Multichannel event promotion is the key to reaching your desired audience and attracting the best attendees to the event, be it a meeting, convention or trade show.
It may be time to change the channel on your go-to marketing strategy, especially if you want to reach more attendees. These tips can help boost awareness, credibility and excitement to help your events thrive.
Earned Media in Event Marketing
According to an Outsell independent research study, 81 percent of senior marketers believe earned media is more effective than paid media. The study also showed that audiences view earned media as the most authentic form of marketing. With consumers moving away from traditional ads and looking to search engines and word of mouth to inform purchasing decisions, earned media is becoming increasingly vital to establish brand trust and thought leadership.
Keynote Speakers
Speakers play a crucial role in attracting multifaceted trade show audiences and garnering media attention before, during and after the show. Selecting the right keynote speakers that specialize in current hot topics can set the tone for your entire event.
To find the right speakers, take the time to research industry sites, study social media and talk with fellow event professionals to discover which influencers are the biggest players. You can also use media research tools and services to connect you with experts in the industry.
Reach Out to Journalists and Influencers
The more journalists and influencers you attract to your event, the more earned media mentions it will receive. Research is critical for finding the audiences that are the best fit for your event.
To find earned media generators, search the web or use a media research tool to find articles or blogs written about other conferences in your industry. This research will yield a shortlist of potential earned media prospects and ensure they are active participants in your industry. Create a list of the authors of those articles and use it as a starting point for your outreach.
It is also important to make it as inexpensive as possible for media and influencers to attend your event and easily cover it. Attract these audiences by offering discounts, accommodating interview requests and providing centralized resources where the media can effortlessly find all event news. It may not seem cost effective upfront, but the coverage journalists and influencers can provide could create awareness and increased show attendance for years to come.
Provide a Sneak Peak With Pre-Show Media Events
Pre-show events are beneficial to event organizers because journalists may write articles about the exhibitors at the event, creating more exposure, promotion and excitement for the event—right as it’s starting.
The earned media mentions that come out of pre-show events are invaluable and those mentions help drive traffic to your exhibitors. More traffic provides exhibitors more ROI and increases the chance of renewal registrations for next year’s event.
Speak up on Social
Create a unique event hashtag that is short, identifiable and not already in use. Be sure to do your homework on this one—you don’t want to accidentally use an acronym that belongs to another show or event.
Once a hashtag is chosen, be sure to use it on channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, X and Instagram. These marketing messages should occur often to keep attendees apprised of announcements and upcoming deadlines.
Blast it out with Press Release Distribution
If registrations hit a plateau, you can consider press release blasts to broaden exposure and amplify anticipation for the event. Distribute press releases about keynote speakers, agendas and special attractions to encourage registrations and potential stories.
Create an Event Landing page
To increase registrations for your event, it’s important to provide a user-friendly event site for your audiences to easily find the information they need.
Think about what each audience wants to know, their journey on your site and how to lead them to take your desired action. Many attendees may go to an event site to see who’s going to be there or who’s exhibiting—if your convention includes exhibitors or you’re organizing a trade show.
Explore the Power of Sponsorships
Sponsors are a great source of event revenue and can be the brand advocate to drive awareness and enthusiasm for your event.
Since companies are setting aside budgets for sponsorships, it’s important to provide the technology and innovation to ensure those big players spend their sponsorship dollars with your event. Attract sponsors by thinking about their needs and providing offers that help them meet their goals. Offer sponsorship options in places that help attendees and find them when they are in a good mood such as food areas and lounges. Most importantly, invest in technology that can demonstrate ROI.
There is a lot of planning that goes into events, but if no one shows up, that planning was for nothing. Using these tips can help you go from feeling overwhelmed before the event to feeling overwhelmed with the results.
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