Attendees at times are inundated with event options. Anyone with a Facebook profile knows how quickly event invites can add up from your friends. Depending on the day of the week will determine what type of event your potential attendee may attend. But how do you cut through the noise and attract attendees to your event?
A successful event requires more than just sending out invitations and hoping your Klout will get them to attend. You must have a great strategy that propels an attendee to not only register to your event, but also attend.
Here Are A Few Tips To Attract Attendees To Your Event:
Advertisement
We don’t always know where our potential attendee will come from. Using various types of advertisement is sure to help reach them in one way. Most people have some form of social media. TechCrunch states that Facebook has 2 billion monthly active users as of June 2017. CNBC reports that Instagram has 500 million daily active users as of September 2017. This means social media should be one of your primary means of advertising your event. A mix of social media, paid ads in magazines that target your audience, press releases, and your newsletter serves as a great marketing start.
A Great Website
Person using iPad
Your event needs a hub to provide information to each attendee. No one should have to search on multiple platforms to find the information that they need. A good website will list key speakers/celebrities attending, sponsors, schedule, registration, and location information at minimum. I always recommend having an interactive website that keeps someone on your page. Coachella is one website that gets it right for interaction.
Location!
Looking at a Map
Turning any event into a mini vacation is more ideal than going to some random hotel conference room in the middle of nowhere. Where you host your event is critical to it’s success. Large cities with many options outside of your event is a bonus. Tropical islands during the winter make the most sense. Whatever your destination is, ensure that it meets the interest of those you want to attend your event. Be sure your location is easy to reach, easy to navigate through, and meets your event’s needs.
Highlight The Popular People
Man Singing
Aside from a winning destination, an attendee wants to know who will be there. It’s your job to highlight celebrities, keynote speakers, and major sponsors that are coming. These should be people with an honest interest in your audience and care to meet them. Encourage your key people to post about attending. Create a short video about why they are coming and post it on your website. Ask sponsors to share the event information with their audience. All of these things help with your marketing, but be sure to be strategic in who your key players are. Never waste money on people your attendees may not want to see.
Word of Mouth
Man and Woman Talking
Word of mouth will serve to your advantage well after the event is over. Anyone who enjoyed your event will tell their friends and colleagues about their experience. This means your event needs to live up to the hype. Engagement and interaction need to be high and offer people reasons to share Instagram Stories or snaps with anyone who did not attend. If your event is receiving crickets while an attendee is there, most likely they are not enjoying themselves. We as a people love to share, so sharing in this case needs to be to your advantage.
Contact us for more tips to attract attendees to your event.