Event marketing is often focused on getting butts into seats and selling out event tickets ASAP. It’s important to have a good turnout the night of an event, but what’s the good in having a bunch of attendees who will forget all about your brand once the nights over? There’s a crucial part of the event that requires a strategic approach in order to make a lasting impact. Where the magic really happens is in the months, weeks, and days leading up to the actual event. Are you making the most of your marketing!?
If putting your business on the map is important to you, consider the following event marketing strategies that will not only get you the attendees you need but all grow a following that is long-lived.
Regularly & Consistently Distribute Content
Your online presence is indicative of the following you may gain in real life. And the following your accrue in real life is very
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A few ways and places to distribute content would be email campaigns, newsletters, social media posts, Pinterest, blogs, and Youtube videos. Though not easy, quality content distribution is a proven way to create a brand following and never have to worry about selling out an event. Protip: Lable all shareable & viral content with your name or website “watermark”.
Create Engagement Campaigns Centered Around the Event
Recently, Instagram has created a few new features on their platform. When posting an Instagram story there are several
interactive tools that can be used by your audience. There is a rating system, a voting feature, and an “ask me anything” option. I have personally seen my social media engagement increase and I also enjoy participating in others. While I wouldn’t rely entirely on Instagram stories to grow your following, there is something to be learned about this engagement strategy.
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Often times people what to interact but don’t know how, where to start, or what to say. Providing clear instructions, even options, is a great way to boost interaction and engagement when promoting or creating hype around an event. If you want people to interact in contests or polls, offer easy ways to do so. Incentives are another great idea to boost engagement. Choose prizes revolved around your upcoming event like “bring a guest for free”, “50% of ticket purchase”, or free entry into the event’s door prize. An audience that has the chance to interact is likely to grow and stick around longer.
Drum Up the Right Kind of Excitement
Marketing for an upcoming event is an exciting opportunity to really disrupt the industry and create major hype. So many times I hear “this event is life-changing” or “no event like this before” and while that may very well be true…that’s not going to convert event goers to become a part of your loyal following. Instead of using your marketing content to convince the world this event is a one-of-a-kind experience, expand on why. Let’s face it. We all want to know what’s in it for us!
For example, I’ve worked with a client who specializes in teaching others how to expand their business through live talks. So, in the marketing content, instead of drilling into the audience’s brain that they “need this”, we very strategically and specifically provide proof using hows and whys live speaking is transformative to a brand. Oddly enough, the less “salesy” you make your marketing, the more sales you land. Of course that all starts with know the value behind what your event offers.
Highlight What’s Unique
What makes you different? How is your event unique? Can you explain how special the purpose behind your event is? That is something you’ll need to figure out quickly and milk it. Even if it’s been done before. It hasn’t been done by you. Breakdown everything people expect from a business conference, social media workshop, or influencer event and specify to your audience how you simply don’t do it like that. Here’s a little tidbit of what I’d use for an upcoming speaking workshop.
“I know you’re thinking this is just another event where you’ll sit in the audience, take a few notes or two, and leave mildly encouraged. Well, it’s not. Because you will be the one on stage”
Excite potential attendees of their role in the event, not just yours.
Event Follow-Up Campaign
Nothing feels worse to your audience than thinking you only strung them along to get them to buy your event tickets.
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Obviously, that’s never what you want, but it can feel that way if your interaction drops off drastically and you lose touch. Continue the excitement revolved around your brand message so that when the next event arrives you’re not just popping up in their inbox out of the blue.
