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Planning your next event? Consider these event marketing ideas to get the word out to prospective attendees. Whether the gathering is in-person, virtual or hybrid, these pre-event promotion ideas can make the difference in your success. Consider the following checklist of seven ideas for marketing events. Remember, for any event promotion strategies you adopt, be sure to incorporate your existing brand – your organization’s logos, fonts and other brand considerations.
1. Theme – Designating a theme or tagline for your event can generate enthusiasm and create engagement. It also can suggest to attendees your main focus for the event. For example, our friends at the American Concrete Pumping Association created the tagline “Pumping Knowledge into Your Business” for their education
conference one year:
Another example of a theme for an event comes from the American Concrete Pipe Association, with one of their annual events: Pipe School. The theme “Building Sustainable Resilience” let attendees know the main focus for the year’s educational sessions:
Once your theme is developed, the next step is incorporating it into a logo for your event, like the examples above, incorporating the tagline with your organization’s existing branding.
2. Website – Online event promotion begins when you set up your event’s website. It’s the first step in marketing your event and serves as the hub for all other promotions. Whether it’s part of your organization’s existing website or a stand-alone site, the website is the first impression many will encounter for your event. Be sure to include your themed logo, registration details and accommodations information, if needed.
3. Press Release – Good old-fashioned public relations remains a top way to spread the word about news at your organization, including the announcement of your event. A well-written press release in the style that appeals to trade media editors and online influencers can generate results and registrations for a nominal investment. If you don’t have experience in creating a professional press release, generating media lists or working with editors and influencers, an experienced public relations firm can help.
4. Email signatures – Utilize the power of your organization’s team to promote your event with every email they send. Create a graphic email signature with registration information. Be sure the link is clickable to your event’s registration page online. Below is an example of an email signature we created for the American Concrete Pavement Association. The graphic linked to the ACPA’s registration page.
5. Direct Email Communication – At key points throughout your pre-event timeline, be sure to communicate directly with your audience through email. Email remains one of the top ways people want to hear from the brands they trust. What’s more, your email list can be used for targeted digital advertising campaigns, where you can place ads promoting event registration in the internet browsers of devices associated with your email addresses. See more in item No. 7.
6. Social Media – Similar to email communication, your social media calendar should include key messages about your event at critical points along the pre-event timeline. Incorporate a branded graphic template with your themed logo that can be customized with the specific messaging you need to convey, such as hotel and event registration deadlines. Create a branded hashtag for your event and incorporate it into every social media post and your branded event graphic. In the example below, the ACPA chose #CPW2021 as the branded hashtag for Concrete Pipe Week 2021. Encourage event participants and speakers to use the hashtag whenever they post about your event.
As you develop your event’s social media strategy, consider investing a portion of your event marketing budget in paid social media boosts and advertising. Even a nominal investment can pay dividends in making sure your message is prominently displayed in your audience’s social media feeds.
7. Digital advertising – Last, but certainly not least, is digital advertising. In today’s world, digital advertising is a must for any organization’s promotional efforts. With digital advertising, you can reach highly targeted, qualified audiences across the web with personalized ads that drive them to register for the event. AOE is now excited to offer digital advertising services through our provider Feathr. Digital advertising examples might include:
Geofencing, which targets relevant events and physical locations with precise mobile advertising.
Email Mapping, where your ads appear across the web in front of your existing contacts.
Keyword Search, where your ads show up for people who are searching for events or topics related to your event.
An example of digital advertising campaign can be seen below in our work with the International Grooving & Grinding Association. Through targeted digital ads and geofencing, the IGGA has expanded their reach and messaging to their desired Phoenix audience – a strategy that proves worthwhile for any digital campaign including event marketing.
AOE has an experienced team of certified event planners and marketing and public relations experts to make your next event a success. Contact us today to consult about advertising and marketing ideas and much more.