The Power of Social Media

Ripken Baseball
In response to the lack of focused attention to several separate online communities, Ripken Baseball wanted to find a way to increase traffic and spread their different messages. Ripken Baseball was utilizing multiple sites to promote events, tournaments, merchandise, philanthropic efforts, minor league teams and media coverage.

Babe Ruth Birthplace & Sports Legends Museum
With the Baltimore Orioles season coming to an end, the Sports Legends Museum and Babe Ruth Birthplace were looking for new and creative ways to increase foot traffic to each location. John Hein, Director of Business Development explains that “during the off season, Camden Yards and the Museums see a decrease in visitors each year."

Ripken Baseball
Understanding that each of the separate social media platforms was promoting an important message for Ripken Baseball, Maroon PR developed a plan to integrate each of the sites into one – “Ripken Baseball.”

We decided that for two weeks, we would use each of the already established Facebook and Twitter pages to encourage fans and followers to join the Ripken Baseball online community. Each of these sites reminded their following that after these two weeks were completed, the Social Media Marketing presence for the Ripken corporate brand could be found at Ripken Baseball on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and through the Ripken Baseball blog, which lives online at The Baltimore Sun.

When the fourteen day period passed, Maroon PR deactivated each previous Facebook and Twitter account, and began utilizing one sole Ripken Baseball entity to promote the Ripken message.

Babe Ruth Birthplace & Sports Legends Museum
Maroon PR worked with Groupon to create a special for both the Sports Legends Museum and Babe Ruth Birthplace in an effort to garner attention following the Baltimore Orioles’ 2010 season and to drive traffic to each attraction.

Groupon works with local businesses and organizations to create a special for those who purcxhase the online coupon. It is a way to offer consumers great values by guaranteeing businesses a minimum number of customers. If a certain number of people sign up, everyone receives the Groupon offer. If that minimum isn't reached, then no one does.
Through developing a relationship with Groupon, we secured Sports Legends Museum and the Babe Ruth Birthplace as a promotion in October. Anyone who bought the Groupon received two admission tickets for the price of one. Each Groupon is good for one year from the date of the promotion and can be used at any time.

Ripken Baseball
By combining the separate Facebook and Twitter pages, Ripken Baseball saw incredible growth. The Ripken Baseball Facebook following grew from around 500 fans to over 13,000, with that number increasing every day. Maroon PR updates the Ripken Baseball Facebook page on a daily basis and participates in conversation with each of its fans. To keep the page fresh and exciting, Maroon PR makes real time updates with photos, quotes, news and questions to involve every member of its large online community.

The Ripken Baseball Twitter page started at less than 100 followers and was following less than 5 other handles. By understanding the value in reciprocating the following, as well as being engaged with followers, Maroon PR has grown the Ripken Baseball Twitter following to nearly 5,000 and has been consistent and attentive to following other active Twitter handles. Maroon PR monitors conversations that are taking place through the Ripken Baseball Twitter platform, and participates in relevant discussion.

Babe Ruth Birthplace & Sports Legends Museum
Through the Groupon promotion, 331 tickets were sold to visit the Sports Legends Museum and Babe Ruth Birthplace. On the exact same day, there were just over 90 actual tickets purchased on-site at both Museums combined. With each of these tickets, comes traffic to each location, as well as a visit to the gift store, and a word of mouth reviews to friends and family.

Maroon PR is able to track who uses their Groupon, as well as when, and has the ability to develop a relationship with an audience who already has shown an interest in the Sports Legends Museum and Babe Ruth Birthplace.

In only one day, a Groupon special secured a significant amount of traffic that would have not been seen otherwise. Additionally, Sports Legends Museum and Babe Ruth Birthplace collected nearly $2,000 via the online purchases and received 24 hours of exposure as the featured deal on Groupon.com.