What is a Message The message is what you actually want to say to your target market. The following three tasks provide practice in message writing to promote and advertise your facility.

NEWSPAPER COLUMN

· Write a short paragraph for each club that uses your facility and give the meeting or practice times for each .
· Describe forthcoming events that will be held at your facility.
· Contact the local newspaper and ask them to print the information in their community activities page.
· Remember t include contact telephone numbers and the name and address of the facility.

DIRECT MARKETING

· Direct Marketing is selling by sending written material, like a letter.
· To a local hardware store or paint manufacture explaining the need to repaint your facility. Request that they become a “Sponsor In Kind” by providing the paint. Offer the company the right to paint their logo on a wall at the facility. Include your estimate of exposure to drive-by traffic. Phone the sponsor a few days after the letter has been delivered to follow-up and find out whether they are willing to help.

OUTDOOR ADVERTISING

Write a short sentence that can be painted on the front wall of your facility to encourage people to use it more. Remember to put your phone number at the end so people can make contact with you. You could also consider putting up direction boards in the community and sign boards at the facility.

PRINT ADVERTISING

Type the wording for an advertisement to be placed in a local newspaper. It should be in black and white only and be half an A4. It must attract attention, encourage people to use the facility and give some indication of what it costs to hire the facility.

RADIO ADVERTISING

Type out ten lines describing the next week’s events at your facility for inclusion on a Community radio show. Remember to include your contact telephone numbers. Consider arranging interviews with the main users of your services on the local radio station.

Example: Typical Advertising Costs (1998 price)

Photocopying. A newsletter or announcement of facilities (20 per copy)

Poster Print. A community involvement day (R1200 for 250xA2 in 1 color

Leaflet Print A local sport championship (R2500 for 2000xA5 in 1 color

Permanent Sponsor Signboard. Sponsors logo, tel. no. and message (R1500, one-color 2mx1m signboard)

Ad Placement in a Local Newspaper. Promoting facility usage (R750 for 1xA5 black and white advertisement)

Advertising Space on a Community Radio Station. Promoting an event (R2000 for 2x30 second advertising per day for a month)