1. A tailor made local authority training package
WELCOME
2. 2
MODULE 5:
PROMOTING AND MARKETING CYCLING
Aberdeen, 14/03/2014
William Wright
Providing training to deliver solutions
3. 3
OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE
Counts as CPD
“All round” introduction to cycling
We need to mainstream cycling as part of every
professional’s “toolkit”
We need to retain and develop skilled people within local
authorities to help deliver cycling projects
5. 5
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Be aware of and able to explain:
The role of marketing and promotion
Basic principles of marketing
The markets to aim for
Tools and methods available
6. 6
What we hope you will take away…
Invest in good design
Present cycling as mainstream activity
Don’t highlight safety concerns
Don’t let marketing be an afterthought
8. 8
WHAT CAN MARKETING
DO FOR US ... ?
Make sure cycling facilities get used
Help raise cycling levels on a long term basis
9. 9
Effective Communications
In order to market and promote cycling
effectively, local authorities need to adopt an
annual marketing strategy/plan for cycling with
an appropriate budget.
18. 18
Role of Marketing - Summary
Encourage greater cycle use
Present cycling as aspirational and
mainstream mode of travel
Highlight local facilities and programmes
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KEY PRINCIPLES
Markets are complex, segmented and constantly
changing
Consumers buy benefits not features
Consumers don’t have the same motivations as
providers
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KNOWING YOUR MARKET
Understand your market
Target ‘products’ to specific segments’
Don’t worry about the no-hopers
Above all … sell the benefits,
not the negatives
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Segment Demographics Attitudes Behaviour/scope for change
Committed (7% of population) Strongly positive High levels, little scope to increase
regular cyclists Mostly male (8%) Strongly positive Scope for increased cycling
Occasional cyclists (15%) Generally positive Promotional messages could lead to substantial
increases
‘toe-dippers’ (5%) Fairly positive Scope for considerable increases in response to
positive promotion
‘unconvinced’ Two-thirds female (27%) Not an easy target Very low bicycle ownership or use
‘the unthinking’ (18%) Fairly positive Low cycle ownership, but positive promotion could
be effective
‘no-needers’ ¾ female, two-thirds over 44
(12%)
Not interested Do not cycle or even own a bicycle, very difficult to
change.
‘the self-conscious’ Almost all female, half under
26 (6%)
Not open to cycling at
the moment
Cycle occasionally, but a difficult lifestage for
promotion to tackle
‘youngish lads’ All male, half under 26, all
under 44 (3%)
Fairly positive, but not
open to cycling
None own a bicycle, difficult lifestage for promotion
to tackle
TRL ANALYSIS OF THE MARKET FOR
CYCLING:
Table:ERCDT
26. 26
Segment Demographics Attitudes Behaviour/scope for change
Committed (7% of population) Strongly positive High levels, little scope to increase
regular cyclists Mostly male (8%) Strongly positive Scope for increased cycling
Occasional cyclists (15%) Generally positive Promotional messages could lead to substantial
increases
‘toe-dippers’ (5%) Fairly positive Scope for considerable increases in response to
positive promotion
‘unconvinced’ Two-thirds female (27%) Not an easy target Very low bicycle ownership or use
‘the unthinking’ (18%) Fairly positive Low cycle ownership, but positive promotion
could be effective
‘no-needers’ ¾ female, two-thirds over 44
(12%)
Not interested Do not cycle or even own a bicycle, very difficult to
change.
‘the self-conscious’ Almost all female, half under
26 (6%)
Not open to cycling at the
moment
Cycle occasionally, but a difficult lifestage for
promotion to tackle
‘youngish lads’ All male, half under 26, all
under 44 (3%)
Fairly positive, but not
open to cycling
None own a bicycle, difficult lifestage for promotion to
tackle
TRL ANALYSIS OF THE MARKET FOR
CYCLING:
Table:ERCDT
27. 27
IDENTIFYING MARKET POTENTIAL
Scope for increasing cycling :
Occasional cyclists 15%
Toe-dippers 5%
The unthinking 18%
Total market = 38%
Other segments can be ignored!
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SELLING THE BENEFITS
What are the benefits (motivators) of cycling for:
The individual and
The community?
TASK: In groups come up with benefits for
the individual & the community
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MOTIVATIONS FOR CYCLING
Keeping fit and healthy
Fun and sociability
Freedom and enjoyment
Convenience and speed
Cost
Habit
Helping the environment
Reducing congestion
IndividualsCommunity
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THE MARKETING TOOL KIT
Design and Print
Media coverage
Cycling events
Websites/social media
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MARKETING TOOL KIT EXERCISE
-1. How can I use this method to get across the key
messages/motivators to my target market?
2. How can we use this method to encourage more
people to cycle?
3. What are your top tips for using this method?
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THE MARKETING TOOL KIT
Leaflets / brochures
What to consider when producing a leaflet/brochure:
Who is the target market?
What are their interests, needs, desires?
What benefits should you highlight?
What images will appeal?
What information do they need?
What will stop them just binning it?
Design and Print
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THE MARKETING TOOL KIT
How best to attract the public?
How best to attract and keep
media attention
Media coverage
50. 50
Press releases – what they need:
Human interest angle
Concise editorial style
Photo opportunity
Famous face
Personal relationships with the
press
THE MARKETING TOOL KIT
55. 55
Cycling events – what to consider
Who is it meant to attract?
How best to attract them?
How useful are they?
Key planning considerations?
How effective? Is it worth doing…
THE MARKETING TOOL KIT
56. 56
Cycling events
Strategy options include:
Hiring somebody to run your event
Organising events yourself
and…
THE MARKETING TOOL KIT
60. 60
Publicising your event
- Your own website
- Emails or E-newsletters
- Printed newsletters
- Specific flyers/posters (Design and Print)
- Press release (Media Coverage)
THE MARKETING TOOL KIT
62. 62
Websites
How best to attract ( and keep) an audience
What is the focus of the content?
How useful is it?
How effective is it?
THE MARKETING TOOL KIT
68. 68
SUMMARY
We have covered:
The role of marketing and promotion
Basic principles of marketing
Tools and methods available
69. 69
Conclusion
Invest in good design
Present cycling as mainstream activity
Don’t highlight safety concerns
Don’t let marketing be an afterthought
73. Learning Outcomes
By the end of this workshop, candidates will be able to:
1. Identify how they can influence the use of Social
Media including Facebook, Twitter, Youtube,
WordPress etc. within their workplace or community
to aid cycle growth.
2. Build, grow and retain a mailing list
3. Deliver the most relevant twitter/facebook message
to your target audience.
74. We’re working to establish cycling as an acceptable,
attractive and practical lifestyle option
76. Effective Social Media Optimisation is not about trying to
infiltrate forums and blogs to promote your brand.
What we want to do is create interesting content with a strong
'hook' and bait other people to comment on it - to build our
brand into communications by providing information that is
remarkable and relevant to specific groups of people.
Enhance Brand Recognition
77. Increase number of contacts on mailing list
Increase amount of facebook likes
Increase amount of twitter followers
WHY?
We will look at ways to
78. Ways to increase amount of Facebook likes.
Update facebook feed on a regular basis, with “interesting” information linked to brand
and target group. Ideas:
Cycling Scotland Update: update on services
What services do we offer? Training Courses, Cycle Friendly, Events, Engineering, etc.
Links to interesting articles: blogs, magazine articles, websites
Style quiz/polls: “Are you cycle chic? *Yes *No *Maybe”
Interesting questions that will lead to a response: “It’s Friday where are you planning to go
cycling this weekend?”
79. Maintain Photo Albums
Present photos in clear albums, including all previous Cycling Scotland events
Add description to each photo, with product information (link to product page), and links to
twitter & Flickr.
Add tabs in header section for links to other social networks, notes/blog, sign up link for mailing
list, events and videos
80. 2. Create Facebook Hooks/Competitions
Create content with a “hook” that will lead to interaction from facebook users:
Questions, Quizzes, Pictures, Videos
Create a facebook competition: “Like, share, tag a friend to win…”
75 likes 38 shares 3,500 views
81. Twitter
Following the right type of people
Using twitter tools effectively: @, #, RT’s/DM’s and pictures
Interesting tweet content
83. Mention (@): how to directly
reply to another user,
i.e. a customer, a blogger, a
brand ambassador,
a VIP, or a celebrity
84. Hashtag (#): To categorize
tweets:
excellent way to search
twitter for specific
information and to follow
conversation
between people you don’t
follow.
85. Re-Tweet (RT): To repost a tweet by another user.
To use with positive feedback from customers/
VIPs/celebrities, tweet mentions, pictures.
Anything that is relative to Cycling Scotland.
86. Tweet-to-enter: Entering competition or
Sweepstakes via Twitter by including answer, reply
(@CyclingScotland) or hashtag (#CyclingScotland).
Tweet Content
Example of competition question:
What does SMIDSY mean?
Tell us at #CyclingScotland for your
chance to win a goody bag
full of winter essentials!
Tweet direct links to Cycling
Scotland website,
Flickr, facebook, youtube
In-house news updates: "Funding now
available through Cycle Friendly
Communities Fund! Find out more here! ”
Include bitly link………………
88. Ways to grow and retain mailing list
Online or Offline contest/activity where customers have to sign up providing email
address
Quality over Quantity: Creative, memorable content & frequency
Give your e-newsletter a personal touch
Create tab on facebook page
Mailing List
89. Add 'subscribe' button to website (Newsletters)
Add 'forward to friend' and 'subscribe buttons to
emails sent out, so that customers can forward emails
to friends, and those friends can then subscribe.
Use other social networks to promote mailing list.
Use attractive incentives: giveaways, exclusive VIP
offers, VIP Events, etc.
Collect email contacts at events, provide cards/piece
of paper for customers to leave details.
What else can we do?
90. Blogging Gives Cycling Scotland a 'Face and Voice':
connecting/engaging with target audience, keeps Cycling
Scotland customers up-to-date and is cost-effective.
Brings in traffic and enhances search engine optimisation.
Bloggers are like journalists.
Create news releases, pitches and packages for bloggers
Bloggers product placement (Wiseman Bicycles)
Giveaways: for bloggers to promote a Cycling Scotland
event or issue giveaways on their blog.
Blogging & Bloggers
91. Guest blogger on Cycling Scotland websites or magazine (SPIN)
Blogger competitions, examples:
- "Write a blog entry including pictures of your favourite cycling route in
Scotland, to win 2 free entries into this year’s freshnlo Pedal for Scotland“
- "Write a blog entry about what you think makes the perfect cycle to work
commuter bike, and win a bicycle for yourself and a reader!"
- "Write a blog entry about a recent, Cycling Scotland event you attended -
where you went, how you got there (cycled), what was so amazing - in order
to win a blog feature on our website!"
92. Blogs that are relevant to Cycling Scotland
Fiona Outdoors http://bit.ly/UgAvKS
STV Live Blog http://bit.ly/1dMPncl
*It is important to contact contributing writers personally, as
they are mostly freelance and write for multiple outlets
(blogs/magazines/websites).
Blogger Competitions
93. Brand Ambassadors
Create a set of brand ambassadors within industry and target market, to be
featured in Cycling Scotland’s campaign, blogs (features), social networks,
events.
Local Celebrities
Mark Beaumont, Graeme Obree, Danny MacAskill
Brand Ambassadors/ Partnerships
94. Partnerships
Create partnerships with businesses/events that
target the same market segment.
Ways of promotion: event hosting, pop-up marketing
in stores, joint promotions, joint contests, promote
and use each others social network channels.
Universities (graduates)
Main corporations in Scotland
Spring/Summer races, networking events, cycling
conferences
95. a social media promotional activity, that addresses target
market, bloggers, editors, ambassadors, creates social
media buzz and enhances brand awareness
New services
Road show: The Riderz
Pop-up store: 'Decathlon' encourage freshnlo Pedal for
Scotland sign-ups
Events
96. How to make online media work
Consistency throughout online media tools, is key to make
messaging work
Consistent use of logo, key phrases, branding style and
colours, artwork, photos, etc.
Links to all social networks on website, blog posts, mails,
images (on facebook), print media, business cards, etc.
97. General features on website and blog
- Links to social networks
- List and links of services
- Contact
- News
- Training opportunities