Over 80% of company leaders say events contribute to their company’s success. If you’re hoping to host an event this year, it’s important to have a plan. Otherwise, you might fail to build a buzz for your next event.
Here are the seven tips you need to market an event in Largo, FL, and make it a success!
With these tips, you can get attendees excited about your upcoming event. These marketing ideas for events can help your business stand out. You can boost brand awareness, increase attendance, and plan the most anticipated event of the year.
Sound like a plan? Get started with these seven easy event marketing tips today!
1. Know Your Goals
Before you market an event, sit down with your marketing team. Establish your goals to keep every member of your team on the same page.
Make sure your goals are SMART:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Results-Driven
- Timely
Make two sets of goals: goals for planning your event and goals for the event itself.
For example, you might want to make these components part of your plan:
- Marketing to boost awareness about the upcoming event
- Online reputation management to avoid potential problems
- Research to learn more about attendees, speakers, etc.
- Improving customer service to answer all questions regarding the event
What are you hoping to accomplish with your event in Largo, FL? Do you want to boost sales? Do you want to generate more brand awareness and trust?
Maybe you want to gather event feedback to learn more about your attendees.
You can give each objective a SMART goal. For example, do you want to boost attendance? Make a goal to have 20 people sign-up on your website every day before the event.
Once you establish your goals, set a key performance indicator (KPI) for each one. KPIs will help you measure your progress. For example, you can track website visitors, sign-ups, ad impressions, or social media followers.
Establishing your goals ahead of time will help you determine how to market an event to accomplish those goals. Otherwise, you might use marketing tactics that fail to help.
2. Understand Your Audience
Before you start marketing, take the time to pinpoint your target audience. You’ll fail to appeal to your audience if you don’t know who they are.
Instead of focusing on a broad audience, break your audience into smaller personas. You can base personas on demographics like:
- Age
- Gender
- Career
- Location
- Language
- Marital status
- Buying behaviors
- Interests
- Pain points
- Education
Then, create content with each persona in mind. Segmenting your audience will help you personalize your event marketing. You’ll have an easier time connecting with each audience group as a result.
2. Create an Event Page
If you want to market an event effectively, make sure you have the proper tools. First, create a dedicated event page on your website. You can create an event page using Facebook as well.
Make sure the page is dedicated solely to your event. Otherwise, you could risk confusing visitors.
Improve the user experience on your webpage by:
- Speeding up load times
- Using white space to give content room to breathe
- Using headings and subheadings
- Writing with short sentences and paragraphs
- Organizing ideas and benefits using bullets and lists to
- Displaying eye-catching videos and photos
- Optimizing your website for mobile devices
Include a compelling description of your event. Add the necessary details, including the time and place. Include any speaker pictures and biographies, too.
Then, add a prominent, eye-catching “Register Now” button to the page. Make sure your form is easy to use as well.
3. Create Materials
Once your page is ready, start sending emails. Email marketing can help you build a buzz for your event.
If you don’t have a list of email subscribers, speak with your event speakers. Work with sponsors, partners, and friends, too.
When building your emails, make sure to:
- Use an exciting, engaging subject line to increase opens
- Send the email during the weekend
- Adding eye-catching imagery
- Using social proof (such as reviews from previous participants)
Try to send your email more than once. Create emails specifically for “early bird” registrations, too. Offering your early birds a discount can increase attendance.
Don’t forget print materials, too. Create a stunning brochure or flyers for your upcoming event. Start sharing them with your customers and clients.
Make sure to add a link to your dedicated event page on your print materials. You can use a QR code to make it easier for people to find the page, too!
What about promotional products? You can give people a way to remember your event after the fact with stunning Koozies, pens, and drinkware. Raffle off a few items beforehand through social media contests.
Consider creating banners and signs for your event as well.
4. Stay Social
When learning how to market an event, don’t forget to use social media to your advantage.
Crat eye-catching, engaging content to post on social media. Your content can include images and video clips from previous events. Consider creating behind-the-scenes content as you prepare your event, too.
You can also create polls, quizzes, animations, and infographics.
Consider posting live videos to leverage the fear of missing out. Otherwise, use a contest to build a buzz. You can create a raffle for the first 50 people who sign up.
5. Send a Press Release
You can also create a buzz for your event by sending a press release. Focus on industry and trade associations. Try to get your announcement out as soon as possible.
Sending a press release can help inform relevant people within your industry.
6. Create a Hashtag
Don’t forget to create a branded hashtag for your event. Include it on your event page and social media posts. A branded hashtag will make it easier for people to see relevant posts regarding the event.
7. Encourage Conversations
About 93% of event marketers say their company prioritizes hosting events. Another 95% say live events create opportunities for in-person connections. About 75% of attendees say networking and making connections is important to them.
You can encourage conversations before your event, too. For example, consider hosting a live chat. Let people ask questions and voice their concerns about the event.
Answering their questions can build excitement.
Then, follow-up with the connections you’ve made. You could even find a future event speaker!
Build a Buzz: 7 Tips to Help You Market an Event
Ready for your upcoming event in Largo, FL? Use these event marketing tips during the planning process. With these tips, you can market an event people aren’t likely to forget.
Need help preparing for your event? We’re happy to lend a hand.
Contact us today to get started.