In addition to promotional literature, the press and media is a key element in promoting and selling the sport of orienteering. It is hard to guarantee coverage in the national media so websites and the local media (newspapers, radio, TV) are vital sources for increasing awareness of our sport as well as social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. All clubs need to appoint a Publicity Officer to liaise with the local media and to create and distribute press releases and promotional material. Clubs should also consider having a group to run and monitor their social media sites.
Below are a few key messages about orienteering to help you promote the sport.
Orienteering…..
For Adults:
For Children:
The best places to promote orienteering are:
Facebook is an excellent way of engaging with people who are interested in orienteering.
Ten Top Tips for More Facebook Followers:
1. ASK FOR LIKES
A simple place to start, ask your staff and partners to 'like' your Facebook page then suggest they invite their friends and families to 'like' it too. This is often a great way to get the ball rolling and gather a few hundred fans. Once you have more fans you can ask them to spread the word too and invite their contacts to like your page. Having some kind of incentive (and a goal number) often helps here. Perhaps a competition to win an iPad 2 that you will draw from all fans when you reach 1,000 or letting people know that you will donate £500 to a relevant charity when you get to 5,000 fans.
2. SHARE YOUR LIKE BUTTON
Take the code from Facebook that makes the 'like' button transportable and add it to the signature of the emails of all your team. Here is a link to the instructions to do this...
You could also create an email message, featuring this like button for your page, and distribute it to everyone you have on your contacts database via email. Include a nice message that says something along the lines of "we are planning to share lots news, tips and offers on our Facebook page and to get started we are working hard to increase the number of fans we have. Please click the ‘like’ our page to ensure you don't miss out."
3. SPREAD THE WORD
Make sure that the fact that you have a Facebook page is communicated on all your traditional and online marketing material. Include the click-through button on your website, ezine, email signatures along with printed material - business cards, leaflets, posters.
4. LIKE OTHERS
'Like' other influential pages and supporters which could include local businesses, charities, industry bodies, media groups.
5. GET OTHER COMPANIES TO LIKE YOU
Ask other companies to add your page as a like to their pages too. You may need to literally ask them to add you where you feel you have a strong relationship.
6. USE PHOTOS
Upload a selection of photos from your events, launches, team shots etc. Create albums for events as they happen and then upload lots of photos of people enjoying themselves! Encourage your members and staff to upload photos from key events throughout the year. Send a simple email saying something along the lines of "We are planning to increase the content on our Facebook page. Please share your photos!" You may want to add simple guidelines to show how they do this.
7. TAG PHOTOS
'Tag' as many people in the photos as you can. When you tag a photo a message will appear in that person's wall - eg The FIA has tagged you in a photo in its album called Summer BBQ 2011. This will alert their friends to the fact that your page exists.
8. PLAN ACTIVITY
Develop a very simple excel spreadsheet with each of your events along the top axis and along the left axis activities such as messages on the wall, photos taken, upload photo, tag photos, make video etc. In the boxes write the initials of who is going to be responsible for each of those activities.
9. EVENTS
Create 'events' for your fundraising events and send invitations to ask people to attend. Details of how to do this are shown in this link.
10. SHARE GREAT STUFF
Remember it's not just about attracting followers on Facebook, but keeping them and interacting regularly.
Here are some things you can do to increase engagement with your followers:
Local newspapers are a fantastic way to reach the local community and engage with your target audience. The local press respond to local people, so make sure you develop a relationship with them. The first thing a club needs to do is appoint a Club Publicity Officer. This person must be a good writer and confident at speaking/liaising in order to build relationships and will be the contact person for all media enquires. The local newspapers are important as they can:
Sending a Press Release
Send your Press Release to the contact you have already established or to the email address given on the publication's website if no contact is identified. You should then follow this up with a phone call to check they have received it. You could also take this opportunity to invite the journalist to your event/club night to have a go themselves or interview members of the club. After your event send a nice photograph and a brief write up, telling them how many people attended and some quotes from people who came along and had a positive experience.
Please refer to the O-Safe Policy here.
Photography and Filming Permission forms are available by contacting the National Office.
If you would like to discuss anything that you are unsure about please contact National Office on 01629 583037 who will be happy to advise you.
Sometimes a journalist may require an interview, particularly if they are writing a feature article. Interviews can take place face to face or by telephone or email. You should choose a suitable person to be interviewed who is relevant to the feature. This person should: