Client spotlight on: Ludlow Racecourse

Background:

Ludlow Racecourse is National Hunt jump racing track located in rural Shropshire. The racecourse is independently run and we work closely with Simon, Clerk or Course and Managing Director and Diane Thomas, Office manager, as well as the wider team. It is a well known and supported by local people as well as racehorse owners, trainers and jockey from across the country, including regular runners from Ireland and France. As the majority of the race meetings are mid-week, it is hard to appeal to a younger demographic. The course is also a hireable venue for weddings and any other events. Out of season, the venue is used for other events such as wedding fairs, fashion shows, caravan club meet ups, corporate events and away days.

Our mission during the racing season which runs from October – May, is to attract a consistent audience to each of our race days whilst involving a younger demographic. Out of season, our aim is to increase awareness of the racecourse as a venue for a multitude of events and run events ourselves internally.

We have worked with Ludlow Racecourse now for the last 2.5 years and when we first started, there was no marketing being done at the racecourse.

What we do:

🦓 Social Media – We cover all of Ludlow Race Club Ltd Social media presence, covering Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok. This includes coverage on each race day and events in and out of season. We work alongside the race day team, RacingTV, racing media and with influencers to maximise their presence on socials. We organise collaborations, giveaways and promotional. activity. We also like to champion the racing industry and each race meeting we announce the best turned out winners

🦓 Design – We design all social media graphics and the majority of on course signage. We have redesigned racecard adverts that are generic for each meeting, but create a new front cover and specific sponsorship ads for each fixture. We are also responsible for designing marketing materials such as leaflets, posters, beer mats and more!

🦓 PR – We ensure Ludlow receives national and local coverage through press releases, editorial, advertising and engaging industry media on race days.

🦓 Events Management – Organising events on racedays has proved popular, with increased ticket sales on previously quieter fixtures. Our recent Farmers Day was a hit with the public, this involved a talk from Jules Hudson of BBC’s Escape To The Country for those who opted for the ‘Ploughman’s Lunch’ hospitality package. We also raised money for a local mental health charity tailored to the farming community. This event attracted first time racegoers, regulars as well as Jules Hudson fans. We ensure that we are in attendance at each event that we organise on non racedays too. This means that we can maintain a smooth running plan as well as giving us the ability to capture content from the event.

🦓 Events Coverage – We ensure that we are in attendance at each event that we organise on non racedays too. This means that we can maintain a smooth running plan as well as giving us the ability to capture content from the event.

🦓 Email Marketing – We send out an email newsletter each month to our contact list of over 3,000 subscribers. Event specific emails are also sent out during the run up.

🦓 Paid Marketing Spend – We use paid social media advertising for all of our events on racedays and non-racedays. We also run campaigns to encourage new sign-ups to the list.

Awards:

We are delighted to hear that Ludlow Racecourse has been named most improved racecourse of 2023 and we are proud of our contribution to this accolade. Read the full article here – Best Raceday Experience READ MORE HERE

We also had the privilege of being interviewed by The Racecourse Association about the top ten award and you can read the full article here – A Warm Welcome to Shropshire’s Racecourse READ MORE HERE

Conclusion:

In conclusion, having a marketing agency is instrumental in running effective marketing campaigns and introducing an overall strategy with specific aims and objectives. 

Over the years, we have successfully increased visitor numbers to Ludlow Racecourse, culminating in their busiest ever race meeting, the Tanners Christmas Meeting 2023. This remarkable achievement showcases our ability to attract and engage a larger audience, resulting in more successful events.

Our passion for the racing industry is evident in every aspect of our work. We thoroughly enjoy working within this industry, and it drives us to be innovative and creative as we adapt to its expansion and changes. By staying ahead of trends and embracing new marketing techniques, we ensure that Ludlow Racecourse remains at the forefront.

“Zebra PR have been involved with our social media, events and overall marketing for over three years now. Their social media work, including the design of graphics, has been first class and their enthusiasm towards innovation and marketing has been infectious and the ongoing results are really showing now. We look forward to continuing this relationship.” – Simon Sherwood, Clerk of Course