Riding High: How Donna Werking, Owner of Northern AZ Social, LLC Keeps the Prescott Frontier Days®, Inc-World's Oldest Rodeo® in the Spotlight
Written by Yvonne Gibbs
When you step onto the Prescott Frontier Days® rodeo grounds during the World’s Oldest Rodeo®, you are surrounded by aromas, sounds, brightly colored banners, and various livestock. What ties this bounty of sights and sounds together is a team that works year-round to present a great event. In 2020, Donna Werking stepped up to lead PFD’s marketing team, along with Sadie Sarti, owner and lead designer at Sadie Sarti Design Co., and WOR staff to create the spectacular look and feel we all appreciate. Donna is the owner of Northern AZ Social, LLC, an award-winning, full-service agency that specializes in traditional advertising, graphic design, media buys, and digital and social media marketing.
What makes Donna’s Northern AZ Social, LLC team stand out? Approachability. Thorough knowledge of the subject matter and the audience. And for PFD, a willingness to get her boots dirty. Donna knows the local communities well, having served as a marketing expert for 19 years and contributed through various roles, such as being the co-founder of the New Year’s Eve Boot Drop event, creator of Travel Northern AZ, and she is also the owner of Prescott 365, LLC, a comprehensive online resource, www.Prescottaz365.com, showcasing attractions and events in central Arizona.
Other volunteer efforts include participating in Dancing for the Stars on behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central AZ; serving as marketing chair on the Boys & Girls Club board; and serving on the Board of Advisors for the AZ Community Foundation of Yavapai County. Donna’s company has also received numerous awards over the years and was named one of 2024’s Top 3 Marketing Agencies by Pandia.
For PFD, Donna is the guardian of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rules and regs, including waivers, validating media credentials, dress code and overall safety of anyone filling those roles. In addition, she handles media, video work, and photography, and guides the media product usage through print media, electronic media, news station, radio, and TV platforms. She also steers social media, print, publications, online, and newspaper coverage for the best possible coverage of the World’s Oldest Rodeo.
When Donna started the PFD marketing efforts to improve the digital footprint in 2017, the followers on Facebook were a dismal 12,280. Since she took over as lead in 2020, they are now over 31K, with 1.2 million views and 424% increase over 28 days. Her other efforts include gaining a significant presence on Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube. As a mentor for the PFD Jr. Ambassador program, Donna shares her marketing knowledge with the ambassadors interested in social media. Thank you, Donna and team, for all your efforts to portray the World’s Oldest Rodeo in the best light possible! Donna can be reached at 201 N. Alarcon Str., Suite C in Prescott or (928) 710-7910.