Event planning tops the list as one of the most stressful jobs in America. One of the reasons why these events are so stressful to create, in addition to managing the various vendors and clients is creating enough Buzz around your event to run a successful event planning business.
If you're an event planner looking for new ways to drive an even stronger audience to your next event, read on some Important tips on promoting your event across a variety of platforms
Choosing the Right Social Media Platform
75% of event planners turn to social media, claiming that it's the number one resource for getting their event in front of the public. In fact, in order of delivering the best results, the top four social networks includeUtilize Visuals
Pictures and videos provide the highest social currency across a number of social media platforms. Most people would rather watch a short video or informational photo than to stop and read a full body of the text.Which is why it's important to make your number one priority collecting as many different assets from your events as you can. People want to be able to see videos and pictures from previous events to get an idea of what they can expect from attending.
You also want to give a generous number of opportunities for your attendees to take and share their own photos. This will help widen your events to a larger group.
Create customized event hashtags that can easily be shared across Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.
Create FOMO
One of the most powerful tools in your event marketing the campaign is to create FOMO, also known as a fear of missing out. Over the years marketers have had trouble identifying exactly why certain areas of social media can be so effective.However now, event coordinators have realized that one of the most common forms of anxiety across social media is watching all of the fun happen online without being able to attend.
One extremely popular tactic to create FOMO is by hiring Prime influencers that can convince your audience that your event is the place to be. There's a wide variety of capacities in which they can participate. In addition to being attendees, you may consider providing them with travel and accommodation.
In addition to social media influencers, you may find that there are other voices such as your entertainment, your speakers, and even your sponsors that can be valuable resources for promoting your event.
Since some of these individuals benefit almost as much as you do from the success of the event, they are more likely to go out of their way to promote the event without you having to pay for each individual post or shout out.
Gamify Promotions
Engagement is one of the strongest forms of marketing, which is why it's important to create as many opportunities as you can to create contests and games that can help your audience associate a certain thrill with your event before it even occurs.Make sure you provide them with a valid and valuable reason to share and discuss your event online. This could be done by offering anything from a discount to free tickets or VIP access.
You want to create a sense of anticipation and mystery around the event, such as “what are these hashtags?” “what is this event about?” and “who else is going?”
Be Present All Year Round
Too often event promoters tend to only pop up when there most valuable event occurs. This can also ring true for different clubs and organizations, they only make their social media presence known when it's time to grab attendees.Rather than hope that your audience remembers you when you reappear, it’s best to consistently post throughout the year. Try to build bits of engagement prior to your event occurring so that by the time a large event rolls around, your audience has already forged a connection with you.
Don't Neglect Email
While social media is a valuable asset, many people believe that it's the only way to go and neglect other valuable tools for promoting their event. However, you want to get your event in front of as large of an audience as possible.This means tapping into your email list, especially if it's been built upon previous attendees who already know your standard of events.
Create a Strong Landing Page
When trying to link your event to as many different platforms as possible, it helps to have a stunning and informative landing page where potential attendees can go to gather more information and even purchase tickets.Web landing pages can easily be set up by using a template from a Page Builder or by working with a web designer.
Attendees sharing across platforms only need to copy and paste a link, which can greatly enhance your exposure across smartphones and tablets as well. You must make sure that your events landing page is mobile-friendly, as over 50% of traffic will come from a mobile device.
All the Promotion Tips You Need When You Need It
Event planners work year-round to create stunning events for their clients with massive turnouts. Whether you are working intimately with an event planning agency or thinking of starting one yourself, it's important to stay aware of the top marketing tricks to help you create a consistent flow of attendees to all of your best events.For more information on the top marketing techniques and how to reach a larger audience than ever, check out our blog today.