How to promote a new sportive (Cycle Ataxia)

afishyfish

Hey guys,
I was hoping to get some advice. I'm organising a new sportive which I hope to re-stage yearly from here on. It's to raise funds for Friedreich's Ataxia (a condition I suffer from personally). You can learn more at www.CycleAtaxia.ie
So, my question,
The summer sportive calendar is choc-a-block with established events, so I'm really going to have to push the boat out on marketing to draw a crowd. Any suggestions on the best way to do this?
I've contacted some local newspapers, magazines, radio stations etc. I'm also growing my Facebook followership (please like my page)
I'm planning flyer drops at prior sportives. But which are best to target? (my event is in August in Co. Meath)
I'm getting posters made. But where is best to put them?
Should I look at online advertising? If so, where?

Any advice on this would be much appreciated.
Also, any questions, please fire away!

simonrooneyzaga

Best of luck with it - will try to make it for the 100km.

afishyfish

Thanks Simon. Much appreciated.

Inquitus

Email all the cycling club secretaries, they are generally happy to forward on details to all the members, thats a free way to spread the word.

afishyfish

Thanks. I've done this once already a few weeks ago. I emailed 50+ people but only got maybe 2 replies back indicating that they would share the word.
Maybe more did than I realise. Very hard to gauge this.

Inquitus

afishyfish wrote: »

Thanks. I've done this once already a few weeks ago. I emailed 50+ people but only got maybe 2 replies back indicating that they would share the word.
Maybe more did than I realise. Very hard to gauge this.

FWIW I got a mail forwarded from Swords CC about the event at the end of May.

kencoo

well done. not an easy task. I have no experience in organising an event but if i was looking and had a choice of a few i would narrow them down to 1: value for money - they range in cost from e15 to e50+. if your going expensive people will expect more. 2: Difficulty -pros and cons here. its now mid season so most cyclists will have a few under their belt and thus might be looking for a challange with hills/longer cycles etc - personally i would prefer courses of at least 160k this time of year. 3: Locality of event. Being in leinster id try to stay local enough myself. If its near a motorway/easy access you could draw more. 4: Affinity with a local cycling club is better than no club. 5: make sure its not on the same weekend as the bigger sportives i.e. Ring of kerry or Sean Kelly Tour as they will he headliners for lots of cyclists.

afishyfish

Thanks Kencoo.
In response...

1: value for money - they range in cost from e15 to e50+. if your going expensive people will expect more.
Entry is €30 - all proceeds go to charity, refreshments and lunch provided - probably a modest goodie bag too.

2: Difficulty -pros and cons here. its now mid season so most cyclists will have a few under their belt and thus might be looking for a challange with hills/longer cycles etc - personally i would prefer courses of at least 160k this time of year.
The longest route is 100k. But its far from flat. Some challenging climbs in there. Check it out here: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4337973

3: Locality of event. Being in leinster id try to stay local enough myself. If its near a motorway/easy access you could draw more.
Its in Ashbourne. 10 mins from M50 exit 5


4: Affinity with a local cycling club is better than no club.
Both Ratoath Wheelers & Clontarf CC are supporting it

5: make sure its not on the same weekend as the bigger sportives i.e. Ring of kerry or Sean Kelly Tour as they will he headliners for lots of cyclists.
August 10th. Biggest threat is Tour of Kildare (afik)

afishyfish

afishyfish wrote: »

Ring of kerry or Sean Kelly Tour as they will he headliners for lots of cyclists.

Cycle Ataxia will be a headliner next year

afishyfish

I'm getting 1000 posters printed. Any suggestions in where to put them?
Bike shops & coffee shops spring to mind.

Haldir

afishyfish wrote: »

I'm getting 1000 posters printed.

Posters something like this... :-)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=688481254556676&set=a.148375118567295.36279.148363841901756&type=1&theater

afishyfish

Yeah, along those lines. The question is, where is best to place them?

kencoo

afishyfish wrote: »

Yeah, along those lines. The question is, where is best to place them?

I suppose where you would expect patrons to see them. Local shops and supermarket's, bike shops if they will let you, gyms etc. Quite often hear about new cycles by flyers left on my windscreen. If you can get on local radio it would be very good as an interview rather than add.Looks like you have done a lot already though.

Scrappy600

afishyfish wrote: »

Thanks Kencoo.
In response...

1: value for money - they range in cost from e15 to e50+. if your going expensive people will expect more.
Entry is €30 - all proceeds go to charity, refreshments and lunch provided - probably a modest goodie bag too.

And this is what I'd look at first, you're competing against charity events that provide a jersey with the entry fee for not much more, not that I'll only do a charity sportive if I get something in return, don't get me wrong. I just think €30 is too steep and you should be at the €20 or so mark. I did the lap de gaps a while back, €20 for the slickest, best run event I've ever seen, great grub during and a great route.
Again, others may vary but for me with limited funds I have to be picky and I'm sure there's plenty who don't but on the flip side is sure there are plenty who do also, so it comes down to who do you reckon you should be catering too, the section of cyclists who aren't tight for funds or the section who are, which section is bigger to give you the best chance of raising the most money?

Skrynesaver

afishyfish wrote: »

Yeah, along those lines. The question is, where is best to place them?

Cafes that are popular on Sunday morning spins in the area, we tend to use Maguires on Tara or sage and stone in Duleek, but worth asking where others use in the area.


ETA Seamus Ennis centre in teh Naul

afishyfish

Hi Scrappy. Thank you for you advice.
I also attended Lap de Gaps. (If you saw a guy on a trike that was me) I've attended several similar cycles in order to do research for my event.
I agree, that was a very well run event. (and the weather was great too!)
I guess in response to your comments, I aim to better that event. There were a couple of areas I identified, (such as, the unsuitability of the ground surface at the venue, the lack of a refreshment stop on the 55k route, and also, the first 'long-router' across the finish line came in to a rather weak reception (2 or 3 people clapped). A better MC would have been a huge asset here.

However, I do take your point. Me 'saying' I'll have a great event isn't going to sell registrations. That will come with my reputation in years to come. But the resources I'm investing in Cycle Ataxia dictate the price tag.
I'm offering t-shirts to people who hit a sponsorship target. If I can get a better price on these I may consider giving one to every participant. But for now, I'm keeping them exclusive & 'limited edition'

Thank you too Skrynesaver. If (as I suspect) you hail from Skryne, our 100k route passes through your back yard.
Check it out here.

afishyfish

These are the t-shirts I mentioned.

Bloggsie

afishyfish wrote: »

I'm getting 1000 posters printed. Any suggestions in where to put them?
Bike shops & coffee shops spring to mind.

If your near motorways, place them at the off ramps! Use other local sports clubs, GAA/Soccer/Rugby/Golf to help, follow the creedo if you dont ask you dont get! also local sports stores/bike shops & if there are any physio clinics around.

Best of luck.

Orion

I should be able to do this one. Bloggsie - fancy doing it together?

Get it listed on irishsportives.ie.

BTW the cycle ataxia link in the op doesn't work.

funkyjebus

afishyfish wrote: »

Yeah, along those lines. The question is, where is best to place them?

I'd put one up at all the following cafe's.

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewcontent.asp?idpage=184

Bloggsie

Orion wrote: »

I should be able to do this one. Bloggsie - fancy doing it together?

Get it listed on irishsportives.ie.

BTW the cycle ataxia link in the op doesn't work.

Yeah sound like a bit of fun. let me check out my events & i'll get back to you.

afishyfish

In research for an event I'm organising (www.cycleataxia.ie); what really impresses you in a sportive?
There are lots of aspects that come into play. The best events strike a good balance of all aspects. But what really floats your boat? And what isn't so important?

The registration process?
The cost?
The route?
The event size? (Number of cyclists)
The marshalling?
The goodie bag?
The Lunch?
The cause? (If for charity)

afishyfish

Thanks guys. Would be great to have you there.
Funkyjebus. That's a great link. Thanks.

Lusk_Doyle

Hills. Lots of.

Skrynesaver

Well marshalled events with a bit of a challenge would be my ideal

Chips Lovell

Threads merged. Keep it to the one thread please.

afishyfish

Thank you all for the advice. I'll take it all on board. If anybody else has any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Thanks again.

Rambling Man

Love the 100km route - and the very best of luck to the event.

If I'm a little uncertain about availability, is late registration available?

Doc07

afishyfish wrote: »

Thank you all for the advice. I'll take it all on board. If anybody else has any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Thanks again.

I'm going to try and make this. Beg, steal , borrow volunteers to marshal and lots of signs along the route. Try and get a Garda escort even for the first few hundred metres at the start.

afishyfish

Rambling Man wrote: »

If I'm a little uncertain about availability, is late registration available?

Thanks. Yes, registration will be available on the day. Sorry. I must make this clearer on the site. Will be updating the site over the next day or 2.
Also need to finalize start times. Expect these to be 9:30 / 10:00 / 10:30, for 100k, 44k, 12k respectively.

afishyfish

Doc07 wrote: »

I'm going to try and make this. Beg, steal , borrow volunteers to marshal and lots of signs along the route. Try and get a Garda escort even for the first few hundred metres at the start.

Thank you Doc. I'm way ahead of you. Going 'to the mattresses' for marshals.
The guards have agreed to escort each route out of the village, (if they have the manpower available on the day - Fingers crossed!)

Bloggsie

Orion wrote: »

I should be able to do this one. Bloggsie - fancy doing it together?

Get it listed on irishsportives.ie.

BTW the cycle ataxia link in the op doesn't work.

Morning Orion,

sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I am doing the King of Greystones on that date(must get out soon, havent been out for a wee while)

Bloggsie

afishyfish

Bloggsie wrote: »

Morning Orion,

sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I am doing the King of Greystones on that date(must get out soon, havent been out for a wee while)

Bloggsie

Ah Bloggsie. Don't mind that greystones crowd.
I just checked the weather and it's gonna lash rain in Greystones on August 10th?
Forecast for glorious sunshine in Ashbourne though.

wisjoc

Just looked at the route via their web page. Know most of the roads round there. Looks like a really good route with a few hills thrown in as a bit of a challenge. The one just past Naul over Snowton will bite the legs a bit. Will more than likely sign up for this.

afishyfish

Thanks wisjoc. Yeah, that's a doozie of a hill alright. Might get a couple walking up that.
Tara is no picnic either.

afishyfish

This is happening this Sunday. If any of you folk want to come along it would be great to see you. Should be a cracker of a day.
You can register on the morning or pre register at www.CycleAtaxia.ie

derealbadger

Pity its on the same day as the Martin Earley tour of Kildare other than that i would have done it

Borderfox

See you in Ashbourne, gonna ride out from Dunshaughlin and do my August Gran Fondo too

Orion

I'm going to get dropped out but cycle home to Maynooth afterwards for mine

Bloggsie

Orion wrote: »

I'm going to get dropped out but cycle home to Maynooth afterwards for mine

what, were cycling home, you never mentioned that!

Orion

didn't I? It's only 20km from Ashbourne. Probably have to swing by Kilcock and back to get the 130 up

We'll see how the legs are. The missus will be heading back that way at lunchtime so we might hitch a lift if the Hill of Tara kills us.

Bloggsie

IF, i'll be in a body bag after it! Tell my wife & son that I love them!

what time on Sunday?

Orion

Sure they'll be in Brady's - we'll pop in for some rehydration and you can tell them yourself

I'll give you a ring later and arrange to pick you up on Sunday morning. Probably leave at about 7:45.

Bloggsie

with the rain that is promised for sunday, hydration wont be a problem

Orion

It'll be grand!

Bloggsie

that line makes you sound just like an Irish Mammy!

afishyfish

This takes place tomorrow. Would be great if any of you guys could come down. Shaping up to be a great event. Hope the weather is kind!!

BGT

afishyfish wrote: »

This takes place tomorrow. Would be great if any of you guys could come down. Shaping up to be a great event. Hope the weather is kind!!

afishyfish - best of luck with the event tomorrow, given the huge effort in planning and logistics that you and your team have put into it, it is sure to be a great success, and anyone thinking of doing it should, as it is a great cause and some super routes.

afishyfish

Thanks for that BGT

thebouldwhacker

Best of luck, heres a bump!

afishyfish

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Best of luck, heres a bump!

Thanks!