Whether you’re an avid runner or just bought your first pair of Nikes, you probably know the name. Bart Yasso has done it all – he’s completed races in seven continents and been inducted into the Running USA Hall of Champions. As the chief running officer at Runner’s World, it’s safe to say that Bart knows what it takes to put on a great endurance event. Here are his top ten tips for race directors:
1. Involve your community in every possible way – If the community accepts and loves your event, it’ll become a huge success. Everyone–from volunteers to participants to the mayor, firefighters, police and more–should be involved in the process. Involvement will increase investment and therefore commitment, fostering a feeling of “we’re all in this together.”
2. Treat your event like it lasts all year – Nobody wants to sponsor an event that takes place for just one day. Sponsors and participants should be engaged year-round. Training groups, kick-off parties, and post-event activities are a good way to extend the lifetime of your race.
3. Conduct a post-race, two-way survey – You can never get enough feedback from runners. For some races, Bart mentioned that he gets 50 – 60% feedback from his participants. Simply put, runners like to participate in the discussion, so take advantage of it. Also, focus groups are a good way to get feedback, just make sure to build groups that closely mimic your participants’ demographics. Use the feedback and make improvements.
4. Determine the best ways to communicate and do it often – Think about what information you need to get out there and when it needs to go out. From there, you can determine the best portal to spread those messages (social media, email, newsletter, text, etc.). For smaller pieces of information like motivational messages to runners, consider social media. For special deals and offers, think email. For news and longer updates, e-newsletters work well.
5. Reward returning participants with incentives – Reward systems are important for loyalty. Keep in mind that you don’t have to put a big investment into incentives and discounts. Simply have a different registration booth for VIP members or offer unique T-shirts for returning runners. Retention is extremely important for endurance events.
6. Get a top-notch race announcer – It’s important to have an enthusiastic and experienced announcer for the start and finish line. This person’s voice is the best way to engage the runners and spectators. Make sure the person has a good handle on your race’s history (like course records, ages of the youngest and oldest participants and more) and include him or her in the planning stages.
7. Jump on milestones and anniversaries (5th, 10th, etc.) – People love being part of anniversaries so it’s up to you to really utilize these milestones to promote your race. If it’s the 10-year anniversary, for example, make a list of the ten craziest or funniest things that have happened in previous years. You can use that in emails, social media, and other marketing communications.
8. Infuse a local theme or flavor – Incorporate something unique from your area into the event in different ways (logo, awards, gifts, etc.). For example, Bart suggested that races held in Amish country of Pennsylvania should name it as such, include some Amish imagery in the logo, and maybe even incorporate the culture into the prizes you give out.
9. Make the start and finish lines an elaborate display of pageantry – The start and finish are the two places where runners and fans congregate the most. Dedicate time and money to building elaborate displays for these two places and make sure your logo is very visible. Remember, most of the pictures will be taken here, so you want it to look nice.
10. Recruit a host or grand marshal for your event – Book a host for your race about one year before the race day. Bring in someone who may be well-known in the running world or your local community. Bart referenced Olympic gold medalist, Frank Shorter, as a good example of a perfect host. You may not be able to bring in someone of that stature, but get creative with your selection. Once chosen, use the host’s name in your marketing efforts leading up to the big event to attract more participants.
Photo Credit: iRunnerBlog