Want to be a big fish??

The Tour of Denmark is made super popular with simple tactics

A few years ago, did I have the pleasure to be part of the publicity scene at the Tour of Denmark cycling race. The scene were beautiful, the race were shortly after the Tour de France, the weather were perfect and there were a very strong and competitive group of riders, that was eager to win the race.

The race is very popular and attracts large crowds. About 500.000 people show up over this five day event, compare this with Denmark's population of just 5.5M and the numbers become even more impressive.

How do the host Danish Cycling Union succeed in attracting this many spectators?

They made it for the masses. They realized that it is better being a big fish in small lake, rater than a small fish in an big ocean.

Routing the stages through a bunch of small and medium sized cities. Cities which normally, do not attract large sporting event nor have a popular sport team. These small and medium sized cities really gets fired up!

Everybody and their brother show up to take part in the event. Some cities even hires a jazz band and people make a day out of it, it is really fantastic. Because watching the race it self, is not an experience you want to repeat, it really only takes a few minutes for the riders to pass by, and then you sit back and say, what that it?…. But it is not, because you are there for the scenery.

With this strategy about being a big fish in a small lake, really makes sense. Apply a few tactical tools, such as  some local print advertising of the event, press about the facts of the race and the riders, and support and promotion of the publicity caravan , then this really takes of.

The folks at Danish Cycling Union has made their product fantastic, by having a perfected strategy, which a few simple buttons to push.

Not the question is, how can you make your business a big fish in a small lake? Remember there is a lot of small lakes out there.