Event Logistics Guide
ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION

The primary audience for the VERB Activity Zone event is the tween audience. Promotional efforts should be dedicated to bringing tweens to the event. Here are suggested methods to advertise your event. Choose the tactics that work best in your community.

Advertising

Posters — Hang posters at community centers, schools, and at businesses in the surrounding area.

Flyers — Print color posters or black and white posters on colored paper according to your resources.

Print ads — Contact city, community, and school newspapers for advertising space. Ask for free ad placement.

Radio — Ask local radio stations to make announcements about the community–wide VERB Activity Zone event. Consider the reach of the radio station. If your VERB Activity Zone event is intended for a small community, not the entire city, radio may not be an appropriate vehicle.

Announcements

Send multiple announcements throughout the weeks prior to the event. The more times people are reminded about the VERB Activity Zone event, the more likely they are to attend. (See Appendix for a template of the Announcement). Places where you might send your announcement include:

PTA — Announce the event through PTA bulletins.

Faith–Based Groups — Ask area churches and synagogues to include an announcement in their printed or e–mail bulletins, and/or to distribute flyers.

Schools — Ask schools to promote the event during their morning announcements or send to parents in their e–mail announcements.

Press Relations

Informing the press about the community–wide VERB Activity Zone can serve two objectives: to raise awareness about the event, and therefore, raise attendance; and to raise awareness about the issue of youth physical inactivity and one way the community is addressing this concern.

Outlined here are tactics to solicit press coverage for VERB Activity Zone events.

Media List

• Create a list of local media including TV, newspapers, and radio. Include all outlets that might cover the event, like school newspapers and community newsletters.
• Call each outlet to find the reporters who cover community, youth, and/or health topics. Ask them how they prefer to receive information: via phone, fax, or e–mail.

Press Announcements

• Send a "hold the date" media advisory (See Appendix) to fax or e–mail to media outlets two weeks prior to the event.
• Repeat the media advisory two days prior to event with updated information.
• Follow–up the final media advisory fax or e–mail with phone calls to the news desks, pitching the event and describing any exciting visuals, a recognized spokesperson, or VIP attendees.

Day of Event

• Sign–in media at media table and credential them with a "Press" badge that you have designed for the event.
• Assign one event staffer to answer questions and act as a media liaison.
• Designate a spokesperson who is trained and prepared to answer questions and talk about the event.