store.

Business Cards

Business card-sized advertising material is also produced with basic information on the front and 3TFN dates on the back. These are given to customers of the store and Community Partners for their employees.

Route Markers

To keep participants on the designated route, yard signs are put out along the route. Along with keeping people on route, they act as mile markers, so people know how far they’ve gone.

Merchandise

To represent the event, the Brown’s team wears an assortment of 3TFN apparel. Crewneck sweatshirts, three quarter sleeve baseball t-shirts, and short sleeve t-shirts are all available for the team to wear.

During the 2019 3TFN season, we began to sell apparel and logo stickers to interested participants in hopes that they will begin to wear their 3TFN apparel to the event and in the community.