The Le Tour de France departs from Leeds in less than 50 days now. For many companies this is a great way to leverage local interest for their business. In this article we want to discuss 7 ways to use digital marketing during the Le Tour de France Yorkshire Grand Depart on July 5^th.

1.      Use the #LeTour hashtag

During the Tour, many businesses and locals will use the #LeTour. #TDF & #TDFYorkshire hashtag`s when talking about things related to or happening during the event. What a great way to bring attention to your specials and other Tour related events you have planned for the week.

A hashtag is simply a pound sign and a keyword put together without using spaces. They allow social media users on a network like Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ to follow specific topics. Great for events like this, because many people will be searching for the hashtags related to the event. This is an opportunity to bring in new clients when done correctly.

Do not over use hashtags when attracting attention from prospective clients. Keep it down to only one or two hashtags per post at most. Additionally, not every post needs a hashtag. Use them judiciously throughout your social media campaigns.

2.      Have specific Tour specials for the day of the depart

We mentioned you should use hashtags to attract attention to your specials. Since this is a special occasion, having specific, Tour related deals or offers is a great way to bring attention to your business.

For example, if you are a restaurant owner you might want to have biker specials. Everyone who comes to your establishment on a bike gets 10% off their meal. Alternatively, maybe you could give away knick-knacks to everyone who visits your retail wearing some type of Grand Depart clothing.

3.      Make sure all your social media information is up to date by the Grand Depart

There is nothing worse than sending people to an out of date website or social media account. Before the start of the Grand Depart, double check that all of your social media profiles are updated and complete.

Is there a new section that the social network wants you to fill out? Have the profile image dimensions changed? Are there recent posts on the social media page? Now is the time to check all those little details. Google+ and Twitter constantly change their cover pages. Make sure that you page looks up to date and takes advantage of all each social network has to offer.

4.      Include a fun way for customers to engage with you during the Grand Depart

The Grand Depart is a fun event. That means whatever you do in terms of marketing must be engaging and interesting to your target market.

Do not just bore them with repeated discount deals. Mix things up a bit. Show off photographs of specific clients who come to your establishment. Tag the clients, with their permission of course, when you know their name, so they know their photo is live on your page.

Additionally, think of other ways you can engage your users, including contests giveaways, and other interesting Grand Depart events clients would be interested in participating in during the Tour.

5.      Consider using paid search campaigns

While organic search is great for long-term traffic, keep in mind that for short-term traffic during events like the Grand Depart, you might want to consider using paid traffic to further your reach.

Organic search just takes too darn long to be effective for time sensitive offers. Focus on using a paid campaign based tightly on your target market, and a PPC Leeds based agency could help you with this.

6.      Build your list

Any successful business that expects to last longer than a millisecond needs a good mailing list. The list will sustain you in bad times, and boost you past your wildest dreams in good times. Your list is the crux of your business.

A good list of buyers does what very few other tools in business can help you achieve: repeat buyers. This is why you need to make sure that you get as many prospects or clients onto your list.

You will need at least one way to communicate with your list. Whether it is via email, text, or post is your call.

7.      Do not forget your current clients

One mistake many firms make when they use events like this to prospect for new clients is that they forget about their existing client base. Remember to spend some time developing your relationship with your core group. They are the ones who will be with you, no matter what you do.

Treat them to something special during the Tour to reward their loyalty and at the same time remind them of your brand. Make sure it is something not available to other groups. Whether a special deal on the day of the Depart, or a free gift they can pick up that day, stay in touch with your existing clients. In turn, they are likely to help you spread the word and bring in new prospects.

To do this, you will need to build a list. When your clients come in, make sure to get either their email, mobile number, or address so you can mail them information relevant for the Grand Depart.

Keep Things In Perspective With the Grand Depart

One final piece of information here. Do not overwhelm yourself with ideas. This is a rare occasion to show off your business during an international event. Since it is a once in a lifetime type event, remember not to deviate too far away from your traditional marketing efforts.

Use the Grand Depart for Le Tour a campaign as a blueprint for future special events campaigns you run. Once you create a successful campaign with the Le Tour de France you can replicate your success elsewhere. At the same time, be consistent with your traditional marketing efforts.

Do not divert too much of your resources to this event. Make sure it is appropriate, based on your monthly marketing budget. Then when you use these ideas for your business, you will see a greater return not only during the event, but also afterwards as well. Like the Le Tour de France, digital marketing is a marathon, not a sprint.

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