Three Secrets to Effective Event Marketing
April 24, 2006 by Darlene LyonsMarketing an event and building attendance is a fine art. Your first event is always rough but your techniques improve as time goes on. Below are three key elements that critically affect your event marketing results. Use these and you'll avoid the painful experience of poor attendance at your next event.
1. Create Your Marketing Plan & Follow It!
Take the date of your event and work backwards to create a timeline. Schedule each contact, backing them up from your target date. A minimum of 5 contacts (preferably 7) is recommended. Plan your contacts by week. It is best to make use of all of the following marketing venues, if possible:
- Newsletter
- Telephone
- Mail
- E-mail
- Live announcements
- Companywide voicemail
- Verbal meeting announcement
- Fax
This will ensure maximum contact in a timely manner and will drive your attendance. Your prospects won't register if you don't remind them!
You'd be amazed at how many people spend thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, of dollars on an event and expect registrations to pile in. Your prospects can't read your mind! Create a sound marketing plan, follow it and update it weekly. Make all of the contacts you set out to.
2. Secure an Accurate Prospect List
Don't let your event fail because of this one vital element! Secure your entire list before signing all of your event contracts and do not go to print without this! Be sure your list has all names, titles, complete mailing addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers and e-mail addresses. Your prospects can't attend if you can't reach them!
3. Create a Winning Marketing Piece
This is not difficult to do if you know what to put in it. For the events where I obtained the highest attendance, we sent the same marketing piece over and over again. (Note: See my article entitled, The 16 Things Every Event Marketing Piece Should Have.)
If you are creating a multiple piece campaign, then design your flyer, your mailer, your fax piece, your e-mail content and your newsletter articles prior to finalizing your other details. Your prospects don't know what your event is about unless you properly tell them!
If you remember to truly follow these three key marketing elements, your event will be "destined for greatness." Remember"stay organized, maximize your contacts, create a winning marketing piece and follow your plan! Do this and you'll experience success!
This is not difficult to do if you know what to put in it. For the events where I obtained the highest attendance, we sent the same marketing piece over and over again. (Note: See my article entitled, The 16 Things Every Event Marketing Piece Should Have.)
If you are creating a multiple piece campaign, then design your flyer, your mailer, your fax piece, your e-mail content and your newsletter articles prior to finalizing your other details. Your prospects don't know what your event is about unless you properly tell them!
If you remember to truly follow these three key marketing elements, your event will be "destined for greatness." Remember"stay organized, maximize your contacts, create a winning marketing piece and follow your plan! Do this and you'll experience success!
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