Leading AMRA’s Marketing Shift: From Outdated Practices to Record Growth and Community Trust

The Arizona Motorcycle Riders Association (AMRA) has always been a respected part of the off-road racing community. But outdated marketing practices, declining membership, and limited sponsorship revenue left the organization struggling to stay competitive.

In 2024, I stepped in to lead what I now call the AMRA marketing shift, a full transformation of how the association approaches sponsorships, digital communication, and community engagement. By spearheading this change, I introduced a new SEO-optimized website, optimized email marketing, AI-powered content tools, and Buffer scheduling for consistent social media.

The results? Record-breaking sponsorship revenue, surging digital engagement, and renewed community trust.

The AMRA Marketing Shift in Sponsorship Growth

Sponsorship is the backbone of AMRA’s racing program, and in my first year leading the AMRA marketing shift, we achieved unprecedented results:

• $12,000 in cash sponsorships - the highest in AMRA history.

• $9,000 already secured for the 2026 season, with three months still to go before the December 1 deadline.

This growth came from a combination of hard work and strategy. In 2025, I rolled up my sleeves, making direct calls, building relationships, and creating a professional sponsorship package that gave partners confidence they would be recognized and valued.

Now, moving into 2026, the momentum continues with the launch of our SEO-optimized website, which gives sponsors a much larger, more credible platform for visibility. Together, that combination of personal outreach and a professional digital presence has positioned AMRA for record-breaking sponsorship success.

A Website Designed for Growth and Visibility

The old AMRA website lacked structure, SEO, and sponsor features. As part of the AMRA marketing shift, I rebuilt the site from the ground up to serve as a strategic hub:

• 1,985 sessions and 1,303 unique visitors in the first 30 days

• 518 visits from Google search and 235 from social media

• Outperformed new-site benchmarks by 3–5x

With elevated sponsor placements and improved community usability, the website is now a centerpiece of AMRA’s digital growth strategy.

Email Marketing Improvements that Drive Results

Before the AMRA marketing shift, the association relied on image-heavy emails with no list hygiene, resulting in higher costs and lower engagement. I restructured email marketing to:

• Create content-rich campaigns supported by visuals

• Add calls-to-action driving readers to the website.

• Implement list hygiene, removing 900+ invalid contacts, saving $500–$1,500 annually.

• Leverage AI tools to draft optimized messaging faster, improving engagement and conversions.

Strengthening Social Media with Buffer and AI

Social media is often the first place riders, fans, and sponsors connect with AMRA. Prior to the AMRA marketing shift, posting was inconsistent and relied too heavily on single images.

I developed a sustainable content strategy that included:

• Consistent posting with race promotions, member updates, club spotlights, sponsor highlights, and community news.

• AI-powered content support to create optimized posts faster, with more detail and stronger engagement.

• Automation tools like Buffer, which ensure reliability and consistency while saving valuable time.

By combining AI with Buffer automation, AMRA is now able to maintain a professional, consistent, and impactful social media presence, even without a large budget.

Results of the AMRA Marketing Shift

In just one year, the AMRA marketing shift has delivered:

• Record sponsorship revenue - $12,000 in 2025, $9,000 already for 2026.

• A website launch that outperformed benchmarks by 3–5x.

• Email cost savings of up to $1,500 annually from list hygiene.

• AI-powered workflows and Buffer scheduling for consistent content creation.

• Positive community feedback, with members sharing excitement about AMRA’s new direction and renewed professionalism.

This mirrors the work I’ve done with the American Buckskin Horse Association, where I’ve driven 40% year-over-year digital growth since 2018.

Conclusion

The AMRA marketing shift demonstrates what’s possible when consistent strategy, strong design, and modern tools come together. By focusing on SEO best practices, AI-powered efficiency, and transparent community outreach and promotion, AMRA has moved from outdated practices to record growth in sponsorships, digital engagement, and member trust.

This is just the beginning. With this strong foundation in place, AMRA is positioned to continue growing sponsorships, expanding outreach, and celebrating the off-road racing community for years to come.

Lets Build Your Brand!

✨ Are you ready to create your own “marketing shift”? If your association or brand needs to increase sponsorships, grow engagement, and strengthen community trust, I’d love to help.

Karri Owens | karri@karriowensdesigns.com | 509-628-6904