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The running community is very active online. Marathons and other road races should leverage social communication channels to build and activate communities year-round. When done right, this can strengthen customer service, deliver a better race-day experience, mitigate crisis situations, drive registrations and recruit volunteers. Using the Columbus Marathon as a case study, this presentation was first delivered to the Road Race Management annual conference. Want Heather Whaling to help your event harness the power of social media? Just email: heather [at] gebencommunication.com.
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#RoadRaceSM • @prTini
Why Social Media is a Must
Heather [email protected]
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a fresh approach to event communication:
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The basics:Event news & announcementsRegistrationVolunteers
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Dig deeper:IntentCustomer serviceCommunity relationsSponsor integrationCrisis communication
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Desired Outcomes:
Photo credits: Schoolhouse, Post-It, Line, Runner
activate &
accelerate
educate eliminate barriers
drive registratio
n
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“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”– Simon Sinek
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Integrating Traditional and Digital PR
Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/will-lion/2636903303/
innovate best practices
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Community Development
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You have to BUILD a community before you can ACTIVATE it.
tweetable tip:
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“You have to earn the right to sell something in the same way you earn the right to ask a friend a favor.” – Renegades Write the Rules
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Case Study: The Columbus Marathon
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Goals: • Build a community year-round, activate it leading up
to the marathon• Provide real-time customer service to deliver a
better race-day experience for athletes & spectators• Extend partnerships, especially with Nationwide
Children’s Hospital• Gain insights and feedback through online
monitoring and digital research
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nail the basics
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• facebook.com/columbusmarathon• Off season: Update 4-5 times per week• Training season: Update twice daily• Emphasis on facilitating conversation among
marathoners
tweetable tip:Consistent, frequent updates are required to
build interactive Facebook communities
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#RoadRaceSM • @prTini
Countdown Images
The Final Countdown• 1,175 shares• Week-of interactions
increased 385%• Secured car donation
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Facebook – Customer Service151 questions answered the
week of the race – just on Facebook
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Facebook – Race Day Coverage
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• @cbusmarathon• Limit: 3-4 scheduled tweets per day• Focus on being conversational, providing moral support• Heavy use of lists & local search
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Virtual Scavenger Hunt:• Drive traffic to the new website• Positive reinforcement• Establish new connections with
potential marathon runners/walkers• http://bit.ly/CbusMarathonHunt
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Twitter – Customer Service
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Post Race #PRParty
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www.columbusmarathon.com/blog
• “Maintenance mode” during off season• In-season: 2-3 posts per week• Blogging team provides real-life
perspective. • Bloggers include:
– Board member/sponsor– Local media personality– Mom walking to lose pregnancy weight– First-timer
• 30 Tips, 30 Days
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30 Tips, 30 Days• 8 of the top 10 blog
pages in 2011 were tips
• Blog traffic grew 260%
• 2010 to 2011: pageviews tripled
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30 Tips in 30 Days
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First Marathon to Join PinterestAmong top 15 referring sites to the
website
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bridge the digital & physical divide
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Partnership Press Conference
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RunFest
Co-hosts•6 local influencers•Each blogged, shared on Facebook•40 tweets
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RunFest
Result:1,000 attendees (250 in 2010, 500 in 2011)
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Tweet & Go Seek
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Potential partner:
Sponsor:
Participant:
Taking note:
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Ask The Race Director 2012
• UStream• Questions solicited in
advance and in real-time
• Promoted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and the blog
• Viewership increased 68%
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Expo “Tweet Up”
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crowdsource feedback
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just ask
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results
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Results:•Top referral sources:
• Facebook • Facebook Mobile • Twitter
•Facebook:• Engagement: +133%• Fans: +42%• Customer service
doubled•Twitter:
• Engagement: +59%• Followers: +45%
•$875,000 raised for Nationwide Children’s
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Rapid Fire: Content Creation Tools
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Instagram.com@Instagram
Why? Fastest-growing mobile network; visual storytelling
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Tout.com @tout
Why? 15-second videos to repost on Facebook & Twitter
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VenueSeen.com • @VenueSeen
Why? Monitor Instagram & Foursquare images; create hashtag-driven campaigns; Instagram CRM
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MadewithOver.com @MadeWithOver
Why? Simple, beautiful textography
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Pitchengine.com@Pitchengine
Why? Social media news releases
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Disrupt the status quo. Build awareness.
Acquire customers. Excel in the social world.
Increase sales. Innovate best practices.
Heather Whaling • @[email protected]
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