In today's digital world, it's easy to overlook face-to-face opportunities to reach your target audience. Despite assumptions that social media is the supreme form of communication, a recent USA Today report reveals that people view in-person conversations as more in-depth, meaningful and credible. Your event is the perfect time to give people the human connection they crave. Of course, they have to show up to get it, so make sure your event is marketed in a targeted and strategic manner. Read on to learn the top five tips for boosting attendance:
Research Your Audience
This one is a no-brainer. If you were trying to get tweens to attend a concert featuring their favorite teen sensations, you wouldn't market at your local bar. Know who your audience is and learn about their wants and desires. Forbes recommends asking some simple questions of your demographic:
- Who are these people?
- What, if anything, ails them?
- What kinds of media are they using?
- What sources do they find trustworthy?
Knowing the answers to these questions will help you create marketing and advertising collaterals that spark their interest.
Build Excitement With the Right Terminology
In 2012, 698,000 people visited London for the Olympic games, according to the U.K. government. Why? Because the Olympics are known worldwide and carry with them a legacy that leaves viewers inspired. A similar tactic needs to be taken with your event when you are creating the invitations. Show your audience why they will become part of a larger community when they attend and include testimonials from past participants or key figures. Building hype involves making your event a part of the lifestyle choices of your audience.
Give 'em the One-Two Punch
The buzz around your event needs to take a two-fold method, beginning the old-fashioned way—with something tangible in hand. While much of your audience's time may be spent online, printing brochures helps ensure maximum attendance by giving people something solid to take away with them while they consider attending.
Make sure to include the URLs to your social media pages in the brochure. As the Content Marketing Institute reports, eight out of 10 U.S. Internet users read social media sites and blogs. You cannot afford to miss out on marketing your event online.
Use Social Media Wisely
While marketing through social channels can get your event out to the public in seconds, be sure to use this as mode of two-way communication. Be tuned in to what people are saying about your event. Don't just placidly post an event and then remove yourself from the process. Participating in two-way communication helps to earn trust in an online community. By showing your audience how transparent you are, you give them a reason to care about you and choose to show up at your events.
Choose the right social media for your event. Twitter is a useful tool for larger events, with an expected attendance of 1,000 people or more. LinkedIn is useful for business or professional gatherings and Facebook for most everything else. If budget permits, consider hiring a social media strategist to handle this type of marketing for your event.
Deliver
They came, and now it is your time to show them why it was worth it. An important part of successfully insuring a future audience is to deliver what you promised. Provide attendants with an experience that leaves them feeling satisfied with how they spent their time and money. Let them know about your next event, but don't let that become the focus of the experience. You want your attendees to choose to return, and not to be badgered into it. Positive feedback from past attendants creates powerful word-of-mouth advertising for future events. Give them what they came for, and they will come back for more.
