The original Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot was held back in the early 1940s, and has since become a standing tradition and the biggest event of its kind in Downtown Dallas. This year marked the 46th Capital One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot, and the event attracted over 30,000 people. While that’s remarkable in its own right, the amount of reach and visibility the event attracted online has been even more staggering. Full disclosure: For the last two years, The Marketing Zen Group has led the online marketing efforts on behalf of the Trot along with the hardworking internal team at the Dallas Y and social responsibility firm Sunshine Avenue.
In the last week leading up to the race, the Turkey Trot Facebook page had more than a 500% increase in total reach and more than a 630% increase in engagement. The Facebook page had a total of 3,400 check-ins and a 65,578% (yes, you read that correctly) increase in weekly total reach. The Turkey Trot Twitter page had a 1,200% increase in mentions and a 480% increase in re-tweet reach. Overall, thousands of people engaged with the Dallas Y, and hundreds and thousands were reached with the message.
Marketing an event of this caliber requires a lot of strategizing and effort. Here are some of the lessons learned.
1. Content is a core piece of the puzzle. The blog was the cornerstone of our campaign, and go-to central for all the Turkey Trot news. For example, early registration was announced first on the blog, offering participants five dollars off the regular registration price. The blog also provided timely information about any race changes, safety regulations and training tips. It was also a crucial tool when a cold front hit the area, and we had to reassure participants with quick updates and tips.
2. Leverage bloggers and sponsors. An event like this is made possible because of its sponsors. We acknowledged them often across social media channels, and we also leveraged their networks. Take a “give and get love from sponsors” approach for event marketing. Make it easy for them to share the event. We created ready-made tweets, updates, and even schedules. We used the same approach with bloggers. The easier you make it for people to share, the more likely it is that they will follow through on the request.
3. Strategic contests increase engagement and word of mouth. Contests and giveaways are one of the best ways to engage your audience; however they have to be relevant to the audience and to your goals. In order to encourage likes, we offered coveted passes to a VIP tent at the event. By fan-gating the Facebook sweepstakes, users had to ‘Like” the Facebook page in order to enter the contest. This increased brand engagement and encouraged fans to share with their friends.
4. Social advertising works, and should be used in conjunction with an organic push. Social platforms continue to move towards pay for play. Organic reach will continue to be more limited. The future, as I’ve often said, is going to be a combination of great organic work enhanced with paid reach. For example, with one particular post on Facebook, 2,912 fans originally saw the content. With just $100 dollars in advertising, the post was promoted to a targeted audience in Dallas. The end result? Over 14,000 people saw the post.
5. Tell a story by allowing your audience to tell theirs. While it is easy to get caught up in an event, it is crucial to remember the end goal. In this case, the Trot was a chance for the Dallas Y to tell its story. Anchored in 23 North Texas communities, the Dallas Y realized that their story was a culmination of the community’s story: from families who have been attending the Trot for generations, to avid marathon runners, to even couples who choose to propose at the event. We wanted the community to be able to tell their story, and in turn enhance the Y’s story.
6. Think pre, during, and post. Marketing an event of this level is a colossal task, and it is best approached by breaking down execution into pre-event, during event, and post-event. Pre-event the goal was to drive registrations. During the event, we wanted to create engagement and provide customer service. Family and friends were able to root for their favorite runners by following the live social media feed of Instagrams and tweets on a Jumbotron. Any statuses and tweets tagged with the hashtag #DallasTrot13 appeared on the screens, and fans watching from the sidelines were also able to send messages to runners to help carry them through the race. Post-event, we’ve been using the platforms to share pictures, videos, and to stay connected with the community.
Events these days are not limited in impact by location or time. While the actual activities may take place during a set time and place, the digital footprint of an event can long outlive it. The key is to work on creating a positive one so it sets the stage for next year.
Shama Kabani is a business strategist for the digital age, and serves as founder & CEO of The Marketing Zen Group, an award winning full service online marketing & digital PR firm. She is also the author of The Zen of Social Media Marketing (3rd edition). Connect with Shama on Twitter and Google+
