Event Promotion Plan

Picture: Alice Spring Running Festival, 2016

Executive summary

The Alice Spring Running Festival is a yearly event that has been attracting athletes and locals

for a few years. This year, it is in partnership with an organization that seeks to raise awareness

on family violence. The event is slotted for the third Sunday of August, and it is imperative that it

becomes bigger and much better this year. An assessment of the market environment will detail

the variables that the vent should consider during the panning phase. The event plan will detail a

SWOT analysis of the various issues and advantages the event faces. The target market is

comprised of primary, secondary, and tertiary variables. Furthermore, the marketing objective is

to improve the number of participants and raise funds for the cause. The marketing strategies will

entail use of various kind of media. The action plan will provide an overview of the
developments in planning the event. Finally, motoring and evaluation will be carried out to

ascertain the effectiveness of the plan.

Table of contents

1 Event Information

Alice Spring Running Festival is an event that has been running for several years. It is

recognized as part of the Australian running calendar, and has been quite popular among the

masses. The running festival often occurs on the third Sunday of August. This period is often

calm and fine with minimal rain. The conditions are quite favorable for people who want to be

engaged in running. The temperatures are also quite favorable, reaching 4 degrees Celsius at

6AM and 19 degrees Celsius by 9AM. This month also has low humidity. The webpage,

http: //www.alicespringsrunningfestival.com/ offers updates on the event and occurrences

among other factors to ensure participants are informed. The event has a 42km marathon, a 21km

marathon, and a 3.7km fun run. The 10km fun run is quite popular for families and children. The

run is on a picturesque track that is located in the MacDonnell Ranges. The event is organized

and supported by The Alice Springs Running and Walking Club. It is also engaged in marketing,

and attracting sponsors for the event. This is the third year of the festival, and it imperative that

the event is taken a notch higher with an event plan.

2 Assessment of the Market Environment

2.1 Internal Analysis: Strengths & Weaknesses

Alice spring Running Festival is an event where people for the locality participate in a multi-

event rung festival. Many individuals will participate in the event. An attractive attribute is that

the runners will run through a beautiful scenery, and it allows the participants to have fun and
interact with each other. The event has also have its Ambassador, Australian running legend

Steve Moneghetti. He would be the frontrunner during the race, and this would encourage the

participants to run the entire track of the festival. The festival is lined t No More. This campaign

seeks to change peoples perception about family and domestic violence through the sport.

Essentially, it acts as a strategy to show that sports people are committed to ending violence.

A major weakness is that it is the third year of the event. Essentially, the number of participants

could be minimal, and it will require intense advertising to ensure that a large number of people

participate.

2.2 External analysis: Threats & Opportunities

The festival has grown quite popular. This has led to more corporates sponsoring the event such

as BP, Bendigo bank, and Elders Real Estate. Participants will also gain for the information and

training sessions being conducted by the festival ambassador. This is an opportunity to ensure

that all participants are committed towards the achievement of the events goals. Additionally,

the Alice Springs Marathon was rebranded to half marathon and marathon. The marathon has

also

2.3 SWOT

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

-The event is linked with NO More, who are -The attendance numbers is low as only aa

powerful partners that wound ensure people particular group participated

participate in the event - Weather can affect the programmer

-The target group, which comprises victims of

family violence, is highly involved.

- Unique event

OPORTUNITIES THREATS

-The event is attended by a legendary -Lack of sufficient finances is a major issue

sportsperson -Clashes with events taking place in the area

-Festivals are on the rise

To grow in different markets and attract

different age groups

3 Target Market

3.1 Primary Target Market

The primary target is for people who want to participate in the festival and enjoy the run.

Essentially, the marathon will be appealing to athletes and long distance runners. He locals can

also be engaged in the run. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to interact, and the track goes

through scenic locals that will allow the participants to enjoy the beauty of the location. The

participant will also prove beneficial in meeting the goals of the run. This is by ensuring that

more people are aware on the need to deal with family based violence.

3.2 Secondary Target Market

The secondary target market for the event is individuals who are victims of domestic and family

based violence. These are individuals who have suffered in silence, and the festival provides

them with an opportunity to link up with other people who are suffering from similar issues.

Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the issue, and provide
information on how the victims can be supported. A large number of the participants are married

and in families. It would be essential that both partners involved in a domestic violence are

assisted together to resolve the issue, and as prevent divorce or a recurrence of the violence in the

marriage or at home.

3.3 Tertiary Target Market

The tertiary target market is comprised of individuals who support the goals of the festival. The

festival is also intended for people who are against such forms of violence. Essentially, their

participation will provide a means to deal with family violence, and to create wrens on the issue.

4 Objectives

4.1 Overall Business Objective

The overall business objective is to change how people view family and domestic violence. The

festival also seeks to raise funds for the awareness efforts. The partnership with No Moe will

ensure that the festival meets these objectives. Through the partnership, people will be aware of

how the sporting club feels about violence. The festival has bene able to attract a variety of

sponsors and spring persons to attend. Furthermore, since it is the third year, the festival has

gained the support of many locals. A large number of people are expected to participate this year,

confiding that the numbers were unpredictable in the previous year. Essentially the festival will

be able to raise sufficient funds for the cause.

The business objective also seeks to register the participants early. This will allow the organizers

to determine the number of participants and make the necessary arrangement early. Furthermore,

the festival is expected to attract a large number of sports personalities due to its partnership with
No More. No More has bene involved in similar vents, and will be an avenue to attract new

participants who have not attended the festival before.

4.2 Marketing Objectives

Marketing Objective Link to Business Objective

1. To attain a 25% increase in number of participants in This objective is linked to

2016 in comparison to 2015 raise finances since all the

participants have to pay

registration fees to participate

2. Encourage early participation by offering free singlets This objective is linked to

determining the number of

participants earl so that

sufficient preparation will be

made to cater to them

5 Marketing Strategies

Link to marketing objective Strategy rationale

1.1 Advertising Television commercials To raise awareness on the

festival
1.2 Social media Online updates on the event Encourage feedback
1.2 Viral marketing
2.1call to action marketing

6 Action Plan

The action plan will involve strategies and approaches to reduce family violence. This is through

the family violence actions plans as a way of formalizing the festivals intentions. This basic
 document can be distributed to the members and the public. The plan details the basic

commitments, goals, responsibilities, strategies, and periods for the club.

Event Action Plan Template

Event Name: Alice Springs Festival

Date of Event: 21/August/2016 Plan updated on:

31/March/2016 Version:3

Activity Respons J F M A M J J A S O N D J Status

ibility

( Comm

ittee, -

Leaders

hip )
Update Business Ongoing

plan
Steering Meetings Ongoing
Marketing Ongoing
Agree Objectives Ongoing
Engage Designer Ongoing
Designs Approved Ongoing
Print Ready Complete
Press
Engage press Ongoing

Officer
Agree Milestones Ongoing
Launch Ongoing
On site Photo-op Ongoing
Fundraising Complete
Programming Complete
Licensing and Complete

Legal
Monitoring and Ongoing
Research
On Site Ongoing
Live Event Ongoing
Take Down/De- Pending

rig
Reporting Pending

7 Marketing Budget

The marketing budget will cost about $35,000. The budget was identified by considering the

budget in the previous event. Essnetly, the incrase I budget will ensure that the festical ill cater to

more peel in cmaorion to previousevent. A large chunk fot he allcoations will go towards

advertising efforts. About $15,000 will be allocated to the rint media. This consists of

newspapers, magazines, directories and trade journals. This is essnetil to ensure that the event

will atatrct more participants. Print edia allows for precise targeting. Furtehrmroe, quality

amgaznies and irectoeis can be used to attract more sportsperson to attend the event. This will

lead to improvements in ticket sales. Addional advertising costs willa rise form palcign psoetrs.

This will cost abut $5,000 and will go towards paying personnel to palce posters and also

printing the rquird posters. The posters will be in form of outdoor media boards, shopping

centres aand indoor transport. Croporate hospitality is als an efefcitve media coice. It invoves

entaiterning current and otential customers. These will be through events orgaansiioed before the

festical to icnsare areness about tis ocucnrce, and aslo ifnrmo peole about the progress of the

activitites. This will cost about $10,000 of th total marketing budget.

The event will aslo utilize public relations as a media choice. This will involve communication

with the stakeholders such as employees, local community and suppleirs. This will ensure that
they are all aware about the devlppemtns in the event. This would prevent suses in futu, and

would also guanante that the event is susgful. Condieing that the event shoudlbe much better thn

the previosu one, it is imperative to make suffint aaranegemnts. Publicity should aslo be

generated. This is chaievd by generating news that can be coverd by th meda. Essneiitly, this is a

free form of adverisign,a dna llows the event amnagers to makert the festival without spending

any money.

The organization has establsehd a corporate a corporate idnetiy. This is through mechandise sich

as t-shirts, singlets and hood jackets. The organson also has a logo Even though this si the third

year, th comay ahs gaine da positive reputation in the cmmuntiy,a nd this has bene efeftive in

atatcing peole to atetn the festival.

Celebrity endosrsemens are also a sategy aplciable intthe coany. The festivaals ambassador is a

well known personality.essnetily, he is an authoritatian indiva who would ensure that athletes and

peole around the community will be ifnfuend to praicipent. Th ambasaor can ensrse the event

during the television adversiign efforts that would cost about $5,000. This wil run a efw weeks

fbrof the festal to imorve the number fo particiapants. Televise is a hih imact mediam. The

advertiisn foforts wil cosndier nlocal, regioan , national and international television. This is aa

high imact mediaum and can each a alrge audience. It allows for more dirct tageitn. Finaly, a

weboage is alsoe use dint he adveitisng efooorts. This will enatail pacing iformaiton about the

festival on the comanuies website thogh banner ads and serahc engine lisitngs . this willla ,swo

the event organsiers to capture a wide audience.

Media choice Cost

Print media $15,000
Live events $10,000
Television Advertising $5,000
Placing posters and personnel payment $5000
Total $35,000

8 Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluaton will involve measuring the suces fo marketing activities. The

indivudlas responsible for marketing and sales on behalf of the festival stakeolders has an

important role to utilize limited resources wisely an ensure maximum output. The first step in

measuig the return on the marketin investment is by lookin at the marketing objectives. This will

involve more visitors, achieving higher ner promoter digits and higher yoes frm the current

visitors. Essnetly, defining the sueccs wil be esnetil to ensure that the event is progressiong as

expected. The emasurmnet tools have an establsiehd annual target. This is cmared to the

expected return.

Media relations

Print media is an essntil variabele that shoud b eevaluatd. The media relations us a mes to

showcase the eevnts iconic exeirneecs, uniqu competitive advanate and streghts. The value of

meda relatios is considred in reagrds to the adverticisng equavallency. In this rgard, the evaliton

will consider the nuemrn of stories piched. Tehevent has bene a success a sa alerge nuemrb fo

media hosues have been ahring fnrmaotiona dn reporting about develoement on the event. The

uembr f arcilces pubsksoehd ahs also bene on the increase. Their was a sike in web acivity that

wa related to media coverage. Esnetli,an increase in number of online visiots after the event is

reported in media sources details the eefcitves of th mass media in encurig peel to attend and

articapte in the event.

Web resence is also an essential tool for marketing. It is vitl to measure the visits on the hoepage,

cosndieing the event will rely n the website to provide curen information asn also rigtration

purposes. Furthrmroe, it is essential to monitor speciif web ages vissted. This will detal the

inetrts f visitos, and can also prode the event orgnasoser siwht a emans to detenrien how to atartc

pele. Their interest can be in form of direction to location, romoritons or even seicif acitiies

detaled in dieffrnet pages n the website. The emtrica to monitor this variable icnlde leght of

visiots on the site, number of visiots, total number of uniqie clicks and the natal serahc engine

resuts. The emtrics will asl consider how amy peel reigsted n the site, and have ocntoeud to ietact

iwith the home orage to be udoated on current events. Oogle analsyitc sis the best tool to

detenrien webste traffic. It provides aggregeated data that can also be segrenetd geographically.

This information can be sued to deteeien target aera demoraohcis and also define the georahci

alocaton of marketing reoasucres. In this regard, if th web statistics show a griwing and stirng

inetrst form a particualr geograhci market, then adidonl invetement sill be allocated to enirley

capture this market.

Social media

Social media networks are aslo an easy way for epele to share ideas and opinn about the evet. It

ais a means to gausge the inetst among the peoel,a nd also get feedbac about the curnet

proepations of the event. Previsous aprticiant scna provide beenfitla inforanion on social media.

This can be imeoement nto te event to ensure it is imrpeved and mc better than oreveos fesitvals.

Soial media is a ceradiaable source in coamrison to paid advertising. Engaign the sail emdia to

proprmroe an event needs commitment to be an ingredient of the cnevrsation and to provide

rleat cotent and coments that lead to a dsucuosn. Furtehrmrem it should be sud fr prmtional
purposes only. Careful consdiraiton og the event objeitevs will precede the sue ofsicla networks.

Tehmetrics to deteien the imact of socal media include fan page numbers, comments and likes.

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Appendix