Multiple Chapters on "Highest Performing Promotional Tools and Strategies"

Multiple Chapters 25 pages (10859 words) Sources: 70

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Highest Performing Promotional Tools and Strategies in the Marketing Communications Mix for Attracting Volunteers for the 2012 Olympic Games

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The recruitment and retention of a volunteer organization for the London 2012 Olympics is the single greatest influence on the experience the visitors enjoy from around the world when they attend the many venues and locations throughout the United Kingdom (UK). Attracting, training and retaining the best volunteer base for the many eclectic and varied events is highly dependent on getting the best possible volunteers with the most effective skill sets needed. The volunteers really are the face of the Olympics; they are the brand experience that visitors globally will experience when they attend events, travel to venues, and sightsee through the many historical landmarks of the UK. Given the fact that the volunteers will dictate the customer experience, there is even greater responsibility and that is to ensure that the millions of moments-of-truth when they are called upon to serve the Olympics' guests go positively, exceeding the guests' expectations.

This is the very essence of why recruiting, training and retaining the best possible volunteers is so crucial to satisfy the need for providing Olympic visitors with a memorable experience that will reflect well on the host city and country. This analysis aims to define the optimal series of promotional tools and strategies for attracting the highest quality and most qualified volunteers for the London 2012 Olympics. Implicit in the analysis is the need for also defining how the most effective promotional tools and strategies are included as part of the broader integrated marketing communications (IMC) strategies promoting the London 2012 Olympics. The tools and strategies need to be highly relevant and trusted by the target audience of the entire base of volunteers that are going to be recruited (Stern, 2010). For example, as many of the prospective volunteers nowadays rely primarily on social networks and social media to interact with one another, follow their interests (as is the case with Facebook fan pages) and also follow entertainment and sports celebrities, these platforms need to be used extensively as part of any recruitment campaigns.

As the point has been made before, these promotional strategies must also be tightly coordinated and synchronized with a broader IMC strategy to ensure the highest level of effectiveness possible is attained (Sirgy, 1998) (Falk, Hammerschmidt, Schepers, 2010).. All of these strategies and tools, from the use of promotionally-based social networks and volunteer recruitment programs to the use of Integrated Marketing Communciaitons (IMC) strategies interlinked to these programs (to the high levels of consistency to IMC strategies (what does this mean?) that guide London 2012 Olympics marketing, analytics need to be used in order to track their effectiveness. This analysis also includes an assessment of which key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics or measures of performance need to be used to evaluate if the promotional tools and strategies are in fact working. This is a critically important part of this analysis, as digital marketing makes it possible to measure, in real-time, the effectiveness of promotional and marketing strategies. What begins to emerge is an ecosystem of marketing strategies and initiatives where promotion drives the upper funnel of activity, followed by the use of IMC campaigns and strategies to move volunteers through the recruitment process to eventually signing them up for service.

In many respects, the series of promotional tools and strategies that are defined in this analysis are equivalent to how a company would seek to attract, sell and serve customers. The concept of the sales funnel, with the promotional tools and strategies aimed at capturing interest and prompting customers to action is allegorically the same as those of attracting prospects as well (Gilpin, Palazzolo, Brody, 2010). The same lower-funnel sales activities of motivating prospects to initially try a product and become loyal to its purchase is also akin to having a volunteer willing to go through a screening process and eventually become part of the crops of services providers for the London 2012 Olympics.

1.0

Introduction

The Olympic Games have always been fascinating people around the world, as this event brings together the best athletes in the world in their given sports. The rejuvenation of the modern Olympics in the late 19th century was perfectly timed to coincide this event every four years with more economic, social and technological change the world had seen previously. Each Olympics has reflected the current state of the world while also displaying humankinds' relentless pursuit of ever-greater athletic performance. This is very inspiring to the audience as it shows that no matter what the distraction occurring in society, athletes have the focus and the intensity to keep moving forward to their goals. They are relentless in their pursuit of their goals. This is worth stopping to take notice of. It shows that the ancient Greeks realized that competition prizing the greatest athletic talents could keep a society moving forward, with achievement as a prized value or attribute (Swaddling, 2000). These are the reasons why the Olympics fascinate me and so many others around the globe.

Given the magnitude of the London 2012 Olympics Games the need for volunteers has never been greater. Attracting these volunteers, training them and creating a unique and valuable customer experience for the visitors globally requires greater levels of coordination and cooperation than ever before. Choosing the right promotional strategies, supported by the best possible tools and techniques, is therefore also critically important.

To put the current Olympics into context, the ancient Olympics and its underlying concepts must be kept in mind (Why? I don't think this is really relevant to be honest!). The historical significance of the ancient Olympics set the foundation for how competitions are organized, orchestrated across countries, and the unique customs the ancient Greeks had defined that still exist today. The ancient Olympics concentrated on competitions between city-states, and also forbid wars or conflicts during the time of the Olympics so every citizen could enjoy the competitive events. As with all major events in the ancient Greek culture, the gods of the Hellenic culture beliefs played a major role in the development of the Olympics as well. Legend has it that Zeus came up with the idea of the Olympics as a means to test his son Hercules' strength. Hercules defined the time between each Olympic event as four years. Given the popularity of this god in Greek culture, the events that surrounded the Olympics became nearly religious in significance. The growth of the Olympic games reached their apex in the 7th century, so much so that the rulers of the time perceived them as a threat and had them discounted until their rejuvenation in the late 19th century. What fascinates me personally about this progression of events of the ancient Greek Olympics is how the competition completely re-ordered the structure and culture of the society over time (Reference to the ancient Olympics) (I don't think it's a good idea to talk about your personal feelings -- keep it professional and academic at all times - OK).

Most fascinating however is how the Olympic Games have the potential to keep what is positive, affirming and strengthening to a society in focus. Despite the last century's very turbulent economic, social, technological and political changes, the Olympics and the performance of athletes have continued to progress and gain greater accuracy, speed and strength. It is inspiring that despite how much society has changed in the last 130 years since the Olympics began, there is still a continual commitment to improve and find peace between nations through this event (Saddling, 2000). That is why the Olympics are so important to me and why I chose this specific area to study (I think you need a better reason than this! It needs to be something connected to your field of interest - a professional reason for choosing it; not a personal one). (NOTE: As I do not know you, you will have to write a paragraph on your own here -- I have no idea why you chose the Olympics and the promotional strategies to attract volunteers.

1.1 Aims and Objectives

At the intersection of the philanthropic segments that are defined through psychographics, and the use of promotional tools and strategies is the need for defining best practices in recruitment and retention of volunteers. Implicit in any strategy to attract and retain volunteers is the need for connecting and communicating with them. That is the role of promotional strategies in the context of any successful marketing communications strategy (Clow, Baack, 2002).

The ability to attract, train and retain volunteers for the many eclectic London 2012 Olympics activities, events, venue staffing and support requirements is critical for meeting and exceeding the expectations of visitors from across the globe. The success of the London 2012 Olympics is directly dependent on the attitudes, behavior, and results achieved through the efforts of volunteers. The need to create effective promotional… READ MORE

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