Promoting Your Event: Connecting with your Audience

So, you’ve been working hard to plan a stellar event. You’ve lined up a great caterer, secured prizes and corporate sponsors, even created the perfect playlist to get people up and dancing and having a great time. However, even if you plan the greatest event in the world, what will it matter if no one shows up? 

It can be easy to share your enthusiasm face-to-face, but that’s probably not a realistic or efficient approach for getting the turnout you want. As a result, you turn to various marketing channels. The problem is, between businesses, causes, and other individuals vying for attention, you need to make what you say count. So how can you make your campaigns stand out for effectiveness?

Here are some helpful tips and goals to keep in mind as you put together your event website, advertisements, social media campaigns, and other marketing materials: 

Event Planning Tips

• Be clear. Prominently display all of your important information: the date, time, and location especially. You can strive to grab your audience’s attention, but don’t overwhelm; for example, if you use a flashy font, make sure it’s still easily readable. In other words, don’t let your design detract from your message.

• Be direct. Why should people come? What will your attendees get out of the event? This includes providing details about the event itself. For fundraisers, how will contributions make a difference?  You want your audience to feel like your event will be the best use of their time, and they shouldn’t miss it for anything in the world.

• Anticipate questions and concerns. Think of the most common issues or doubts your audience may have, and provide a solid rebuttal or solution. Also, people often respond to a challenge (Ex: Do you have what it takes to beat last year’s winner?)   

• Use pictures. You know the old saying: Pictures are worth a thousand words. Images can inspire people in ways that words simply cannot. If you include images of people laughing and having a great time, people will associate your event with these same good vibes.

• Incorporate stories. Research has shown our brains are hard-wired to process and connect with characters in stories. Use this to your advantage; for example, an anecdote about the person or people for whom your charities’ donations will benefit, even if it’s just a few sentences, can go a long way.

• Encourage feedback. It’s always important to get someone outside your team’s input and thoughts before you post/send out any materials. Information you take for granted may not be so obvious to your audience, and it never hurts to have someone else proofread (you did proofread your materials already, right?). Similarly, always provide a point of contact in your marketing materials for people to reach out with questions or suggestions.

In sum, clear communication with your audience is key, so make sure you’ve thought your message through. By keeping these points in mind, you should be able to connect better with your audience and ensure a great turnout for your event.