From July 8 to 17, 2023, the World Para Athletics Championships – PARIS’23 will be in full swing. To best organize this event, an organizing committee was set up in April 2022. But then, what are the different poles of this organization? What are its basic missions? During the whole month of October, we tell you everything! So come and discover the many facets that make up the Organizing Committee of the World Paralympic Athletics Championships (COMAP).
For this new service presentation, we met Agathe Fournier, head of the marketing department.
Hello Agathe, to begin with, can you explain the role of the marketing department within COMAP?
Agathe Fournier : “The marketing department’s role is to find partners for the world championships and to sell hospitality. Once these partners have been found, the objective is to build their loyalty by creating counterparts with them before, during and after the event through long-term actions. The goal is to contribute to the legacy of the event for the French Handisport Federation, or the handisport athletics commission.”
How many people are in the department?
A.F : “The department is composed of six people, including Emeric and Nathan who are dedicated full time to the commercial follow-up and the follow-up of partner activations on the event.”
What are the missions of the department?
A.F : “Chronologically, it is a question of defining the marketing offers of the event. This step happened almost a year ago now. At this stage, we thought about the partner experience that we offer and what type of visibility and support we will provide. It is also necessary to define the hospitality, with the types of lounges that we offer.
Then, goals are set based on the event’s budget. We also determine the strategy to adopt by relying first on the historical partners of the French Handisport Federation, before starting an active canvassing of new companies.
During the event, the missions of each one will be mainly on the reception and the partnership relations to make sure that everything goes well with regard to the various counterparts planned for the partners.”
How does the team work?
A.F : “Everyone has their own well-defined missions. Even if the physiognomy of the service is to help each other when needed. Emeric is more about hospitality, with a real commercial role. And Nathan is more about activating partners to strengthen their loyalty.”
What are the specificities or particularities of the service?
A.F : “I would say that we spend our lives on the phone or in sales meetings. And the biggest work is being done right now, with just under a year to go before the event.”
What qualities and skills are required?
A.F : “There are skills like being punctual, being sociable and communicating well. Then, in terms of skills, you need to have commercial skills. But you also have to be very reactive to respond to certain urgent needs of companies. The idea is to be at the service of the group, whether internally with other departments, or externally with the ecosystem of public and private partners.”
THE worst flaw for working in this department?
A.F : “It’s not really a flaw, but I would say not being able to adapt and compensate for every situation, without showing stress or anxiety about delivering the counterparts.”
THE situation to avoid on the day of the event?
A.F : “It would be to have no one to welcome and satisfy on D-Day because of the non-signature of a partnership. This should not be the case since we already have more than 5 partners and many are ready to join the adventure.
Have we forgotten anything?
A.F : “Yes, I would like to add that if you wish to become a partner, do not hesitate to contact me at a.fournier@handisport.org.”