Well its seems the BAM media thread ignited some discussions and views.
It has exposed a underlying problem in this sport and maybe since we are all talking about we can start a seperate thread about the PR of this sport at all levels.
To get the word out about this sport it has to start at the very very bottom. US, we are ALL publicity officers and should take every opportunity to tell our mates or whoever you talk to that may be interested about the sport.
Then clubs need to get involved as well, and I know very well small clubs struggle to even fill the basic positions and don't have a designated PO, but they do the best they can. locally advertising their events but they also need to advertise with the aim of new members, so need to get into the appers, get into shopping centres with dispalys, organise come and try days etc etc. Most clubs KNOW what to do but just don't have the manpower to do it as schedules are tight for most ppl.
States MUST have a PO, can anyone in NSW tell me who holds that position??? whose rle should be to get to the next level of promotion, help clubs get their major meeting publisized amongst other clubs, and get dispalys organised at motorshows, events, providing clubs with the equipment to put on a dispaly. QLD have a come and try trailer that has karts that can be passed around each club for the come and try day so ppl don't have to use their own equipment. Maybe state could have apromotion trailer that has a pop up shelter, tables, TV and DVD, promotional flyers, hand outs stickers, etc that could do the same be passed around to the clubs to use.
NATIONAL should do the next level, assist with state events, and the nationals, and getting a NATIONAL platform for the sport to be promoted from.
BAM could work off these levels and "top off" the effort???
We can see via the BAM thread that PR from the association itself is very poor! IF the AKA had a PO that included not only selling the sport to the general public, but to its members as well informing them of whats going on within the sport, maybe we could have been better informed on things like what BAM was told to do, rather than the karter misunderstand what they were to do and get upset etc. I know the AKA will say all the info is in minutes etc and ask your clubs etc, but a ACTIVE PO can help immensly by reporting on official happenings much quicker that waiting for minutes that are weeks after the event.
We all can do more, but the AKA have to lead the way and help out proactively rather than sit back and WAIT to be asked, get out and ASK what can the AKA do to help.
It has exposed a underlying problem in this sport and maybe since we are all talking about we can start a seperate thread about the PR of this sport at all levels.
To get the word out about this sport it has to start at the very very bottom. US, we are ALL publicity officers and should take every opportunity to tell our mates or whoever you talk to that may be interested about the sport.
Then clubs need to get involved as well, and I know very well small clubs struggle to even fill the basic positions and don't have a designated PO, but they do the best they can. locally advertising their events but they also need to advertise with the aim of new members, so need to get into the appers, get into shopping centres with dispalys, organise come and try days etc etc. Most clubs KNOW what to do but just don't have the manpower to do it as schedules are tight for most ppl.
States MUST have a PO, can anyone in NSW tell me who holds that position??? whose rle should be to get to the next level of promotion, help clubs get their major meeting publisized amongst other clubs, and get dispalys organised at motorshows, events, providing clubs with the equipment to put on a dispaly. QLD have a come and try trailer that has karts that can be passed around each club for the come and try day so ppl don't have to use their own equipment. Maybe state could have apromotion trailer that has a pop up shelter, tables, TV and DVD, promotional flyers, hand outs stickers, etc that could do the same be passed around to the clubs to use.
NATIONAL should do the next level, assist with state events, and the nationals, and getting a NATIONAL platform for the sport to be promoted from.
BAM could work off these levels and "top off" the effort???
We can see via the BAM thread that PR from the association itself is very poor! IF the AKA had a PO that included not only selling the sport to the general public, but to its members as well informing them of whats going on within the sport, maybe we could have been better informed on things like what BAM was told to do, rather than the karter misunderstand what they were to do and get upset etc. I know the AKA will say all the info is in minutes etc and ask your clubs etc, but a ACTIVE PO can help immensly by reporting on official happenings much quicker that waiting for minutes that are weeks after the event.
We all can do more, but the AKA have to lead the way and help out proactively rather than sit back and WAIT to be asked, get out and ASK what can the AKA do to help.
Views: 8
Comments12
Hi Paul,
I am waiting for Lee from BAM Media to give me a call which i place around 30 minutes ago. Just want to get in his ear and explain where I was coming from, and hopefully we can punch out a couple of thoughts which if we can then place them up on this thread.
If nothing else, it seems we have all raised an issue (right or wrong) and put it in the spotlight, but what is so important is we cant allow it to go out!
Joe
nnett on August 27, 2009 at 18:18
i think the major karting events (states, nationals, big meetings/series such as super cheap) should be advertised on the radio and even TV if the money is there. people aren't going to be interested if they don't know it exists. i think another thing that may attract people to come and have a look would be the free entry. they don't have to pay $50 for the family to get through the gates unlike speedway, they can just rock up and walk right to the stands without hassle. once they are there and see how things are, the interest will be there. it's just letting people know about it where karting here struggles.
even if local clubs joined up with local motorbike shops, or car workshops and advertised each other, there is at least something, but yeah i know that's up to the clubs not BAM.
nnett on August 31, 2009 at 9:11
i meant an ad on TV not a race meeting, lol. speedway do it, look at the attendance they get and the entry fees are usually ridiculous.
I have to agree from a marketing point, free entry you would think would be a huge draw card.
how many karts tracks charge an entry fee????
And yes it WOULD be PART of a campaign that can wbe waged, NOT many motorsport events have FREE entry. But thiose that do also have bigger promotions!.
But in reality can karting CHARGE a gate entry fee for spectators??? I knew one club that did it to help pay for the flaggies and it failed dismally. [ turned ppl away]
No way should a club be charging for spectator entry. No way at all - the show (unless it's a big meet, or the spectator has a personal interest in what's going on - i.e. friend/family is competing) then they are just not getting value for money.
I think events should be promoted as much as possible in the local media in the weeks prior, with the focus being to get people through the gates & keep them there for the entire day.
The canteen's earning would skyrocket as a result...
And if people have a good (free) day out in the sun, they're much more likely to go back again - and bring some friends with them!
Doesnt seem like there are many takers on trying to promote our sport - sounds like there may be some work involved
how many states have positions on their executive for publicity officers?? the National has one is it filled?? is it filled in NSW?? come to think of it we don't a have amedical officer anymore??
Is it too hard a job? I thinks its a vital role really when it comes to promoting our sport, as I believe many think BAM have taking the role on and really they HAVEN'T!!!
Whilst I believe EVERYONE is a publicity officer of sorts, there still needs to be someone at every level, club/state/ national that can assist the level below in getting the sport "out there".
I know we just saved 2 jobs with the transponders we can use them for publicity officers!!!! lol
but then again have a look at all levels of the sport how many clubs/state/nat have a FULL strength committee in place.? why so many vacancies?? are the jobs that hard? are we scaring ppl away by demanding professionalism? are we time poor, lack of self confidence? unappreciated? selfish? what? solve this problem and we can get somewhere but it seems EVERY other sport has the SAME problems, so it must be a human thing eh?
Ernie Meznar (Willow Vale - Mez) said:Doesnt seem like there are many takers on trying to promote our sport - sounds like there may be some work involved
Unfortunately it isnt just clubs - companies are also out sourcing many of their needs
It probably is a human thing - life is just getting too busy hey!
It used to be easy to get volunteers to do all sorts of things (Flaggies included) even people unrelated to karting but that doesnt happen much anymore so it comes down to the same throw away line "User Pays"
Tim,
NSW has been missing an effective PO for some YEARS!! I do remember some years ago back in the 90's there was a NEWSLETTER that was produced, it had race reports, info on what was being put forward etc etc, but thatw as back in the days e-mails weren't as prevelant and it was a mailout and costly and it stopped. But thats one area NSW could fix.??
Tim O'Reilly said:Hi Guys,
Maybe i should not have started a new thread, but could you also have a look at the BAM MONOPOLY? questions i have posed elsewhere. It's honestly not a swipe at anyone, i'd just like to know how BAM, the contracted media company fits into the bigger picture of how we promote the sport. Probably a good time to have a say, i think i read in some PR about coming up with a 3 year plan?
Paul, your suggestion? about a general perception that BAM are to do it all, and did some one say no publicity officer in NSW? could be why the only "news" on the AKANSW site is what i'm guessing has been directly linked to the "news" posted on the National site. Hence, lots are national interest guff, but not much about karters in NSW?
Quite easy to fix i'm certain,
Tim.
Ernie Meznar (Willow Vale - Mez) said:Doesnt seem like there are many takers on trying to promote our sport - sounds like there may be some work involved
Hi ernie,
How far do we go "buying" our help?? some clubs pay local fire brigades or sports clubs to wave flags?
Ernie Meznar (Willow Vale - Mez) said:Unfortunately it isnt just clubs - companies are also out sourcing many of their needs It probably is a human thing - life is just getting too busy hey! It used to be easy to get volunteers to do all sorts of things (Flaggies included) even people unrelated to karting but that doesnt happen much anymore so it comes down to the same throw away line "User Pays"
Hi James,
I am of the opposite view in that a entry fee is a BAD selling point, in that we can promote it as its the ONLY motorsport that DOESN'T charge a gate entry!!!!. Plus if you were to charge a entry fee, you would have to ensure the spectators saw SOMETHING worth the money, a local club day with 40 karts is NOT spectatcular. so may only work in some situations.
Its a strange thing but we used to put adds on TV for our kart events and got little interest despite having good numbers, but our venue also runs DRIFT events and we do LITTLE promo, and we get 500+ spectators ALL paying $5 a head to come and watch. I suppose it has something to do with some fancy marketing rule. Maybe its the fact spectators watch car racing and motocross etc because they can see a road going version of whats being raced, we see Commodores, Fords, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, etc and we can own them thus support them, but where do we see Arrows, CRG, Azzurros outside the race track???
And in the end it comes down to money, manpower, enough of both and we can do ANYTHING eh.
James Mills said:Another thought... Having no gate fee can, in one way 'cheapen' the event and make it seem less attractive, from a marketing point of view, for example - something that is worth something, you expect something in return, something that is offered free is not sought after, you could charge $10 and say kids under 12 free or something, or have family pass for $20, doesn't kill their bank, and makes it seem more like a formal event, but there needs to be a better spectacle on to have people wanting to come and see and maybe give it a go, needs to be commentators on the loudspeaker at all open meetings so the spectators know what's going on, programs (which most places do, but perhaps add in a few interviews, series points, etc.), some displays, promo girls (sex sells), better viewing areas and obviously advertising the event that no one will come to if its kept a secret, some events should be covered on tv perhaps like cik and nationals but other than that an advertisement like speedway would be great on tv, on radio is effective, local papers, etc.. Just my two cents.