Fill your Courts! How to Drive Growth With Digital Marketing

The Sweet Spot Podcast – Episode with Wes Shaw and Chase Wicklund of Stack 11 Marketing

🎙️ Episode Overview

In this episode of The Sweet Spot, host Josh Kerns welcomes West Shaw and Chase Wicklund of StackEleven Marketing, the only agency exclusively focused on marketing for pickleball facilities.

From filling courts to retaining members, West and Chase share strategies that have helped facilities across the country grow stronger through smart, measurable marketing.

🔑 Key Takeaways

Most facilities underestimate marketing – relying on social posts instead of real strategy.
Paid ads outperform old-school methods – print, radio, and billboards don’t convert like targeted digital campaigns.
Intro clinics are the gold mine – beginner programs bring in new players who often convert to long-term members.
Retention > one-time visits – building lifetime customers is more profitable than chasing advanced players.
Marketing is a long game – $1K–$1.5K per month in ads is the sweet spot for sustainable growth.

⏱️ Episode Show Notes with Time Codes

00:00 – Introduction: Josh introduces Stack11 Marketing and highlights the marketing gap in pickleball facilities.
02:00 – Origins of Stack 11: West shares how a targeted ad led to meeting Chase and launching Stack 11.
04:40 – Chase’s Background: From insurance advertising to pickleball marketing.
07:00 – Why Facilities Struggle: Operators often lack digital marketing skills.
09:00 – Bridging Generations: How younger marketers complement seasoned operators.
11:00 – What Stack 11 Provides: Ads, creatives, CRM, email, and SMS campaigns.
14:00 – Marketing Philosophy: Focus on solving the real business problem—filling courts.
16:00 – Targeting New Players: Why beginners are the best audience.
18:00 – Beyond Social Posts: Paid ads drive action, not just awareness.
20:30 – Budgeting: Why $1K–$1.5K per month in ad spend works.
23:00 – Competition Strategy: One client per market to avoid overlap.
26:00 – Creative Refresh: Constantly updating ad creatives and campaigns.
30:00 – Conversion Science: Low-cost intro offers drive better results than membership pushes.
33:00 – Building Lifetime Customers: Intro clinics as the start of the flywheel.
34:20 – Getting Started: How to work with Stack 11.
35:30 – Results Timeline: Expect results over months as lifetime value builds.

📢 Quotes from the Episode

“The easiest dollar you’ll ever make is the one from someone who has already walked through your doors.” – West Shaw

“You don’t need to burn $10K in ads in the first month. Spend smart, sustain it, and keep offerings fresh.” – Chase Wicklund

📺 Listen to the Full Episode

🚀 Learn More About Stack 11

Visit Stack Eleven Marketing to learn how West, Chase, and their team are helping pickleball facilities nationwide attract and retain players.