IT WORKED FOR US

Whenever I visit a Highland Games (or any other major event) I am always looking for ways in which to improve the events that I am responsible for and especially the Tulloch Inverness Highland Games.

This section of the website is the ideal place for us Event Organisers to help each other.

Every now and again I will give details of a change that we made that made a difference over here in Inverness.... some of them so blindingly obvious.... you'll get a real sense of how far behind we were.

Website - Believe it or not, the idea for the www.invernesshighlandgames.com website came from the USA.

The legendary Junny Jackson of our sister Triad Highland Games in North Carolina asked me in 2000 why we didnt have a website and I had a hell of a job getting permission to get one started.

("We have a Council website, why on earth would you want your own... " was kinda how the discussion went.)

Once we got the site up and running it was amazing how many topics we needed to cover but it was worth the effort. 

Last year our Games website had 4.1 million hits as a result of hosting the Masters World Championships and this year the World Championships have caused the hit counter to go into overdrive.

One of the most popular features that we have is the email postcards which enables you to select any picture from our Photo Gallery and send a message to your friends.

Anything that raises the profile of our Games is OK by me.

Out of sight out of mind can play havoc with your Gate receipts!

 Sales Force

Because we are so close to our own Highland Games sometimes we forget that the World is full of people who have no idea what Highland Games are about and couldnt begin to guess when our Games are taking place.

One of the ways that we tackled this problem in Inverness was to invite every community group we could think of to set up a stall in our Traders Village free of charge. Suddenly we had all these folks wandering around telling their friends and their families that they were coming to the Games, had a great time at the Games and made some money at the Games.

Highland Games are supposed to be community celebrations.

 Ask folk if they have any free mobile displays they can bring to your Games. You will be amazed how many organisations have PR Departments that are desperate to find places to send displays, freebies, demonstrations throughout the Summer.

They are also usually good places to try out the "are your employees fundraising for anything at work because we have this ticket commission idea that you might be interested in"

One of our biggest sponsors was discovered using this method.

 Foam Cabers

We purchased some foam cabers for the kids and our "Have a go" Caber tossing area is extremely popular

Remember Mr Disney made a very nice living ensuring that efforts were made to keep the kids happy.

Highland Games are a family event - when was the last time you had a chat about the Children's area at your Games with youngsters?

(For the record - last Thursday - 50 Sea Cadets... who are now selling tickets on a Commission basis)

 Need to attract the interest of your local media - get yourself a Sister Games in Scotland

One of the major challenges facing any Highland Games Games is keeping the media interested.

I dont regard "send us a press release and we will publish a preview article on the eve of the Games" or even worse " send us a press release 99 weeks before the Games so we can announce your date" as being media interest.

I regard that as being a) us being lazy b) the journalists being lazy and c)  the Editorial Team setting us up nicely for a phonecall from the Advertising Department who well then try to sell us advertising!

Why pay  for an advert when you can use your imaginations to come up with interesting stories that will appear in your local newspaper for free. (God I love that word!)

We need to feed them stories and we need to feed them lots of them.

One of the best ways to get an interesting and free  story is to find yourself a Sister Games in Scotland and issue a press release.

That will enable you to get a decent size article for free  instead of paying a fortune for a tiny black and white advert that will be tucked away where no one will see it between the Car Ads and MacDonald's latest McOffer! 

If you need to find a Games in Scotland - visit www.albagames.co.uk 

Think of getting masses of column inches in your local papers as being a year long battle!

 Run an Art Competition

Teachers are always looking for things for their kids to draw.

If you get a class of kids to paint pictures of Highland Games Heavies and promise to display them at your Games and give every child a free ticket to come and see their work of art on display........ Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma will be standing at your Gates with an excited youngster around 5 hours before your Gates open!

A well placed kids ticket can equal 4 adult sales

 Your audience entertainment does not have to be Scottish?

Everyone knows that Haggis is lovely but variety is the spice of life. If you have access to free entertainers get them down to your Games and let them entertain your crowds.

You do not have to stage 100% Scottish things all the time. 

Some Non-Scottish entertainment will do nicely especially if it is free and especially if it involves school kids that you can subsequently give free tickets to for playing.

(Oh look - Mom and Dad and the Grandparents are outside the Gates and the PTA are selling your tickets on a commission basis to raise funds )

 Don't get upset

Whenever you try to help people by putting your ideas up for consideration you will always attract someone who thinks that they can increase their willie size by posting a negative comment.

Don't get upset.

One of the best things about sharing ideas is when someone takes one of your ideas - tweaks it in a way that you havent thought of - and sends it back to you as a new and improved Turbo version!

To make that happen - you have to put your ideas out there 

 Enjoy your own Games

It works for us!

Gerry,

Thank you so much for all this.  I for one know first hand how your thinking helped Inverness and the MWC in 2006 as you know, I was there and saw your gate.  I also have heard that you will actually be having some masters classes this year as it was such a big deal then.  I plan to share your ideas at my next game's meeting.

Lori

Gerry,

 Thanks. Lots of good info there... Hard to believe that I just now realized that there was a section for Ad's to post; maybe I'm trying to do too much  Steve C.