Insight August 21, 2019
Planning an event for your business can be overwhelming, but it’s a great way to engage your audience. There are many elements involved with event planning, including the promotion of it.
Public relations is a vital component of any comprehensive event promotion strategy. A successful event often relies on the ability of PR to generate buzz, catch the media’s attention and engage the right audience. According to Bizzabo, 41 percent of marketers consider event marketing the most crucial channel to achieve their goals.
Knowing how to attract the right crowd for your next big event doesn’t have to be a guessing game. Here are three ways PR can help boost your efforts.
Reach your audience where they are
Take to social media to build anticipation prior to your event. Create a social or digital plan in advance so you are able to collect pictures and videos for your promotional content. Consider partnering with other brands or influencers to increase your reach and pool your resources. Hiring a photographer or videographer to create content can help you maintain brand continuity and establish a strong visual identity.
Before your event, come up with an appropriate hashtag and encourage attendees to use it when posting on social media. Not only is this a great way to see what people are saying about your event, but also it allows you to track engagement. When people start seeing posts with a certain hashtag, it will make them interested and eager to check it out for themselves.
Creating a Snapchat filter that’s designated for a specific location is another way to generate excitement. This type of shareable content is great for events because it encourages attendees to share their own posts that you can repurpose in the future.
Snapchat filters created to promote the 2018 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, formerly FedEx St. Jude Classic.
Hit the streets
Guerilla marketing isn’t just for big brands with deep pockets, it’s a useful tactic for small businesses looking to make a big impact. The grassroots method of guerilla marketing focuses on making a bold and memorable statement. There are a number of ways this tactic can get your message in front of the right audience to help generate ticket sales and boost attendance. Think outside the box and brand a street with temporary art to stop people in their tracks or set up an interactive display at city bus stop. You could event recruit and execute a street team that goes around town and connects with potential attendees to spread the word and build anticipation. Having people on the ground handing out flyers and free swag in high-traffic areas is a cost-effective way to generate awareness.
Utilize traditional PR tactics
Making an actionable plan to promote your event is not complete without traditional media outreach. With so many events taking place, it can be challenging to make it seem like yours is noteworthy on its own. To encourage attendance and stand out among the crowd, craft a pitch that tells a publication why they (and their readers) should care about your event. Post the event details to local listings and community calendars—local publications target your city’s community, which reaches prime potential attendees. Invite media to attend and cover the event, and then share any coverage secured on social media.
Use these tips to create a promotional strategy for your next event. With the right resources and knowledge, event promotion becomes less overwhelming and more of an achievable challenge. Let our team of experts help you get there.