Start of the Walk
A crowd of people gathered to walk in support of a cause. A band was playing to entertain and get everyone excited about the event. Sponsors provided additional entertainment and useful information. A significant amount of money was getting turned in.
During the walk there was additional entertainment and messages about why our participation was important.
The experience above describes a charity walk I participated in.
Does this sound like the start of a great charity walk? Of course. But walks don’t end when the participants start walking.
End of the Walk
When I got to the end of the walk, there was no music or entertainment. There was no one thanking me for participating or congratulating me on completing the walk. There were no announcements being made.
What I did see was many people aimlessly walking around and eventually leaving the site when it was apparent the walk was over.
What do you think the participants were thinking about as they left the site? The great production leading up to the start of the walk? I doubt it. I suspect they were still thinking about the poor finish when the next walk was advertised several months later.
Plan from Start to Finish
Make sure when you plan your charity walks, the entire experience is covered. It will be more difficult to get returning walkers if your event doesn’t end well. They will be anxiously waiting for the announcement of your next charity walk if it does.
Thanks,
p.s. What has been your experience with walk finishes? Do you have some good ideas of things that could be done at the end of the event? Let me know by leaving a comment.
photo credit: Penny Mathews
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What a great point. A lot of events I’ve attended ended sort of quietly, along with a cleanup effort underway. It would be fun to end with something more upbeat, maybe even a brief closing ceremony. Also would be nice to start an end-of-event tradition of some kind, for annual events.
Lee,
I like the idea of an end-of-event tradition for charity walks that occur annually. It could be another thing that is unique to that walk which could make it stand out from other events. Thanks for the idea.
Hi Roger,
I have not been into any walking events as running events are more popular in my area. But I think a walking event is a great idea, allowing more people to join who would otherwise shun away from a strictly running event.
What makes our running events popular is the festive atmosphere AFTER the run. Sponsor booths can be found all around the finish line. These sponsors’ booths promote anything from food to running gear to adventure packages and just about anything remotely related to the running event; whether it’s a charity run or a brand-related run.
There are also running events held at night and at the end of the run, bands play great music. Totally a festive atmosphere that runners and non-runners alike mill around long after the last finisher has crossed the line.
All these may be applied to walking events. In fact, I believe that a walking event, due to its easier nature, can attract more participants.
Bob
Bob Diamond Real Estate Program