Download CLUB PUBLICITY/PROMOTIONS OFFICER ROLE

CLUB PUBLICITY/PROMOTIONS OFFICER ROLE
Roles and Responsibilities
develop and implement a public relations program
ensure that the club receives maximum promotional exposures in all spheres
submit club results each occasion as prescribed by the association
write media releases concerning upcoming events, interesting personalities, or club events
coordinate arrangements for press media coverage of club news releases on functions, staff
changes, players and recruits
assist in the publication of club newsletters and reports
assist in the development of a program for the recruitment and retention of financial
supporters to the club
act as a liaison person for media at all events
be familiar with all media personnel
develop a strategy to better market and promote the club
provide the members of the association with appropriate exposure to the public through
marketing
arrange for sponsorship of teams and or advertising of the club through the association
magazine/newsletter
liaise with other committee members regularly
What is Marketing?
Marketing is the process of matching up a product or service with people who want to purchase or
participate in it. These people are referred to as 'the market'. Marketing is also a planned approach to
‘sell’ your product or service.
It is through the club’s overall plan that it tries to attract sponsors, increase and retain members,
recruit volunteers, develop strategies for swimmer development, education of volunteers, and indicate
to the members where the club is going in the future. Through
the marketing plan, the elements of membership, sponsorship and volunteer recruitment are looked
at. You are selling your club to these markets.
Sport, leisure and recreation are extremely marketable products: they have a head start over many
consumer products because the public already sees them as healthy and worthwhile ways to spend
time and money.
However, with so many recreational options now available, it is unwise to sit back and wait until
people stumble across the club or activity. You have to make them want to take part in your activity or
sign up as a club member. This process of persuasion is known as marketing.
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Marketing is not just ‘hard sell’. It is a carefully planned mixture of advertising, publicity, sponsorship
and public relations. It is important to consider all these areas when working out a marketing strategy
for your club.
The product you are selling is your own club or organisation - or the activity around which the club is
based. So it stands to reason that you must present whatever you are offering in a positive light.
What should a club do?
Each area of marketing must be broken down and considered separately as part of the club's aims.
Asking the following questions may help:
What is our product and do the public understand it?
Who are our target market - who would be interested?
What do we want to achieve? - eg. more members, more sponsorship, etc.
Are we in there for the long haul? Marketing is not a fund-raising drive.
How could we best promote it to the public?
Do we have the work force to implement our plans?
Who carries out the Marketing?
Marketing can be a straight forward process if you treat it as a series of stages. There is no reason
why your club could not implement its own marketing plan. It is important to be sure that everyone
who is involved is clear of the steps and the particular order in which they must be done. A team
approach is recommended. This reduces stress levels and means that there is good support
throughout the process.
One person should be responsible for the implementation of the marketing plan. This could be the
club's Chairperson, the development officer or a specially appointed individual.
This person heads a team or committee which constantly assesses the club's marketing strategies to
ensure it continues to have a product / service with a related market.
The Five Marketing Stages
Marketing is made up of the following stages:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Defining the product/service
Defining the target market
Setting objectives
Developing the marketing strategy
Compiling the marketing plan
1. Defining the Product/Service
Before you can undertake any marketing, you need to identify and know the product or
service you are offering. The point is that if you can't identify and define what it is you are
marketing, it is unlikely that anyone else will be able to.
Define the product in relation to your club and its aims: eg. if a swimming club wanting to
attract new members directs its marketing efforts too much towards the competitive side,
more people may take up swimming - but they may join another club. Think about the
particular benefits and attractions of participating in your activity.
Be as specific as possible about what you have to offer. This is your "selling tool" and the
basis of your marketing strategy. While your club is your main product, other products or
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services may be offered in association with club membership, such as professional coaching,
free uniforms, preferential pool space, safety protection, child care.
Sometimes, products can be in the form of special events. Competitions, fun days and social
events can be promoted through marketing campaigns.
Events can also be products. Competitions, "Come 'n' Try" days and social events can be
promoted.
2. Defining the Target Market
A marketing strategy will only be successful if it is aimed at the appropriate group of people.
You can take the shotgun approach - load the rifle, fire it, and hope that whoever it hits will be
interested enough to check out your activity. But unless you are extraordinarily lucky, you will
probably end up wasting both time and money.
It is much easier to target the audience or groups you want to reach and focus your program
directly at them. Often, all it takes is a bit of common sense. For example, a swimming club
wanting to start a daytime competition would not target school children, rather those people
who are free during the day.
A general rule is to ask: Who are they? Where are they? What is their interest? How can we
reach them? And, most importantly, why should they be interested in what we have to offer?
Look at the current members of your club. Ask who are they? Why are they here?
When trying to identify the target market, consider the following list:
gender
age groups
single people or couples.
family groups
occupation
ethnic groups
religious background
educational background
location - town or suburb
other leisure interests
time available for leisure
availability of money for leisure activities
When looking at a club membership, consider the common factors they share. Are they all
men or family groups, do they come from similar backgrounds, do they share other leisure
interests, etc?
3. Setting Objectives
You must have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve through marketing. Do you want
to increase the numbers playing at your club or do you want to identify individuals who will
develop into world champions. Your decisions will have a major impact on the type of
marketing plan you produce.
Your objectives might be to:
increase participation
increase club membership
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increase volunteers
raise media profile
obtain sponsorship for one or more teams
increase achievement/performance goals
improvement in facilities and services
entry into other competitions or leagues
4. Developing the Marketing Strategies
When your objectives are clear, it is time to develop a marketing strategy. Remember, you
need to be able to reach your target audience - be aware of where they live, where they shop,
what they read, what they listen to, and if and where they work.
The key is to work out what is important to each group and tailor your plan of action
accordingly. Don't forget to consider the price of your "product" or service - it should be in line
with what your target group can afford to spend. What are the issues that will influence your
group's participation?
5. Compiling the Marketing Plan
Once you have worked out your marketing strategy, you should prepare a marketing plan that
outlines the steps you intend taking to implement the strategy. The marketing plan is simply a
written document outlining what you intend to do. This plan will present a summary of your
marketing objectives, a description of your target market and of the product/service you are
selling to this market and finally the method by which you intend targeting this market. The
club's administrators can refer to it regularly to ensure the club is meeting its objectives.
Example
Product/Service: day time swimming competition.
Target Market: non-working/shift working men and women
Objective: to get more people to swim during the day
Strategy: information delivered through Community service officers at City Councils, local
swim centres.
For larger clubs or large scale projects, you will probably need to compile a more detailed
document. The following marketing plan outline has been designed to cover all situations and
questions. You may like to use it as a guideline:
(a) Executive Summary - this is the overview of the marketing plan which serves as a
summary for club executives and members. It serves as an introduction to your marketing
strategy but is always written last. It should be short, concise and focus on the highlights
of the plan. As a general rule, the summary should fit on one page (two at the very most).
If it is any longer, it is not a summary.
(b) Situational Analysis - this determines your club's position within the current environment.
It should include a three-way analysis:
the market situation (the size/prominence of your club in relation to others, the
number of clubs in competition, the potential for enlarging the club, the stability or
changing nature of the recreation market in your area)
internal analysis (assessment of your club's strengths and weaknesses)
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external analysis (potential opportunities and threats to your club, why your club has
the competitive advantage or how it can develop one.
(c) Objectives - this is a written statement of your club's ‘mission’ and that of your marketing
plan. Are they compatible? Objectives should match your funds, resources and abilities.
Work out how your success can be measured. Establish a deadline for meeting these
objectives.
(d) Target Markets - the group/s you are aiming to reach. Assess whether your product or
service meets the needs of your target market. Consider whether the target market has
changed in recent times and in what way. Is there potential for expansion? Consider the
best methods of reaching this group.
(e) Strategy and the marketing mix - this is simply an outline of your strategy for
implementing the plan. Consider your marketing mix - give a brief description of these
four components:
product/service
price
promotion
distribution
Consider how this marketing plan differs from the most recent plan your club has
used. Why are these changes necessary?
(f) Action program - consider each component of your marketing mix in detail. Look at the
history of each, the current situation and likely future trends. Assess your competition
and think about any changes/modifications you may have to make in the future. Work out
a test marketing process for your product:
product / service
pricing
distribution
promotion
(g) Budgets, controls and accountability - developing and implementing a marketing and
promotion strategy will require financial outlay. You should ensure that this plan is
incorporated into the club's annual budget.
Once completed the marketing plan will become an invaluable resource for the club. It can be used in
the form of a prospectus that is given to potential sponsors, government departments when seeking
grants and to potential new members.
Specialist Assistance
There are VIP training courses in the area of Marketing. The module titled ‘How to Market a Club’
would be well worth attending. Several other sources offer outside help, although you may have to
pay for the service.
Firstly, contact your State Department of Sport and Recreation in your area - they may be able to
help.
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Other free sources of help may be administrators or officials of clubs similar to your own. They will
have faced - and dealt with - similar problems in the past and may be quite willing to pass on what
they have learned.
Public relations companies, marketing and advertising agencies, design specialists and market
researchers may also be able to help. However, there is often a hefty price tag attached to these
services.
Some TAFE or Institutes of Technology may also offer courses in this area. Check with your nearest
Institute.
Promotion
You have the marketing strategy in place. A major component of the marketing strategy is promotion.
It is the process by which the product or service is brought to the attention of the "market". The aim is
to present your club and its activities in the best possible light.
There are many forms of promotion, from purchasing material for visual displays to paying for
advertising space in the local paper. It is critical that the promotion suits the product or service, the
market, and the stated objectives. Promotion is not just an advertising campaign; it is creating a
positive general public awareness of your organisation and its activities.
Traditionally, most clubs do not have marketing or promotion officers.
Publicity is another effective means of getting the public to take notice of your product or service.
Publicity will be covered in more detail shortly.
Who is responsible?
The person you choose for the tasks of promotion may not have a set title or duties. However, make
sure that this person has the time, the skills, and the back-up support to cope. Ideally, this person
should be someone who understands the principles of marketing. A knowledge of the workings of the
media is an added bonus. Make sure this person is provided with clear objectives and enthusiastic
personnel to help them.
Whatever official title they go under, this person has one of the most important jobs in the club, and
can have an enormous influence on the public profile of the club. If your club is regularly in the news,
it will attract new members and possibly sponsors. If your club has a low profile - or is poorly
presented in the media - it can suffer. Membership may fall, and public interest dry up, making it very
difficult to run a viable operation. Therefore, choose your promotions officers carefully!
Promotional Campaigns
A successful promotional campaign requires careful planning. Discuss your ideas with club members
and try them out on your friends and family as well as club members. If the response is favourable,
test it further on a sample of the particular audience you are intending to reach.
The Promotion Steps
The following steps can be followed to conduct a successful marketing campaign:
1. Have a clear idea of what you want to achieve through the campaign. This will help to plan
activities to suit.
2. Choose an activity compatible with promoting that aim - eg. it would be more appropriate for a
bowling club to raise funds by hosting a have-a-go day than a fun-run.
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3. Construct the right message for the target audience. This message must also be backed up
with support information which tells the audience where and how they can get involved in your
activities.
4. Identify the promotion avenues and the channels that you will use to distribute your message,
eg. posters, pamphlets, media, publicity balloons, fun days, street fairs, t-shirts.
5. Create in the presentation the "style" that is the most appropriate to persuade your audience
to participate.
Note: Before starting the campaign, be sure that the club is equipped to cope with the anticipated
results of the promotion. If a large number of people suddenly want to join your club, are the existing
facilities, equipment and people resources adequate? Or would they suffer from a virtual population
explosion?
Some mediums for promotion are:
brochures, newsletters, annual reports
professional journals and magazines
public speaking
displays and demonstrations
public notice boards
flyers
mementoes and photographs
and, if your are fortunate enough, television
Publicity
Publicity is one form of promotion. The important difference between publicity and other forms of
promotion is that it is not paid for: it appears in story or editorial form in the print media and in the
non-commercial portion of radio and television programs.
Through the establishment of a publicity officer's position and a publicity committee, your club can
raise its public profile. The main avenue to raise your organisation's profile or the attention it is given
is by working with and through the media. Regular mention and publicity via the media helps to create
and maintain an awareness of your activity.
All sections of the media are well set up for covering sport, recreation and leisure events and, if
approached with an idea relevant to their medium, may be happy to investigate it. Radio, television
and the print media all have very different needs. Don't try to determine these by guesswork!
Approach editors or journalists in each medium to find out their individual requirements.
Be realistic. Just because a lot of people are involved in your particular activity, don't expect everyone
else to feel the same way. For the media to take interest, whatever you are doing has to make a good
story. The media are in the business of news and entertaining readers, listeners or viewers - not
humouring individual clubs.
Public Relations
Is a broader term than publicity: it involves the many practices used to build rapport with various
sectors of the public. PR, therefore, may use advertising, publicity or any other tools that might be
appropriate. It involves both good deeds and good communication, and can be used to influence
officials from club to government level.
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Working with the Media
Important points to remember when working with the media are:
Know your subject - be prepared to answer questions.
Believe in its appeal and be prepared to "sell" it to sports editors - there are many activities
competing for the same newspaper space or radio time slot.
Find out what the media want - and supply it.
Seek to develop a rapport with journalists and media personnel. If they are getting what they
want, it is likely you will get what you want.
If you have time, it is a good idea to prepare a series of mock news items and facts that support the
events.
Print Media
Newspapers are interested in news. Don't bombard them with tales about how good the weather was
last weekend. Local papers and larger papers who regularly publish feature material in your area of
activity may be interested in human interest stories. Study your local papers and note what they most
regularly publish. Research shows that most people tend to read their Community newspaper, so
use it.
Remember that newspapers are in the business of supplying news. For clubs, the focus of news is
the human interest story – ‘local mother of five wins gold at the veteran athletics in Alice Springs’.
Therefore, it is much more advisable to target local papers. Larger papers are only interested in big
events.
Newspapers can provide mediums for advertising, results, weekly draws, previews and reviews,
reports, supplements, features and photographs.
Press Releases
When producing a press release, follow these guide lines:
Ensure that the release is typed - double spaced.
The information must be topical.
Present the news in short, snappy headlines with the main points of interest first.
Use simple and easily understood language.
Check the media deadlines.
Use the correct format, particularly in relation to names.
Provide photographs (where applicable).
Put the name of the club at the top of the release. The wording ‘Media Release’ needs to also
be prominently displayed.
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Supply name, address and telephone number of a club person to contact for further
information.
Deliver the release personally or post directly to the relevant reporter.
If you do not want the release published immediately, type "this media release is embargoed
until (time) on the (date)" across the top of the page. Use bold letters and underline the
sentence.
The ideal media release should answer five questions concerning an event:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What was the event? What happened?
Where did it happen?
Who did it happen to?
When did it happen?
Why did it happen?
When you sit down to write it, ask yourself WHAT HAPPENED? What would you tell a friend if they
walked in the door? The first thing you say should be in the opening paragraph - so should the name
of the sport or recreational event. If possible, include a quote from a key player or coach - this gives
the story some personality.
Facts should be ranked according to importance. The crucial facts are at the top. The reason for this
is twofold. Firstly, a punchy introduction catches the attention of readers. Secondly, a sub-editor will
cut a story from the bottom if there is insufficient space or air time.
Radio
Radio's big plus is its immediacy. News can be on the air waves within minutes - sometimes even
seconds - of breaking. The disadvantages are that reports are often very brief and heavily cut before
going on air. If writing a news release specifically for radio, three paragraphs would probably be
enough.
If you are being interviewed, use the present tense to make it sound as though things have just
happened. Be enthusiastic and as natural as possible. Commercial radio stations often have
community service announcements: where possible, use these to advertise your event.
Radio can provide mediums for advertising, commentaries, previews and reviews, cancellation
service, community service, reports, documentaries and talkback.
Television
Television is, well, television. It is the most glamorous, most expensive and most demanding medium.
It is also by far the hardest to pin down.
Sports clubs have possibly the best chance of committing television to their event. Producers are
worth approaching if a club has a big event coming up: sports champions or personalities may be a
drawcard. TV crews require suitable backdrops for filming, so make sure your activity is taking place
at an acceptable location.
Advertising
Advertising has clear advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, it guarantees space and allows
the organisation to say exactly what they want to say. Conversely, it is expensive, especially in
metropolitan newspapers, magazines and on television.
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Before taking out an advertisement, think carefully. It is possible to achieve adequate publicity at very
little cost through news releases and feeding the media a healthy supply of information.
If advertising is considered necessary, do some homework into costs and placements. Make sure
your ad will reach your target audience. Check to see if there is a special rate for a series of
advertisements.
The Interview
Radio and Television
Put forward the organisation's most articulate members. For television interviews, grooming
is important.
Concentrate on the interviewer rather than the microphone.
Know your subject matter - don't set yourself up for embarrassment by not being able to
answer basic questions.
Interviewers will often give you a rundown on what to expect - but don't be surprised by
deviations to the question list.
Give the interviewer a brief on the topic and perhaps some sample questions they may be
able to ask you.
Be natural, enthusiastic and keep to the point. Long answers will require too much editing.
Aim for no more than 20 or 30 seconds for any one answer.
Find out when the item is going to be used and maximise publicity by spreading the word.
Major Events
If a club is organising a major tournament or event, media coverage will be important. The media will
be more interested the closer the event comes, but a series of press releases in the months leading
up to the event can serve both as reminders and educational material.
This outline will cover what might be needed for an international or national event. A provincial event
would not need so much effort, a club event even less. Be aware of what category your event fits into
and don't overdo the media releases. Sending a press release a day on a primary schools' sporting
event is more likely to antagonise the media than encourage it.
Appoint a media liaison officer to issue media releases, prepare media kits, ensure a media room with
good communication facilities is available and organise press conferences.
Make sure media releases state what the event is, where it is, when it is, how important it is and why,
how it is organised (times, ground, etc.) and who is entered. Put your name on the release so
journalists know who to get in touch with for further information. High profile entries are always of
interest to the media.
Accreditation for the Media
This does not need to concern most organisers. For big events, it pays to accredit journalists. This
simply means reporters must be accredited by the organisers to get into an event.
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Such a system has advantages for both parties. The organisers can restrict media seating to specific
numbers by allowing in only journalists with a bona fida interest in the event, while working journalists
will not have their space invaded by freeloaders.
If you decide to have accreditation, you must let the media know. It is poor public relations to have
journalists arriving without accreditation because they weren't informed of the requirement.
Accredited media wear a card or badge to identify them and give them access to restricted areas. The
card should be large enough to contain a clearly recognisable photograph of its bearer. The card
should also have the person’s name, organisation, their purpose - reporter, photographer - and the
areas they have access to.
The Media Kit
Even the most well-informed sports reporter can not be expected to know everything about every
competitor at an event. They need to know how the competition is organised - a timetable and rules
suffice - who the officials are, background details on top competitors and where and when to get
results.
A well-equipped media kit means a well-informed journalist and a well-reported event.
information on past winners and biographies on present day heroes.
Provide
General Media Assistance
Keep the media up to date with what is going on in the organisation side of the event. If there is a
change to the program, a protest, a cancellation or a postponement, let the media know promptly.
Keep alert for possible story ideas. Interesting stories with a human angle are always in demand. For
the sake of good public relations, it is wise to send a letter of thanks to the media after the event. Ask
if there is anything which could have been improved on.
It is important not to favour any media member over another. To do this runs the risk of antagonising
someone, causing them to view the organisation of an event in a less positive light.
Other Means of Obtaining Publicity
Publications
Club or organisation newsletters, brochures and Annual Reports can all provide effective means of
publicity. Professional services may be required but if the club decides on an in-house job, accuracy
is paramount.
Flyers or letter drops are a useful means of mass promotion. Magazines and journals are often
interested in articles relating to their particular field.
Public Speaking
A competent public speaker can do much for an organisation's profile. Opportunities can be created
for the member to speak to various groups on any aspect of club activity.
All too often, a person goes to a meeting, not expecting to do anything more than listen, only to be
told on arrival that he or she is expected to "say a few words". For those who are not experienced or
confident speakers, this can be terrifying. Even accomplished speakers will feel the familiar rumble of
nerves when they speak to a group.
It is a skill well worth practising. Here are a few tips for successful public speaking:
Be well prepared - think about who your audience are - and think, talk, read about your
subject matter. Start well in advance. Last minute planning only heightens nerves.
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Content is vital - state what you are talking about and why. Make several points to support
your case. Finally, summarise the case and state it again.
Relax - think of your audience as friendly individuals, not a ravenous monster waiting to
pounce. Pick out several interested faces and talk to those people.
Concentrate - don't be distracted. It will distract your audience.
Smile and be enthusiastic - it is the very best way to interest your audience – they won't be
able to resist.
Keep it short - when you've made your point, finish your presentation and sit down.
Nerves are forgivable; boring people is not.
Club members
Enthusiastic members can be a club's best advertisement. Encourage them to spread the word.
Displays and Demonstrations
Strategically placed displays and demonstrations can have a powerful impact. If possible, they should
include a hands-on experience for spectators - eg. Come 'n' Try days give people the opportunity to
try your activity.
Shopping centres, lobbies of buildings, schools, fairs and recreation centres are all good display sites,
depending on the target audience.
Mementos
Trophies, pennants, medals, etc will provide a lasting memory of your event. In larger clubs, there is a
market for items such as tee-shirts, caps, clothing, towels, etc to be sold to competitors and
spectators.
Photographs
Remember the old saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’? While journalists may dispute it,
always consider the potential of your event for photographs. The club should encourage the filing of
all photographs that may be suitable for use in displays/presentations etc.
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