Successful event marketing doesn’t have to be overly complicated or cause sleepless nights…but learning how to market your event like a boss lady does take time, energy, and some degree of dedication.
Why so much emphasis on the marketing aspect? Because an event isn’t just about the speaker you hire or the venue you choose. A truly successful event comes about because of the people who attend and vibe they set.
If you don’t have attendees, you don’t really have an event.
Your guests are one of the most essential pieces of your event puzzle and are, quite literally, the life of the party. Consider them the centerpiece because everything you plan revolves around them – you’re doing it for the people, after all! That being said, every conference, meeting, and workshop is unique so each event will have different needs and a different audience.
As you plan each one, you’ll be tailoring it to that event’s specific purpose.
And if you want to make your event a success, then you’re going to need to pay special attention to how to reach your audience and get them interested.
The first step to any successful “sold out” event? Efficient Marketing.
Before you even start marketing your event, you have to know your audience backwards and forwards. Ask yourself: Who are you trying to sell to? Roll up your sleeves and do some thorough research! You will know exactly who your audience is, how they prefer to learn, and the best, most effective way to reach them. Knowing more gives you the power to do more.
Before you move forward with your event marketing, make sure you can answer all of these questions (with confidence!):
- Who is my target audience?
- What are their demographics?
- Where do they live?
- What industries do they work in?
You might be wondering why you need to know so many details. This is how you’re going to sell your event. Otherwise, you might as well be pitching in the dark. Not knowing your event’s target audience is like trying to sell a high-end lawn mower to someone who lives in a city highrise where the closest piece of grass is the public park.
See where I’m going with this?
OK, so do you have all of the audience info you need? Awesome, now it’s time to dig a little deeper.
The next step is to figure out how you’re going to use social media to your advantage. Whether or not you use it on your personal day-to-day, it is a key element in any marketing campaign. Definitely take the time to become well-versed in using it. When figuring out your social media approach, the first thing you need to do is identify the type of the event. Is it a more casual, social affair? Or is it a professional industry-based event? These things matter because they determine the best social media platform(s) to reach your target audience.
Not all social media platforms are equal. They all have the purpose of connecting people but vary in the way it’s done and who they reach. Knowing your target audience and event type mean you can determine the most effective platforms for your purpose, as well as save you from wasting time and resources on less effective ones.
Here’s a very basic breakdown of some of the most popular social media platforms:
- LinkedIn is the best route for broadcasting professional events and reaching those in a specific industry.
- Facebook is the go-to for social events, though the most active users skew on the slightly older side (let’s say 30+).
- Instagram and Snapchat are perfect for reaching and engaging with the under-30 crowd, with Snapchat leaning heavily towards a female audience. Instagram also works well if you have lots of eye-catching visual content.
Once you have a clear idea of what demographics you need to reach and how, you need to break down your audience a little further. Think about the individuals who you want to attend and who would benefit the most from your event. Create a few personas by jotting down all of the characteristics of hypothetical people who fit into your target audience.
For example: Sally Smith, age 40, CEO of an Online Business, LinkedIn influencer, runs marathons, likes brands X, Y, and Z…
Remember, despite the many differences between every single event, the one thing they do have in common is the people.
Event marketing can be a lot to handle. There are so many case-by-case situations that even the most comprehensive guide wouldn’t be able to offer tailored solutions for them all. I hope I have given you the confidence you need to knock your next event out of the park! If you’re eager to roll up your sleeves and really delve into the nitty-gritty of event marketing, you can check out my full Event Marketing Course for start-to-finish tips, tricks, and some in-depth learning.
Finally, if you have a question, or would like a consultation, don’t hesitate to reach out to me!
