Ceiber challenge: marketing the big event
We catch up with the residents of Penrhiwceiber as they continue on their mission to breathe life back into the Working Men's Hall and Institute.
With just a few weeks to go until the launch of the Ceiber Film Festival, Rhodri Owen finds out how the preparations are going.
This week, the spotlight is on marketing. So far the leaflet printing hasn't been going quite according to plan and as the big day approaches, many local people still seem to be unaware of the festival and the other activities which regularly take place in the building.
So this week, X-Ray took the committee to visit a marketing agency in Cardiff to get some advice from PR expert Alastair Milburn on how to spread the word and get visitors through the doors.
PR expert Alastair Milburn leading a brainstorming session
His suggestions included newspaper and radio campaigns, advertising on buses and in train stations, getting local businesses to sponsor or contribute to the event, involving young people and even using a town crier to ensure that the message is heard!
If you're planning on holding a fundraising event in your community, then Alastair has some tips to help you make it a success. Whether it's a winter fair at the local primary school or a sponsored walk for the rugby club then you need to get the word out if you want your event to be successful.
Here are his top five tips for marketing success:
- Once you've decided on your objectives then work out who needs to know about them - these are the people you're trying to attract to your event.
- Establish where those people get their information from. Will it be at the local shop or by reading the newspaper or are they more likely to go on the internet? You need to use these to get the word out.
- Be creative - put your thinking caps on and create PR stunts! These are activities where you think "outside the box" and get people talking. It'll help to create a buzz about the event that should get more people interested.
- It doesn't have to cost you money. These PR activities can all be done for free with a little imagination and a lot of persuasion. Use the resources you have in the community and negotiate deals with local firms to get them to chip in.
Ìý
Good luck!
Comments Post your comment