High Altitude Marketeering

I’ve been involved on and off in an online discussion about how to broaden the outdoor market’s consumer base. How, participants ask, do we reach age, ethnic and socio-economic groups outside the core user base?

MEC seems to be taking a stab at reaching younger consumers by encouraging their existing customers to recruit new customers in the 16–24 age range. Their pitch is a straightforward incentive described in this email. The offer is described like this on the “details” link page:

New members aged 16 to 24, who join MEC before October 31, 2009, get discounts on services, free items, and a chance to win a $1000 MEC Gift Card.

A good idea but only half finished. MEC is incentivizing the target group but not the recruiters. A small referral reward for bringing the youngsters into the MEC fold would go a long way towards tipping existing customers to recruit younger acquaintances. Altruism is a great motivator. Self interest is an even better one.