5 Public Relations Tactics for Active Sports Tourism Professionals

In today’s marketplace, there is intense competition to stay out front in the industry. We all see advertising in several ways, in many places, and on numerous platforms. Maintaining your brand’s visibility can become a frustrating on-going task. Many are quick to think that adding a line item within your budget and hiring a firm will correct this problem. It absolutely will not.

A welcome result of public relations, or more specifically, earned media, is that you do not need to spend a ton of money to reach thousands. Every one of us can see complementary results if we are diligent in spending some time focusing on strategic planning and implementing five public relations tools and tactics.

1. Set a Realistic Goal to Start

Everyone wants to have their organization front and center everywhere possible. Though doing so sounds fantastic, it is not reality. Establish specific goals by narrowing in on where your ultimate clients are. What are they watching, where are they reading, and how are they listening? The answers to these questions are where you should concentrate your effort on securing additional exposure.

Pitching members of the media can become a time-consuming chore, so it is imperative to dial down precisely where you wish to exist. This focus will streamline your time management and build a more strategic outreach.

2. Planning and Timelines

You have now established a goal and a specific audience. Gaining traction with media takes patience and time, be sure to block off an hour or two each week to present your efforts and organization. Remember to allow time to follow up as well. We are all bouncing from task to task and planning event to event; we all play various roles. Be diligent and lock up space on your weekly calendar to stay on your mission.

Lifehack, do this for everything, not just work-related tasks! Block time to exercise, pay bills, grocery shop, call friends and family on birthdays, and more. Doing so will provide you the necessary push because it’s on your calendar and schedule.

3. Assist Media Members

To garner more media exposure, you cannot just present yourself and your organization and pray that your media promotion will follow. You will often find more success when assisting a journalist in performing his or her job responsibilities.

When you set your end goal, you established your target media outlets, support those media members in crafting their profile pieces. Building story ideas, providing insight into an on-going project, or delivering knowledgeable quotes when requested and needed will aid in your effort. Now more than ever, media outlets are looking for content. Your quality content should see a welcomed reaction as you will make life easier for a journalist looking for story ideas.

4. Tell Story Lines

We all can get caught up trying to break into a new market segment. Maybe you excel in hosting lacrosse tournaments, but you have been pursuing the soccer space for some time. Instead, share the stories your lacrosse clients are telling about your brand.

Included in most of the advertising we see today, you will likely notice the use of social media icons and a specific call to action. In some cases, checking in at a particular location or posting images and tagging an area or business could be the particular call to action. When clients, or even coaches and athletes, post on your behalf, it reaches their audience and includes more clout because it appears as a recommendation.

5. Seek Testimonials

Excellent customer service will always lead to referrals. It can be the perfect type of public relations. When people have a great experience, they will talk about it, and specifically, your organization. Try motivating clients, coaches, athletes, or vendors to provide a video testimonial and use it to your benefit.

Video content is and has been King for some time. Most of us prefer to watch a short video instead of reading a page or two. When you receive complimentary remarks, share them across the board on your organization’s social media accounts, within your marketing materials, on your website, etc.

Chose a day of the week to post testimonials filled with information for clientele to read, review, and share themselves. This activity will create a rumor mill and result in new clients. Having the resources, especially during these trying times, to hire a public relations agency can be challenging. These five tools and tactics will set you on the right path to earning additional visibility within the sports tourism industry.