From the desk of Dawn Betza:

In my role as the Publicity, Promotions & Special Events Coordinator, I get to do many fun and exciting things. My main focus is to work with show promoters and help them facilitate their advertising and public relations campaigns. I create marketing plans, write press releases, place media buys, schedule radio/tv interviews, arrange meet & greets, etc. The bottom line…it’s all about getting the word out, but most importantly, it’s about putting butts in seats. Show promoters rely heavily on in-house marketing help since most are not familiar with the Erie market. They need advice and recommendations as to where to spend their marketing dollars, so I help make sense of it all – at least I think so anyway! Spending money on radio, tv, newspaper and online is the most effective way to get the message out, but it also opens the doors for other types of media opportunities. Promoters love these additional opportunities because they are absolutely free! They include ticket giveaways, special promotions, enter to wins, on air interviews – all great ways to extend the marketing message without any cost.

So, here is one of those great opportunities that I wanted to share with you. The Harlem Globetrotters have a program where they send a player, known as an Advance Ambassador, to town about one month before their game to do all sorts of media interviews, school visits and general public relations. My job is to escort the player to each location and to make sure each event is properly executed. While this is very interesting and a unique opportunity that most will never experience, it is also a very busy day loaded with events that start in the wee hours of the morning. Below is an example of an Advance Ambassador schedule – enjoy!!

 

TIME                      EVENT                                                                   NOTES TO PLAYER

5:45am                 Pick-up player at hotel                                   bring 2 basketballs for the day

6:00-7:00am       WSEE-TV/WICU-TV                                         live interviews morning news, be prepared to spin ball

7:30-8:00am       Connoisseur Radio                                          multiple live interviews on Star, Rocket, The Wolf

8:30-9:30am       Erie Day School                                                 175 student assembly, interviews afterwards

10:00-10:30am   Cumulus Radio                                                  multiple live interviews on Classy 100, Nash & Z102

11:00-11:30am   WERG Gannon Radio                                      recorded interview

11:50-1:00pm     WSEE TV/WICU-TV                                          live interviews afternoon news, also weather segment

LUNCH

2:00-2:30pm       Erie Insurance Arena, JET-TV/FOX            shoot basketballs to record promo, also interview

3:00-4:00pm       Youth Development Center                        meet & greet, sign autographs, pictures

4:30-5:30pm       Emerson-Gridley                                              200 student assembly

6:00-7:00pm       JET-TV/FOX                                                        multiple live interviews evening news

7:30-8:30pm       CiCi’s Pizza                                                          meet & greet, sign autographs, pictures

 

The Harlem Globetrotters return to the Erie Insurance Arena on February 3, 2015 @ 7:00pm. Tickets on sale now.

Check out this cool video – a Harlem Globetrotter shatters the Guinness World Record for the farthest basketball shot made backwards!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4fzSkAgNP4&feature=youtu.be