And Now, A Word about Walkathon Sponsors

Posted on June 24, 2010 by walkathonguide

Use the back of the walkathon t shirt as a way to give your sponsors valuable publicity

There’s gold in the backs of your walkathon t shirts.

Think about the lifespan of a t shirt.  People will wear those shirts for years.  For some kids they become the main items in their wardrobes.

This translates to a nice revenue opportunity for your walkathon.

T shirts offer high visibility for sponsors. There’s still more advertising value in your website, banners, yard signs, press releases, and registration materials. All these items combined represent a good investment opportunity for companies who need local brand awareness and want to support their community.

For upcoming walkathons, approach sponsors at the very beginning of your planning efforts so that you can include their names in all of your publicity materials.

Start with a list of potential sponsors.  Local merchants and services are ideal, as well as the companies where your walkers work.  Don’t forget anyone who sponsored last year, to avoid hurt feelings! Then make a list of all the places you intend to publicize your sponsors.  Determine cost of sponsorship.  Typically you would offer tiered levels to accommodate varying abilities to contribute (such as Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze).  Platinum sponsors would then get the biggest logo on your signs, etc.  Write a sponsor letter and send it to all of your targets.  There is a sample letter you can copy in the Walkathon Guide e-book.  Follow up with a phone call.  With those who commit, set aside time to collect the checks, or  encourage them to pay online via your website.

Sponsorships can add significantly to your fund raising results.  Take advantage of this great opportunity.

Need a great source for t-shirts?  Our supplier can help you with your design and has consistently delivered our custom shirts on schedule and with minimal time and effort from us. You can request a quote from the Walkathon Shop.

Filed under: advanced preparation, maximizing funds, publicity, Uncategorized, website | Tagged: , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Choosing a Location for your Walkathon

Posted on June 16, 2010 by walkathonguide
Make your walkathon route a loop with many interesting things along the way

Map your walkathon route and site, including water stations, concessions, and even waystations that add to the fun.

Consider the following factors when you choose your walkathon site and route:

  • If you want to support people with varied levels of endurance, choose a route that is a loop.  That way people can duck out at any time.
  • For children, an ideal length for your route is ¼ to ½ mile. For adults it can be longer.
  • Is the area safe?
  • Is there adequate parking?
  • Are there adequate facilities or can you augment appropriately, including restrooms, shade, seating, concessions, and electrical power?
  • Is the neighborhood amenable to having a large event?
  • Do you need one or two professional custodians to assist with cleanup, and if so are these services available?

Reach agreement between your leaders and any outsider who controls the site on the date and exact location, and if necessary, obtain written permission from those responsible. Be sure you inform other groups who would normally use that site, such as sports leagues, that it would be unavailable or shared that day. If you are a community organization in a small town, consider presenting to your town council to obtain moral support and keep them informed.

Filed under: advanced preparation, counting laps, setup, walkathon planning in general | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Artwork for Fall Walkathons

Posted on June 9, 2010 by walkathonguide
Go Red for the American Heart Association, a great model for walkathon color and artwork

The American Heart Association's two color "Go Red" campaign - high impact.

If you are planning a walkathon for October or sooner, then it’s time to develop your artwork.  You’ll use it on signs and then t shirts and also put it on your website and registration materials.   If you want to put out yard signs, order them as soon as possible.  Forward this post to your publicity chair person if you’ve got one!

I asked Roy of Roy Rezentes Design what a walkathon planner should think about in creating their art work, assuming

  • no money for design
  • little money for production

He said to choose a very simple and high impact color scheme with just one main color and one accent, then use it everywhere.  The limited colors minimizes cost but can also have greater recognition than a more cluttered approach.  Think Avon Breast Cancer pink with purple, American Heart Association red with white.  With your two colors on flyers, yard signs, a banner or two, a website and Facebook page your words and images will really start to pop.

He also recommends you read “Ten logo design tips from the field”, from Logo Design Love blogger David Airey (click here to see it).   We thought parts were a bit heavy for non-artists but still well worth a look.

For yard signs, I love Build a Sign so much I look for excuses to order yard signs (click here to visit their site).  They are quick and the signs always look great.  I use the online tool, sometimes exclusively and sometimes with artwork that I upload.

For t-shirts, I’ve worked with the same supplier for many years with great success. You get what you want, on schedule and at a great price. Go to the Walkathon Shop for a quote.

Filed under: advanced preparation, publicity | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Facebook Page Revisit

Posted on June 6, 2010 by walkathonguide

In reference to my most recent post – we put our money where our mouths are and got our own Facebook page up.  It takes about 10 minutes.   If your the people you hope to reach are likely to use Facebook, this is well worth it as a way to keep in touch and attract friends of friends.

Follow Walkathon Guide on Facebook

Filed under: publicity, technology | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Using a Facebook Page to Promote Your Walkathon

Posted on June 2, 2010 by walkathonguide
Fayetteville Kidney Walkathon Facebook Page

Create a Facebook page for your walkathon now to allow time for the multiplier effect of friends telling friends telling friends.

Facebook Pages are great for walkathon publicity and gaining the support of participants and volunteers.  The coolest thing about them is that benefits multiply as your followers (fans) come on board:

  • When people follow your page (via that “Like” button), all their Facebook friends are notified.
  • Then when you write an update, all your fans can share it with all of their friends, along with a link to your page.
  • Fans can also go to your page and click the “Share” button any time to post a link to your page for all their friends.

You don’t have to be a social networking expert.  Basic setup can be very quick.  Then once you’ve created your walkathon page, you don’t have to maintain it every day.  Take five minutes once or twice a week to say something you think would be of interest to your participants.

Get your page up at the very beginning of your walkathon planning cycle so you can gain a following over time .  The sooner you start, the more time you allow your core group of followers to share your info, so that they can in turn win over their friends, who can then win over their friends, and so on.

Once your page is up, encourage your fans to share your page often.

Your Facebook page can also be a handy way to keep people informed of progress, invite them to planning meetings (via Facebook events), and provide a link to your main web site so people can find it to register or donate.

Tip: Don’t use Facebook Events for walkathon registration.  You’ll need people to fill in a more detailed form and waiver.  Instead, direct them to your main website.

Here are two walkathon Facebook Pages that can serve as examples.  If you log into Facebook and search for walkathon, walk-a-thon, and just walk, you’ll find many more.

And click here for Facebook’s “Nonprofits on Facebook” page, with instructions on how to get set up.

And finally, there’s a free webinar tomorrow by TechSoup, called Successful Event Promotion with Social Media.  Learn more here.

When you get your page up, please let me know and I’ll post a link to it!

I’ll be putting up a Walkathon Guide page as soon as I can get to it.  You might also like to follow Charity Walks.

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Filed under: advanced preparation, publicity, technology, volunteers, walkathon planning in general | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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