Local events can be a great way to increase awareness, attract the attention of potential customers and further solidify your relationships with brand lovers within the community. Whether you’re sponsoring a 5k, hosting a workshop or orchestrating an event on a larger scale, these tips can help you achieve your event goals.
- Create a plan for success and outline your objectives
Just like anything in your business, taking the time to plan is key to your success and will help to ensure that you can measure your efforts back to goals and ROI. Create a plan that outlines your ultimate objective, the overall strategy and key tactics that will be executed to achieve your strategy. Make sure you’ve included several measurable outcomes within your plan that tangibly measure success. Example: Get 10 clients to refer friends and attend the event. - Cross-promote utilizing your current toolbox
Promoting an event doesn’t have to mean creating a whole new set of tools and approaches. Don’t overlook the tools you have already been developing and are right at your fingertips. Make sure your event is promoted on your company Facebook page, in your e-newsletter, on your website and in your office. Make sure your entire team knows the details of the event and that they are sharing those details with your customers. - Online Calendars / Event Listings
How many times have you looked at your local paper or gone to your favorite local news site to see what events are happening that weekend? These are usually free resources that you can either populate on your own or send in the information for an announcement. Examples of event calendar options can include:- News sites
- Online community calendars
- Radio event calendars
- Community bulletins (church, school, library)
When it comes to event calendars, give as much notice as possible. This is especially true when you cannot submit the information yourself. To find event calendar listings in your area, search using keywords like, “Columbus, Oh events” or “Columbus, OH event calendars,” etc.
- Community Announcements
Share event information with your local newspapers in the form of a news release or a paragraph outlining the who, what, where, when and why of your event. - Reach out to local bloggers
Look for bloggers in your area that cover local events and local news. They may be interested in sharing an announcement or even attending your event (if it’s interesting enough and relevant to their audience).
There are many ways to promote your event, like obtaining media placements and segments relevant to your target audience, creating a social media campaign around the event and more. It all comes down to how much time you have and your experience level. You can always take one or two of the above points and apply them to your next event. You don’t have to use all of these tips at once. Do what you can and if you don’t have the time, get help.
