THE ROUTE
Moderators: [nope] cartel, team nopesport
Re: THE ROUTE
If there was no water (crossable or uncrossable) on THE ROUTE can we please have a separate thread - it's getting confusing
- denbydale
- green
- Posts: 337
- Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 1:42 pm
Re: THE ROUTE
denbydale wrote:If there was no water (crossable or uncrossable) on THE ROUTE can we please have a separate thread - it's getting confusing
Delamere has crossable and uncrossable water, and also "if you go in here you're not coming out" water, cunningly disguised as ditches that are almost but not quite jumpable.
- DM
- brown
- Posts: 577
- Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:47 pm
Re: THE ROUTE
Going back to 'The Route', I'm still not convinced BO are getting their moneys worth from TrailPlus re marketing.
Their Facebook event has only 6 people going and 8 interested.
Looking on the Thames Chase website (venue for next weeks 'The Route'), the event isn't even listed, but a 10K run in June is listed.
I know it's probably not our money being spent, but it would still be interesting to know how BO are trying to get value for money from this supplier, eg is there a service level agreement etc?
Still a week to go, so some time left to improve things.
Their Facebook event has only 6 people going and 8 interested.
Looking on the Thames Chase website (venue for next weeks 'The Route'), the event isn't even listed, but a 10K run in June is listed.
I know it's probably not our money being spent, but it would still be interesting to know how BO are trying to get value for money from this supplier, eg is there a service level agreement etc?
Still a week to go, so some time left to improve things.
- SeanC
- god
- Posts: 2251
- Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Kent
Re: THE ROUTE
That's a terrible interest in the Facebook event and confirmation that the social media marketing has been poor. The main image on the Facebook page is poor too and doesn't reflect the target market, which could be hugely off-putting. In contrast, our local Level D race this weekend has 89 people interested or going to it on Facebook! The Route isn't even listed on Runners World or RunABC South websites, which I'd regard as basic marketing for an event of this type.
- MikeShires
- white
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:05 pm
Re: THE ROUTE
I'm surprised that BO haven't prompted Trailplus to do some of the stuff that Mike has mentioned. They must be aware of what TVOC do, as they rightly made them Club of the Year in 2016.
I suggest, Mike, that you email Trail plus with some of those suggestions. While you're at it, clone yourself a few times and issue yourself to a few other clubs. Every club needs a Mike Shires.
I suggest, Mike, that you email Trail plus with some of those suggestions. While you're at it, clone yourself a few times and issue yourself to a few other clubs. Every club needs a Mike Shires.
- Sunlit Forres
- diehard
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:57 pm
- Location: Moravia
Re: THE ROUTE
Haha thanks Mike. I'd be a bit worried that they would think I'm trying to tell them what to do, when they're supposed to be event marketing experts. I'll see how the Thames Chase one goes, as I might enter myself to see how it's run.
- MikeShires
- white
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:05 pm
Re: THE ROUTE
Anyone go to today's "The Route"?
- SeanC
- god
- Posts: 2251
- Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Kent
Re: THE ROUTE
Would be good to hear from any orienteers who went. A bit quiet on social media but there are 3 very positive comments on the event
page https://www.facebook.com/events/714083208755135/?active_tab=discussion
According the The Route's main fb page, results envelopes should be dropping on doormats on Tuesday. Nothing seen on HAVOC's web site results page.
page https://www.facebook.com/events/714083208755135/?active_tab=discussion
According the The Route's main fb page, results envelopes should be dropping on doormats on Tuesday. Nothing seen on HAVOC's web site results page.
- Sunlit Forres
- diehard
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:57 pm
- Location: Moravia
Re: THE ROUTE
Results are on the Route website http://www.the-route.co.uk/results/#
Only 8 participants
Only 8 participants
Chair
IOF Rules Commission
IOF Rules Commission
- david_rosen
- white
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 10:09 pm
Re: THE ROUTE
I guess only the West Midlands orienteering community can prevent an embarrassment turning in to a humiliation. I thought this was a decent idea by BO. How wrong I was.
- Sunlit Forres
- diehard
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:57 pm
- Location: Moravia
Re: THE ROUTE
Just spotted the results too - words fail me! What abject marketing. Not a single runner on the score-type course either! So close to London too, with an ideal geographical target market nearby.
I had intended to go but the entry system was a mess last week - entries were stated as being closed when they were supposed to be open. I messaged them via Facebook and they gave me a link to enter and apologised that the publicised link didn't work. But when I tried entering on Friday, the entries link had again closed before the midday "deadline". So I gave up in annoyance. Had other things to do on Saturday anyway, but I might have persisted if the entry system hadn't been such a shambles.
Must admit, the venue didn't look that inspiring, but I guess they have to select FC locations as it seems to be partnership with them too. If they ever come to TVOC territory I'm sure I could get 200+ entries for them!
I had intended to go but the entry system was a mess last week - entries were stated as being closed when they were supposed to be open. I messaged them via Facebook and they gave me a link to enter and apologised that the publicised link didn't work. But when I tried entering on Friday, the entries link had again closed before the midday "deadline". So I gave up in annoyance. Had other things to do on Saturday anyway, but I might have persisted if the entry system hadn't been such a shambles.
Must admit, the venue didn't look that inspiring, but I guess they have to select FC locations as it seems to be partnership with them too. If they ever come to TVOC territory I'm sure I could get 200+ entries for them!
- MikeShires
- white
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:05 pm
Re: THE ROUTE
Possibly the first UK orienteering event to have more people say that they're going on Facebook than actually turned up on the day?
British Orienteering Director | Opinions expressed on here are entirely my own, and do not represent the views of British Orienteering.
"If only you were younger and better..."
"If only you were younger and better..."
-
Scott - god
- Posts: 2384
- Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 4:43 am
- Location: in the queue for the ice-cream van
Re: THE ROUTE
Sunlit Forres wrote:I guess only the West Midlands orienteering community can prevent an embarrassment turning in to a humiliation. I thought this was a decent idea by BO. How wrong I was.
As the 'location' for the Cannock Chase event is the MTB hub and the accompanying photo
http://www.the-route.co.uk/the-locations/ features a mountainbiker I think there may be some confused punters at the event. It seems 'embarrassment' and 'humiliation' have already been pre-planned into this one.
- blindasabat
- white
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2010 4:31 pm
- Location: dunno!
Re: THE ROUTE
Just been looking more closely at what 'The Route' is offering and I'm pretty sure something very similar could be offered at most club orienteering events.
Those that are going to the jk might be able to speak to Mike Hamilton, Craig Anthony etc about plans for next year?
Personally what I think could work is rebranding the route, defining what makes it beginner friendly (eg yellow/orange standard controls, maps given out at registration etc) then encouraging clubs to sign up to put them on at their normal events. Ie an event within an event. Instead of paying an events management company, pay an experienced qualified marketeer to support clubs efforts at marketing these courses and maybe do a national Facebook page. Also make it leviable to help pay for the marketing support, and pre entries make sense for post event follow up.
Maybe this could even be trialled this year by a club that already has a successful publicity officer(s)?
Those that are going to the jk might be able to speak to Mike Hamilton, Craig Anthony etc about plans for next year?
Personally what I think could work is rebranding the route, defining what makes it beginner friendly (eg yellow/orange standard controls, maps given out at registration etc) then encouraging clubs to sign up to put them on at their normal events. Ie an event within an event. Instead of paying an events management company, pay an experienced qualified marketeer to support clubs efforts at marketing these courses and maybe do a national Facebook page. Also make it leviable to help pay for the marketing support, and pre entries make sense for post event follow up.
Maybe this could even be trialled this year by a club that already has a successful publicity officer(s)?
- SeanC
- god
- Posts: 2251
- Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Kent
Re: THE ROUTE
The Route currently has 51 twitter followers.
~16 of these are actual people, the rest mainly being O clubs/events and a few random bot-type/company accounts.
Any publicity from there will basically be like speaking into a void.
~16 of these are actual people, the rest mainly being O clubs/events and a few random bot-type/company accounts.
Any publicity from there will basically be like speaking into a void.
M21-Lairy
- ba-ba
- diehard
- Posts: 668
- Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 10:31 pm
- Location: somewhere in the between
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests