KIXE has found a way for its local Kids Club to offer unique value to prospective sponsors and members alike, allowing the Kids Club to not only pay for itself (and then some!), but to also meaningfully engage qualified corporate sponsorship prospects.  

Like many stations, KIXE’s Kids Club hinges on its birthday recognition, with the station sending out personalized PBS KIDS birthday cards to Kids Club members via snail mail each month.  This has been a primary driver for Kids Club member acquisition, and perhaps most interestingly, has proved an attractive feature to offer to prospective local sponsors.

KIXE offers Kids Club sponsorship for a nominal annual fee to local businesses. In exchange, all local Kids Club sponsors get the opportunity to offer a coupon or discount as an insert in the Kids Club birthday cards that get mailed to Kids Club members each month.

Given KIXE’s small market size, the KIXE Kids Club list is relatively small, but local businesses value the targeted direct marketing to qualified customers loyal to PBS KIDS and predisposed to do business with PBS KIDS sponsors. These local businesses also value the opportunity to drive foot traffic to their stores by promoting product offers and discounts, something not possible as a KIXE on-air underwriter. KIXE adds further value by providing each sponsor with a certificate to display at their place of business, which visibly identifies them as a supporter of PBS KIDS and helps build loyalty within their existing customer base.

For KIXE, the program is also a cost-effective way to introduce local businesses to all the station has to offer. Once on board for Kids Club, it is easier to upsell a local sponsor to a larger on-air or multi-media package.