by Bob Carson

Editor’s Note: The USTA Web site is pleased to present freelance writer Bob Carson and his popular “Outside the Box” features. This monthly series is a menu of outlandish proposals presented with a wink — but the purpose behind them is serious. The views contained in this column are that of the author alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions or views of the United States Trotting Association.

“If people in a social environment see something they like, they tell their friends and it spreads virally…word of mouth is much more valuable than advertising.” — Chris DeWolfe

“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.” — Franklin Roosevelt

Bob Carson

Allow me to state the obvious — the world is rushing past at an astonishing speed. We will get lost if we just stand still. We need to fight for our niche like a champion in the stretch. You can help without getting off your chair.

The seeds for this unorthodox concept were planted in fields of rejection. Like most people, freelance writers need to eat. Some of us also need to pay bar tabs, therapists, gambling debts and ridiculously expensive health care premiums. Therefore, it is mandatory that freelancers write for a variety of publications. One of the first lessons you learn as a freelance writer is that when you sell a story, always have a follow-up story ready to pitch.

Due to my infatuation with harness racing, my follow-up pitches often involve a story about our sport. It would be easier to get these beleaguered editors to accept a case of the Swine Flu (which, by the way, my health insurance does not cover due to the pre-existing condition of eating a ham sandwich three years ago).

Several editors have shared their reasons for rejection of harness racing submissions…advertisers are sensitive, my magazine is going broke, gambling is not a good sell, harness racing is regional, normal citizens do not understand the sport, demographics are poor in horse racing, and blah, blah, blah. It’s true, people can be touchy. I once lost a lifestyle magazine as a client because the fanatically anti-gambling editor discovered I was a supporter of horse racing.

My inability to get word of our fascinating sport to the 98 percent of the world that remain oblivious to it has been exasperating. Writing for the harness racing crowd is enjoyable. However, I doubt if any of my harness racing articles have brought a single new voice to our hardy choir.

Autumn Ryan graphic

Convincing mainstream print publications to run harness racing stories remains problematic — but the internet holds promise for spreading our word. While The New Yorker is not apt to publish a harness racing story, niche publication Web sites are constantly looking for material. Articles that appear on Web sites like this one can be easily pushed along the cyber trail to friends, relatives, co-workers and co-players.

With these dynamics in play, I now begin another Quixotic quest and I will ask you to play Sancho Panza.

Last month in this space, the article concerned building coffee shops at racetracks. Next month you will see a story about crossword puzzle solvers and why they would make good handicappers. Peripherally, these stories will touch on harness racing — however, they will not be written for you, our beloved harness racing aficionados. This series of articles will target people who are completely unaware of the joys and challenges of our sport.

Hopefully you will find the unusual articles mildly interesting, but they will be aimed at diverse groups such as unsuspecting business people, internet gamers, retirees, crossword puzzle solvers, Bolivians, casino players, etc. These articles will attempt to nudge these groups to take a look at harness racing — but they cannot nudge if they are not read.

When these unorthodox pieces appear on the USTA Web site, your task is to send them on their way to any possible person who does not know about our wonderful sport. For example, the coffee shop story from last month could be sent to business people who might be looking for an opportunity, or friends that drive past racetracks on their way to work, or people in your coffee klatch. After next month’s crossword puzzle story think about anyone who solves puzzles and pass the story forward.

Now I, of all people, hate to suggest that you work, but this will only take a few mouse clicks and we must all pull on the oars if we are to move the USS Harness Enterprise. I will mitigate the “work” aspect by suggesting that this could be fun when people e-mail back and ask, “What’s this?” You can get a foot in the cyber door.

Therefore, your assignment for the next few months is when you see the PIF symbol following an article, consider forwarding the story to friends, relatives, associates — anyone that might be interested. The only requirements for potential readers are that they must have a steady pulse and a semi-steady source of disposable income. This is guerilla marketing at the personal level.

Now some of you may fear looking foolish (long ago I conquered this). If that’s the case, forward it anonymously or use a fake name. If the recipient dumps it — so what, it’s free to send and it will not be the first item in their spam pile.

You never know when a click of your mouse may lead someone to the horse game. Remember, anytime we get forwarded, the potential fan can easily find their way back to the new USTA Web site. And this site is ready. It now prominently displays “Harness The Excitement” and a host of other sites to help the curious visitor.

This is a simple course of action designed to get people to peek behind our curtain. If we can lead strangers to our trough using cyberspace as our leash, a few will drink.