Pilot (Parks and Recreation)

Pilot (Parks and Recreation) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is one of our first blogs ever posted.  This is a re-post of the 3rd Most Read Blog on The Method to our Madness – Staunton Parks and Recreation Blog.  This particular post was from July of 2010.

The Metamorphosis of an Internet Website

The Staunton Parks and Recreation marketing plan is coming to fruition as we finalize the different components of our parks and recreation website.  The website will be the star of our marketing show and the final component of the 2.0 platform that we adopted back in January 2010.  This platform utilizes Internet based social media, blogs, interactive websites, press release networking and picture and video websites all providing a “do something here” aspect to our marketing.  Interactive being the operative word and in stark contrast to our traditional marketing media such as the quarterly brochure, flyer, poster, banner hangings and well as newspaper advertisements. Obviously, the big difference is that the 2.0 tools engage our community encouraging dialogue versus the other forms of print marketing that are a mere monologue and static.

The website is considerably cleaner and more efficient than the current Parks and Recreation webpage (www.staunton.va.us/recreation) .  The new website is about accommodating customers by allowing for registration, on-line payments, signing up to receive relevant emails and linking the public via widgets to our other 2.0 tools.  Our customers and the public in general can interact with us as we get to know each other better.  This “giant leap” will release us from the marketing purgatory where we existed for many years and will move us well past our competition.

Though no one here at parks and recreation has actually been trained in any of these aforementioned elements of the 2.0 platform including web design, we have managed to handle all components in-house.  As staff muddles through via trial and error we have forged a clear vision and some recognition along the way.  We have been featured on Government 2.0 Radio for our use of the networked press release as well as the Virginia Communicators Newsletter.  We are growing friends on our facebook fan page and followers on Twitter- engaging as many citizens in dialogue as possible.  The various forms of positive feedback has encouraged us to press on and keep developing our dialogue/interactive form of marketing even when, as we blog we have no idea who will care to read what we have written.  Though we know that we are being read and are up to 1000+ views since we began our blog “The Method to out Madness” in March 2010.  As this unfolds and the collateral benefits reveals themselves, we begin to see the unseen or unimaginable.. like Government 2.0 Radio… Really.. Staunton Parks and Recreation?   We know why maintaining and developing these 2.0 platforms are important, it’s not just keeping up with the Jones’ but we are also planning for the future.  If money is ever extremely tight or non-existent the use of the Internet and our email databases can keep us connected to our customers and citizens almost free of charge.  Also, the 2.0 model enhances what we already do with our print marketing. We believe it is all interrelated and keeping a balance of old marketing techniques and the new 2.0 arsenal will be imperative when trying to connect with ALL of our tax payers.

Everything we do now whether it is to advertise a class on Craigslist, post a video on YouTube, or send a press release, everything will drive eyes to our webpage. The webpage “look” and first impression will dictate what happens next.  Is it Marilyn Monroe or is it a bus station vagabond?  Do you want to get to know us better or do you have better things to do? The landing page gives a clear comprehensive view of what Staunton Parks and Recreation is all about and ultimately should motivate a call to action, or a “do something” attribute as has been mentioned before.  That “something” being, register for a class, league or trip, take a hike in Montgomery Hall Park, enjoy our  Gypsy Hill Golf Course, visit the Duck Pond or attend a special event in the park.

Our ultimate goal as a department is to provide the best possible recreation programs and places.  We think we do this but the oneness is on us to find a way to let you know what your City has to offer in the way of parks and recreation. If you don’t know about it you can’t do it.   We have fallen short in creating community recreation awareness in the past and we are making up for lost time by collaborating with  the IT department as they help us convert the new look to the old Plone paradigm.  Check out our website under construction at www.stauntonparksandrecreationrevolution.com.  Please leave us a comment or compare our new site versus the old.  Though the new site is not officially up and running this will give a good idea of where we are going.

Submitted by:  Jennifer Jones, Superintendent of Recreation

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