Event Promotion
Think back to an event you went to in the past. How did you find out about it? Did you hear about it from a friend or see a flyer for it while grabbing a coffee at your favorite coffee shop? Or perhaps you saw it on your Instagram or Facebook feed? Maybe you got an email about it in your inbox? Whatever the source, there was effort put into making sure that the event was visible in some form so that the information reached you and encouraged you to attend. For anyone that has planned an event it is well known that event promotion can either make or break the success of the event but many may become overwhelmed or not know where to start.
What is Event Promotion?
Event promotion consists of utilizing multiple marketing strategies and channels to get the word out about an event and to motivate event registration. Without attendees an event is nothing more than white noise and in order to get people registered to attend your event they have to know about it. Common sense, right? However, there is more to it then simply just creating an event on Facebook and hoping that people see it. Like any marketing strategy, you want to put thought and calculated steps into action so that your efforts are effective. How you get the information out to the public can range from email to social media to flyer handouts, and even word of mouth. No matter what the goal, multiple platforms and channels should be used in order to maximize results.
Successfully Promoting an Event
As mentioned above, you want to facilitate multiple formats and platforms in order to effectively promote your event. This allows for your audience to become familiar with your brand and event with the more touch points of interaction they encounter, driving the likelihood of conversion towards your brand and event. To be able to do this, you must first be able to identify and understand your target audience so that your campaign is actually creating engagement. For instance, a bridal fair may not attract as many attendees to it if the campaign does not exhibit elegance and an air of fairy tale bliss. You have to understand how to attract your audience to your event, otherwise it is barely a splash in the pond.
Your next step will be defining your event promotion goals with your team. These goals should be SMART goals, (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based) and be designed to be able to increase the number of attendees registering for your event. One of the quickest and easiest tasks for your team after defining your goals would then be assessing your current avenues of marketing and utilizing them to promote your event. For instance, if you send out a regular newsletter you could include a section on the event. If you do a podcast, you could do a quick promo on the event. If you send out emails, you could have a graphic for the event as a part of your email signature with a link to the event website. Be strategic and use the platforms you have already set up and already have access to an audience in order to get the word out about your event.
Promotion Options
Advocacy marketing is a strong and effective way to be able to get more attendance at your events. By taking your existing audience and giving them incentive to share and promote your brand you can reach a wider audience and have a higher conversion rate. Other than just being a quality company offering an amazing event, you can drive advocacy marketing by giving your current audience unique promo codes to share with their network and then provide them with kickbacks such as discounts on their own registration fees for everyone they refer or upgrading them to the VIP package, giving them early access to event merchandise, ect.. Really, the options are endless but can help increase your event success by rewarding those who do your marketing for you.
Email marketing is another great tool to use when trying to get your event out to your audience. It is even believed amongst many marketing strategists that email marketing is the single most effective tool for promoting an event. This is, of course, going to require that you devise sound segmentation for your audience to consume. An email that does not provide value goes straight to the trash bin. This will tie in to you understanding your audience and devising a marketing plan that appeals to them.
By creating engaging, shareable content, you can reach a wider audience in a very short amount of time.
Social media marketing is perhaps the most widely used platform and when done well can also be highly effective. By creating engaging, shareable content, you can reach a wider audience in a very short amount of time. A great example might be to create a behind-the-scenes promo video that offers an engaging experience for your audience. This is also a great way to link your audience back to your event website and make it quick and easy for them to register to the event.
Hype It Up
It is pretty clear to see that event promotion is vital and should be done with a well thought out marketing campaign. If you still feel overwhelmed with promoting your event, XPAND Creative Co. can handle all of your event promotion needs and make sure that your event is a success. Contact us today to see how!
Article by Christa McCauley