Event Promotion - Beyond the (Email) Inbox

So you’ve sent a few e-mails, and you’re done with the marketing of your event.

Think again!

If my own Inbox is any indication, everyone is using e-mails – so you need to do something more to stand out!

• Go personal! Nothing is better than having a personal conversation and inviting someone to your event. You can immediately be encouraging and answer questions. Then, you can still forward the e-mail invite – just make sure you personalize it to reference your conversation.
• Go traditional! Depending on your target audience, you may issue a press release or post flyers to attract attention to your event. But like those kiosks in college, it is unlikely that the majority of your audience will be attracted by these means.
• Go media! Many local television and radio stations are looking for stories! The trick is that local shows that promote events need lots of lead time. An alternative is to obtain coverage of your current event, then reference it to promote the next one.
• Go social (media)! If you already have an established group or presence on a site (be it Facebook, Twitter, even a Meetup group), you can let members know about your event. But if you don’t already have this presence, it is unlikely that you can build enough followers or memberships quickly enough for a soon-to-occur event.
• Go viral! If you have a video – of a media appearance, an announcement, or better yet, a skit – and you have the rights to do so – upload it, for example to YouTube or iTunes and link to it from absolutely everywhere! The same is true for cool photos or quirky e-mail stories. The key to going viral is to make it fun to watch for its own sake. A good example is the T-Mobile dance – the product is only highlighted at the end when witnesses share the event through their mobile phones!

To promote any event most effectively, it should be part of a larger plan. Unless you are marketing a one-time event, you are marketing an organization or a product – start by building that community early, so that you can leverage it when your next event comes around.

And in turn, use that event as a public relations opportunity to build your community!

Event (E-Mail) Publicity – Plan, don’t Spam!

By the fourth reminder in the same week to register for an event, I was ready to cancel my registration.

Why? I was annoyed.

If I’m already registered, why am I being reminded to register? And if I am registered, and have placed the event in my calendar, one reminder with the dial-in is convenient. Three reminders – just more stuff I need to delete out of my Inbox.

So when should you send that e-mail?

If you are planning an event, such as a conference, there should be a publicity plan in place that strikes a balance between regular reminders and an overwhelming amount of e-mail (read: spam) for attendees and prospects.

An example of required e-mails includes:

• Save the date – includes high-level information, but does not require details. Takes away the “if I had only known” factor for individuals’ schedules.
• Invitations – have the agenda and the registration details available.
• Reminders to register – encourages anyone not yet registered to do so. Is especially effective just prior to the expiration of an “early bird” discount.
• Reminders to attend – sent out to registered attendees. If there will be drop-offs, they will typically let you know.
• Thank you’s – after the event, includes a note of appreciation, and any follow-ups such as soft copies of the presentations and attendee lists.

Depending on your system (manual Excel sheets, vs. online marketing campaigns, vs. full-fledged customer relationship management), it may or may not be feasible to separate registered and non-registered people on your target list. This makes it more important to include the, “if you have already registered, thank you” clause!

Keep in mind other e-mails that may be going out to the same target audience! If the conference reminder is stuck between a dues renewal notification and reminders about other events, it may not be read. The publicity for a particular event should be coordinated with all other e-mails going out from the same organization.

As Julia Ormond said in the 1995 film, Sabrina, “More is not always better…sometimes it’s just more.”