Tag: event marketing

10 Free Event Planning Email Templates You Need

  • Event Management
  • August 27, 2024

Does reinventing the communications wheel with each new event make you want to pull your hair out?

As an event planner, you *know* that delegation and automation are essential to keeping your sanity. But with so many competing priorities and processes, it can be hard to keep all the balls in the air.

That’s where event email templates come in. Using templates streamlines your communication efforts, saves precious time, and ensures that your messages are consistent and professional, no matter who you’re talking to.

Combined with EventUp Planner’s powerful tools for email marketing automation, you can kiss decision fatigue goodbye—helping you get everything done without breaking a sweat.

In this article, we’ll provide you with 10 helpful event email templates that you can save and use for your future events. These templates will help you save time, elevate your event outreach, and deliver an awesome experience for all involved. Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

1. What is event planning email outreach, and why is it important?
2. What should I include in my event emails?
3. How often should I send emails without being annoying or pushy?
4. Event invitation email templates by event type

What Is Event Planning Email Outreach, and Why Is It Important?

Event planning email outreach is the process of using email to communicate with your event’s target audience, including potential attendees, sponsors, speakers, and other stakeholders. It’s an essential tool for:

  • Building awareness
  • Generating interest and leads
  • Fostering relationships throughout the event planning journey

Imagine you’re planning a conference. Your email outreach might include a “Save the Date” message, a registration announcement, reminders, agenda updates, and post-event thank-yous to keep everyone engaged and excited.

But crafting all these emails from scratch can be a huge time-suck and lead to inconsistencies. Using templates and automations helps you stay organized, efficient, and focused on delivering an unforgettable event experience. It’s a win-win for you and your stakeholders! Email templates and automations offer benefits like:

🎯Streamlined outreach processes—Reusable templates for common event communications that save you time and effort.

🎯Consistent messaging—Ensures your brand voice and key details are always on point.

🎯Reduced mental burden of starting from zero—Skip the blank page syndrome and kickstart your emails with ready-made templates.

🎯Scheduled emails and performance tracking—Set up automated email sequences and monitor their success, all in one place.

🎯More time and mental space for other critical tasks—Free up your schedule and brainpower for the million other things on your plate.

What Should I Include in My Event Emails?

When it comes to event planning email outreach, there are a few things that you should include in every single email you send:

Subject line

Your email subject line is the first thing recipients see, so make it count! A clear, concise, and engaging subject line can make the difference between your email being opened or sent straight to the trash. 

Examples of effective subject lines include:

  • “You’re Invited: [Event name] on [Event date]”
  • “Don’t Miss Out on [Event name] – Register Now!”
  • “Early Bird Tickets Now Available for [Event name]”
  • “[Event name] Agenda Announced – Check Out the Lineup”

Event details (date, time, location)

Clearly communicating the event details ensures your stakeholders have all the information they need. 

Always include the event name, date, time, and event location in a prominent place within your email. This helps recipients quickly find the essential information and add it to their calendars.

Call-to-action (CTA)

Every email should have a clear purpose and a desired action you want the recipient to take. 

Whether it’s to RSVP, register, or click on a link for further details, make sure your CTA stands out and creates a sense of urgency. Use action-oriented language and make it easy for recipients to follow through.

Examples of strong CTAs include: 

  • “Secure Your Spot Now”
  • “Get Your Tickets Before They’re Gone!”
  • “Register Today and Save 20%”
  • “Claim Your Free VIP Pass”

Your contact details 

Providing your professional business email address or phone number allows recipients to reach out with questions or for more information. This simple addition helps build trust and shows that you’re available to assist them. Include your contact details in the footer of your email, along with any relevant social media links or event hashtags.

How Often Should I Send Emails Without Being Annoying or Pushy?

When it comes to email frequency, it’s all about finding the right balance. You want to keep your audience informed and engaged without overwhelming their inboxes or coming across as pushy. 

As a general rule, aim to send emails at a consistent cadence and at times when people are most likely to read them, such as mid-morning or early afternoon on weekdays. 

However, the optimal frequency may vary depending on the type of stakeholder you’re communicating with:

Venue

Maintain open lines of communication with your venue contact to ensure all logistical details are taken care of. The frequency of emails will depend on the complexity of your event and the level of coordination required.

Attendees

Keep them excited and informed with regular updates, but avoid bombarding them with too many messages. A good cadence might be once a week leading up to the event, with a few additional reminders closer to the date.

Speakers

Reach out as soon as they’ve confirmed their participation to provide them with key details and deadlines. Follow up periodically to ensure they have everything they need, such as travel arrangements or presentation requirements. Read more about speaker management in our recent article: 6 Powerful Ways to Make Event Promotion Easy for Speakers

Vendors

Establish a clear communication schedule based on their role and the timeline of your event. Provide them with regular check-ins and updates, especially if there are any changes to the event plan.

Event team, including volunteers

Keep your team informed and aligned with frequent updates, task assignments, and progress reports. Regular communication is key to ensuring everyone is on the same page and working towards a successful event.

Remember: the key is to provide value with every email you send. Whether it’s important updates, helpful resources, or friendly reminders, make sure each message serves a clear purpose and respects your recipients’ time and attention.

10 Helpful Event Planning Templates & Examples

Using event email templates as a starting point can save you time while ensuring you have all your bases covered.

But to *truly* make your messages stand out, it’s important to add personal touches and tailor the content to the specific recipient.

Focus on creating an easy-to-read structure with clear headings, short paragraphs, and bullet points so that recipients aren’t overwhelmed by walls of text.

We’ve got you covered with the following templates you can tweak to your heart’s content.

Event Invitation Email Templates by Event Type

Use these pre-event email templates for each type of event you run—whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid. 

Conference and seminar

Start your event marketing on the right foot with this customizable template for conferences and seminars:

Dear [Attendee Name],

I hope this email finds you well. On behalf of the [Company/Organization Name] team, I am thrilled to invite you to our upcoming [Conference/Seminar Name], taking place on [Event Date] at [Venue Name] in [City, State].

This [conference/seminar] is designed to [briefly describe the event’s purpose and key benefits for attendees]. We have an exciting lineup of speakers and activities planned, including:

  • [Speaker 1 Name], [Speaker 1 Title] at [Speaker 1 Company], presenting on [Topic]
  • [Speaker 2 Name], [Speaker 2 Title] at [Speaker 2 Company], discussing [Topic]
  • [Activity 1 Description]
  • [Activity 2 Description]

Here are the essential details for the event:

Date: [Event Date]

Time: [Start Time] – [End Time]

Location: [Venue Name], [Venue Address], [City, State, ZIP]

Agenda: [Link to Agenda]

Registration: [Link to Registration Page]

To secure your spot, please visit our registration page and complete the form by [Registration Deadline]. If you have any questions or require further information, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly.

We look forward to your participation and the opportunity to [reiterate key benefits or takeaways from the event].

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company/Organization Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

 

Product launch

Generate buzz for your company’s latest product launch with this copy-and-paste email template:

Dear [Attendee Name],

I’m excited to invite you to the highly anticipated launch of our latest product, [Product Name], on [Event Date] at [Venue Name] in [City, State].

Join us as we unveil [Product Name], which is set to take the [Niche] industry by storm with its exciting features and benefits, including:

  • [Feature 1]
  • [Feature 2]
  • [Feature 3]

During the event, you’ll have the opportunity to:

  • Get an exclusive first look at [Product Name] and its capabilities
  • Hear from our team of experts about the development process and the technology behind the product
  • Network with industry professionals and fellow enthusiasts
  • Enjoy refreshments and entertainment throughout the evening

Here are the essential details for the event:

Date: [Event Date]

Time: [Start Time] – [End Time]

Location: [Venue Name], [Venue Address], [City, State, ZIP]

Agenda: [Link to Agenda]

Registration: [Link to Registration Page]

To secure your spot at this exclusive event, please visit our registration page and complete the form by [Registration Deadline]. Space is limited, so don’t wait too long!

If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to contact me directly.

We can’t wait to share [Product Name] with you and celebrate this milestone together.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

 

Webinar

Set your next webinar up for success with this clear and professional email template:

Dear [Attendee Name],

We’re thrilled to invite you to our upcoming webinar, “[Webinar Name],” on [Event Date] at [Start Time] [Time Zone].

Join our expert speakers as they dive into [Webinar Topic] and share valuable insights and strategies to help you [Key Benefit 1] and [Key Benefit 2].

Our featured speakers include:

[Speaker 1 Name], [Speaker 1 Title] at [Speaker 1 Company]

[Speaker 2 Name], [Speaker 2 Title] at [Speaker 2 Company]

[Speaker 3 Name], [Speaker 3 Title] at [Speaker 3 Company]

During this [Webinar Duration] webinar, you’ll learn:

[Key Takeaway 1]

[Key Takeaway 2]

[Key Takeaway 3]

To reserve your spot, simply click the link below and complete the registration form:

[Registration Link]

After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the webinar.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

We look forward to seeing you at the webinar!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company Name]

[Your Email Address]

 

Corporate training

Invite employees to participate in exciting corporate training opportunities:

Dear [Attendee Name],

I’m pleased to invite you to our upcoming corporate training event, “[Training Event Name],” taking place on [Event Date] at [Venue Name] in [City, State].

This training event is specifically designed for [Target Audience/Department] to enhance their skills in [Training Topic] and drive success in their roles.

Our expert trainers will guide you through interactive sessions covering:

  • [Session 1 Topic]
  • [Session 2 Topic]
  • [Session 3 Topic]

By attending this training, you will:

  • Gain practical knowledge and techniques to apply in your daily work
  • Improve your performance and efficiency in [Skill/Area]
  • Network with colleagues and learn from their experiences
  • Earn [Number] professional development credits

Here are the essential details for the event:

Date: [Event Date]

Time: [Start Time] – [End Time]

Location: [Venue Name], [Venue Address], [City, State, ZIP]

Agenda: [Link to Agenda]

Registration: [Link to Registration Page]

To secure your spot, please complete the registration form by [Registration Deadline].

If you have any questions or require further information, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

We believe this training event will provide you with valuable insights and skills to excel in your role at [Company Name].

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

 

Fundraising event 

Set the stage to hit your fundraising goals with this customizable email template: 

Dear [Attendee Name],

On behalf of [Non-Profit Name], I’m excited to invite you to our upcoming fundraising event, “[Fundraising Event Name],” taking place on [Event Date] at [Venue Name] in [City, State].

This special event is dedicated to raising funds and awareness for [Non-Profit’s Mission/Cause]. By attending, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of [Beneficiaries].

During the event, you can expect:

  • Inspiring stories from [Speakers/Beneficiaries]
  • Silent and live auctions featuring [Highlight Auction Items]
  • Delicious hors d’oeuvres and refreshments
  • Networking opportunities with like-minded individuals passionate about [Cause]

Here are the essential details for the event:

Date: [Event Date]

Time: [Start Time] – [End Time]

Location: [Venue Name], [Venue Address], [City, State, ZIP]

Dress Code: [Dress Code]

Ticket Price: [Price]

Registration: [Link to Registration Page]

To secure your tickets, please visit our registration page and complete the form by [Registration Deadline]. If you cannot attend but would still like to support our cause, you can make a donation through our website: [Donation Page Link].

If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to reach out to me directly.

Your support means the world to us, and we can’t wait to see you at the event!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Non-Profit Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

 

Other Pre-Event Email Templates

Make sure your stakeholders are in the loop by using these easy-to-use pre-event email templates.

 

Venue kick-off communications

Keep open lines of communication with your preferred venue using this email template so that no balls get dropped:

Dear [Venue Contact Name],

I hope this email finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am the [Your Title] at [Company Name]. We are excited to host our upcoming event, “[Event Name],” at [Venue Name] on [Event Date].

I wanted to reach out to introduce myself and begin coordinating the details of our event with your team. As we prepare for the event, I’d like to schedule a call or meeting to discuss the following:

  • Event Layout. Review the floor plan and discuss room setups, staging, and any specific requirements we may have.
  • Audio-Visual Needs. Discuss our AV requirements, including sound systems, lighting, projectors, and screens.
  • Catering. Review food and beverage options, dietary restrictions, and serving times.
  • Logistics. Coordinate load-in and load-out times, parking, and any other logistical details.
  • Health and Safety. Discuss any health and safety protocols or requirements that need to be followed.

Please let me know your availability for a call or meeting in the coming week. In the meantime, I’d appreciate it if you could provide me with the following information:

  • Venue Policies. Any specific venue policies or guidelines we should be aware of.
  • Preferred Vendors. A list of your preferred vendors for AV, catering, and other services, if applicable.
  • Contract and Invoice. The signed venue contract and an invoice for the deposit, if not already provided.

I look forward to working closely with you and your team to ensure a successful event. If you have any questions or require further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

 

Vendor selection

Begin the process of finding great vendors for your event with this email template:

Dear [Vendor Name],

I hope this email finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am the [Your Title] at [Company Name]. We are currently in the process of selecting vendors for our upcoming event, “[Event Name],” taking place on [Event Date] at [Venue Name].

We came across your company, [Vendor Company Name], and believe that your services could be a great fit for our event. We are particularly interested in your expertise in [Specific Service/Product].

To help us make an informed decision, I would appreciate if you could provide the following information:

  • Services/Products. A detailed description of the services or products you offer that would be relevant to our event.
  • Pricing. An overview of your pricing structure and any packages you offer.
  • Experience. Examples of similar events you have worked on in the past, along with references, if available.
  • Availability. Confirmation of your availability on the event date and any deadlines for booking your services.
  • Requirements. Any specific requirements you may have from us to ensure a smooth collaboration.

Please feel free to include any additional information or materials that you think would be helpful for us to consider.

We would also like to schedule a call or meeting to discuss further details and answer any questions you may have. Please let me know your availability in the coming week.

We appreciate your time and look forward to the possibility of working with you on this event. If you have any questions or require further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your consideration.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

Attachments: [Event Brief.pdf]

 

Sponsors

Kick-start the process of finding aligned sponsors for your event with this email template:

Dear [Sponsor Name],

I hope this email finds you well. I’m reaching out to invite [Company Name] to become a sponsor for our upcoming event, “[Event Name],” taking place on [Event Date] at [Venue Name] in [City, State].

This event is set to attract [Expected Attendance] professionals from the [Industry/Niche] and offers a unique opportunity for your company to enhance its brand visibility and showcase your products/services to a highly targeted audience.

As a sponsor, you will benefit from:

  • Prominent brand placement on event signage, promotional materials, and online platforms
  • Opportunities to showcase your products/services through exhibitor booths, product demonstrations, or speaking sessions
  • Access to a highly engaged audience of decision-makers and industry influencers
  • Networking opportunities with other industry leaders and potential partners

We offer several sponsorship packages designed to fit your company’s specific needs and goals:

  • [Sponsorship Level 1]: [Price] – [Benefits]
  • [Sponsorship Level 2]: [Price] – [Benefits]
  • [Sponsorship Level 3]: [Price] – [Benefits]

To learn more about the event and sponsorship opportunities, please find attached our sponsorship prospectus with detailed information.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss how we can customize a sponsorship package to maximize your ROI, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly. I would be happy to schedule a meeting or call at your convenience.

We believe that [Company Name]’s participation as a sponsor would greatly enhance the event experience for our attendees while providing valuable exposure for your brand.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

Attachments: [Sponsorship Prospectus.pdf]

 

Post-Event Email Templates

The event may be over, but the work hasn’t stopped quite yet. Keep the good experience going with these essential post-event email templates!

 

Post-event thank you

Gratitude makes everyone feel good. Customize this email template to say thank you to attendees, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, and other stakeholders. 

Dear [Attendee Name],

On behalf of the entire [Company Name] team, I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude for your attendance and participation at our recent event, “[Event Name],” held on [Event Date] at [Venue Name].

It was a pleasure to have you join us, and we hope that you found the event informative, engaging, and valuable!

Here are some of our favorite moments from the big day:

  • [Highlight 1]
  • [Highlight 2]
  • [Highlight 3]

[Survey Link]

Looking ahead, we’re excited to share that we have several upcoming events that may be of interest to you:

  • [Upcoming Event 1]: [Date] – [Brief Description]
  • [Upcoming Event 2]: [Date] – [Brief Description]
  • [Upcoming Event 3]: [Date] – [Brief Description]

To stay informed about these events and other opportunities, we encourage you to:

Join our mailing list: [Mailing List Signup Link]

Follow us on social media: [Social Media Handles/Links]

Visit our website: [Company Website]

If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. We value your ongoing support and look forward to staying connected.

Once again, thank you for being a part of [Event Name]. We hope to see you at our future events!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

 

Post-event feedback request

Collecting feedback is an important part of the event planning process. Be sure to send out a post-event feedback survey so you can continue to improve your events going forward. 

Dear [Attendee Name],

Thank you once again for attending our recent event, “[Event Name],” held on [Event Date] at [Venue Name]. We hope you found the experience valuable and enjoyable.

As we strive to continually improve our events and provide the best possible experience for our attendees, we would greatly appreciate your feedback. Your input is invaluable in helping us understand what worked well and where we can make improvements for our next event.

We have prepared a brief survey that should take no more than [Estimated Time] minutes to complete. Your responses will be kept confidential and will only be used to enhance our future events.

Please click on the link below to access the survey:

[Survey Link]

The survey will be open until [Survey Deadline], and we kindly request that you complete it at your earliest convenience.

[OPTIONAL] As a token of our appreciation for your time and feedback, all survey respondents will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win [Incentive Prize]. The winner will be announced via email on [Prize Announcement Date].

If you have any questions or encounter any issues accessing the survey, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly.

Thank you in advance for your valuable feedback and continued support. We look forward to hearing from you and using your insights to create even better experiences in the future!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Company Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

[OPTIONAL] P.S. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to shape future events and have a chance to win [Incentive Prize]. Complete the survey today!

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3 Event Marketing Tips and Tricks for Associations

  • Event Management
  • January 3, 2024
A group of event attendees sits and listens to a keynote speaker.

Whether you’re hosting a keynote speech or a conference, your association can leverage engaging events to build member loyalty and make connections in your industry. That said, planning an event is one thing, but getting attendees through the door is another. 

1. That’s where event marketing comes into play 

Strategically promoting your event to appeal to target audiences can boost your RSVPs and, potentially, your return on investment (ROI). However, effective event marketing campaigns require careful planning and adherence to proven best practices. In this guide, we’ll explore how to execute an event marketing strategy with these steps:

  1. Create detailed audience profiles
  2. Embrace interactive marketing ideas
  3. Leverage event marketing automation
  4. Take a multi-channel marketing approach

These best practices will help you optimize your event marketing efforts and spread awareness of your brand. Keep your association’s unique brand and marketing approach in mind as you employ the following steps.

  1. Create detailed audience personas

Your association likely already targets specific audiences for general marketing efforts, and event marketing is no different. However, your audience for your event marketing outreach might differ based on the event’s purpose. You can make detailed audience profiles based on factors such as:

  • Demographic information. Knowing basic information about your target audience’s age, location, income level, and educational background helps you establish a baseline foundation for your event marketing approach. 
  • Interests and values. Once you have demographics down, develop your personas further by gauging their interests and values. They can be related to your event, industry, and association, but remember to include personal interests and values as well to get a comprehensive picture of their motivations.
  • Pain points and challenges. Your event should present a solution to a challenge your audience members face. Map out why your audience feels these pain points and how your event can help them.
  • Preferred communication channels. When picking your event marketing channels, prioritize those that your audience uses to maintain efficiency and get results faster. For instance, if most of your audience prefers to communicate via email, spend your resources developing digital marketing content.
  • Relationship to your association. Understanding your target audience’s relationship with your organization helps you determine the specificity and subject of your marketing messages. For example, are you targeting existing customers or people who haven’t heard of your organization?

To ensure you create these personas with updated and accurate information, conduct a data append. Once you create your personas with this information, you can optimize your marketing messages for the marketing funnel, which is a way of visualizing the specificity of a marketing message in relation to the audience’s motives. Take a look at Fifty & Fifty’s funnel diagram:

Developing these insights in detail allows your organization to create highly personalized marketing campaigns that resonate with your target audience and hit the right funnel position. 

2. Embrace interactive marketing ideas

Remember that quality is just as, if not more, important than quantity when it comes to marketing. Making campaigns as engaging as possible is important for maximizing your return on investment and getting attendees excited about your event. Plus, word of mouth can be a great tool for spreading the word to members’ networks, too. Try Getting Attention’s interactive membership marketing ideas for your association’s next event:

  • User-generated content. Social media is a powerful marketing tool, but the sheer volume of content posted can make it challenging to organize your marketing posts into a comprehensive campaign. However, hashtags have made it possible for user-generated content to support your association’s event marketing efforts. Challenge your members to post photos under a relevant, unique hashtag and repost content to your feed to keep the momentum going.
  • Pre-event contest. Take your user-generated content approach to the next level by implementing an element of gamification. For example, you could ask your members to compete to see which post under your hashtag gets the most likes. The winner will be announced at the event and will win a prize. This idea not only spreads the word about your event but also raises the stakes for your members, boosting participation.

These are just a few examples of interactive marketing ideas to get you started. The best ideas energize your members to get them excited for the event, so appealing to their personal interests and tying them to your brand identity is crucial.

3. Leverage event marketing automation for associations

Effective event marketing campaigns for associations are dynamic and adaptable, responding to real-time updates during the campaign rollout. Using event management software with automation allows you to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and address issues immediately. Here are some ways marketing automation can benefit your association’s event marketing efforts:

  • Manage registration. Manually sending emails after every RSVP response is tedious and time-consuming. Configure your event management software to automatically send registration confirmations, reminders, and more follow-up communications to free up bandwidth for your team to focus on event planning. 
  • Schedule content blasts. Maintaining a consistent content calendar is necessary, yet can be challenging for busy marketers. Marketing automation software allows you to schedule posts ahead of time so you never miss a deadline in your marketing plan.
  • Audience segmentation. If you’re targeting multiple audiences using the aforementioned persona criteria, segmenting your communications based on data is a large undertaking. However, marketing automation software makes it simple and can even provide recommendations of which segments to target. 
  • Generate reports. Having access to your key performance indicators (KPIs) throughout the campaign helps you make important data-driven decisions. Marketing software automatically tracks your priority KPIs and stores them so you can view your progress at any time.

From registration to follow-up, a robust event management system with automation features will improve your marketing results and yield a better event experience for everyone.

Implementing your event marketing strategies for your association

Once you’ve conceptualized your event marketing strategy for your association, it’s time to implement your strategies. First, ensure you’re set up for success with an event management tool on your side. Then, experiment with different approaches until you’ve found the best one. Finally, after the event wraps, use your software to gauge the effectiveness of your efforts so you can expand upon your success in the future.

Let’s Talk

25 Event Promotion Ideas You Haven’t Tried

  • Event Management
  • November 30, 2023
People using AI at an event

Event promotion is key to driving awareness, interest, and registrations for your upcoming event. But with so many events competing for attention, it can be challenging to make your event stand out.

That’s why thinking outside the box and trying new, innovative promotion tactics is so important. Rather than relying solely on conventional promotion methods like social media posts and email blasts, consider incorporating some fresh, creative strategies into your event promotion mix.

Below are 25 cutting-edge event promotion ideas to inspire you and captivate your target audience. With options spanning emerging technologies, sustainability initiatives, and more, you’re sure to find unique concepts to make your next event a standout success!

How to Promote Events in Innovative and Creative Ways

Virtual Reality (VR) Previews

Virtual reality (VR) is an incredibly immersive medium that transports users into digital worlds. Bring your event to life by developing a VR experience that gives potential attendees a vivid preview of what your event entails.

Attendees can strap on a VR headset to virtually explore your event venue, interact with sponsors and exhibitors, and get a firsthand look at the types of sessions and activities you’ll offer. Giving attendees this kind of behind-the-scenes access makes your event intriguing and helps convert registrations.

NFT Ticketing

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have exploded in popularity recently. Tap into this craze by providing select event tickets as exclusive NFTs. This could mean working with digital artists to create beautiful one-of-a-kind ticket NFT artworks. Or, making your virtual event NFT tickets double as access keys for attendees.

The collectibility factor and crypto community appeal of NFT ticketing makes your event stand out. Plus, it gives attendees an extra layer of social status and exclusivity.

Interactive 3D Seating Charts

Elevate a mundane process like selecting seats or virtual spaces into something fun and engaging. Implement 3D seating charts or virtual venue maps that allow attendees to navigate and select their preferred spots!

Make it interactive by enabling attendees to toggle between venue views and get insights on sightlines. Giving attendees this level of choice and control over their event experience boosts excitement to attend while providing valuable data for your planning.

Augmented Reality (AR) Scavenger Hunts

Incorporate augmented reality by developing a scavenger hunt-style mobile app for your event. Attendees can use their phones or tablets to hunt for virtual collectibles overlaid on the event venue or virtual event platform.

As they explore and complete AR challenges, they can unlock rewards like discounts on merchandise or exclusive event content. This gamified promotion idea entices attendees to engage with your event in a memorable way.

Voice Search Optimization

With voice assistants like Siri and Alexa becoming ubiquitous, optimize your event content for voice search. This involves using natural language and conversational keywords when describing your event details online.

Optimizing for voice makes it quick and convenient for people to find information about your event using voice commands. Voice search optimization expands your digital visibility, as voice usage continues its upward trajectory.

Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Integration

Appeal to the tech-savvy crypto community by accepting payments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Or, provide discounts for registrants who pay using blockchain technology. This promotion idea associates your brand with innovation and caters to a growing audience.

You can even issue blockchain-backed digital collectibles as part of the event experience! The possibilities are vast when you integrate these decentralized technologies.

AI Matchmaking

Harness artificial intelligence (AI) to power seamless networking and connections at your event. Collect robust attendee data like interests and goals, then implement smart matchmaking tools that pair attendees for relevant, value-driven meetups.

Providing customized networking not only adds value to the event experience, it also gives attendees more incentive to participate. AI matchmaking makes attending your event more rewarding professionally and personally.

Eco-Friendly Initiatives

Today’s audiences have an appreciation for brands that implement eco-friendly practices. Promote your commitment to sustainability through initiatives like carbon offsetting emissions associated with your event, zero-waste policies, or planting trees for each ticket sold.

You can also opt for sustainable event merchandise and supplies or host a beach cleanup as part of the event agenda. With climate change a rising concern, sustainability-focused promotion attracts conscientious attendees.

Live Polls and Contests

Actively engage your audience during virtual and in-person events through live polls and contests delivered via your event platform or app. These could be brief polls asking for attendees’ perspectives on session topics or fun trivia contests related to your event theme.

Winners can be awarded with event merchandise, discounts off future events, or access to an exclusive speaker Q&A. Integrating polls and contests into your event keeps the energy high and gives attendees incentives to tune in.

Crypto Art Galleries

The crypto art movement combines blockchain technology and artistic creativity. Bring this innovative concept to life at your event by collaborating with digital artists to host a crypto art gallery.

Attendees can browse and purchase exclusive digital art pieces as event-accessible NFTs. Holding an art showcase centered around this emerging technology attracts crypto-enthusiasts and showcases your event’s originality!

Live Social Challenges

Generate buzz on social media by creating branded challenges that encourage attendees to engage with your event across platforms like Instagram and TikTok. These could be photo challenges that incorporate your event hashtag or dance challenges set to themed music.

Attendees can participate for a chance to win VIP upgrades, merchandise, or other exclusive perks. Additionally, compiling and reposting user-generated content from these challenges expands your event’s social reach.

Crypto Giveaways

Cryptocurrency giveaways continue to gain momentum for their novelty and valuability. Offer an exciting giveaway where select registrants win cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum or non-fungible tokens. You can even create custom-branded crypto coins as collectible giveaways!

Promoting crypto giveaways casts an innovative light on your event and provides attendees with a chance to win valuable digital assets for their participation.

Metaverse Meetups

As the concept of the metaverse goes mainstream, organize unique pre-event metaverse experiences. This could involve creating your own space within a virtual world like Decentraland for attendees to explore and mingle before the main event.

You could also partner with an existing metaverse platform to host scavenger hunts, live music performances, or networking spaces tailored to your event theme and audience. Blending virtual and physical spaces makes your event cutting-edge.

Distributed Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)

DAOs are member-led organizations without centralized leadership. Embrace collective decision-making by forming a DAO for your event where members vote on key aspects like themes, speakers, or charity partners.

Adopting this decentralized organizational model empowers your community while generating buzz and a sense of ownership among engaged attendees. Plus, it aligns your event with one of the most talked-about applications of blockchain technology!

AI Chatbots

Implement conversational AI chatbots on your event platforms and website to provide 24/7 customer service and event recommendations. Attendees can ask questions and get immediate personalized suggestions on sessions, networking opportunities, local attractions, and more.

Chatbots make attending your event more convenient, memorable, and impactful. And they represent an innovative, data-driven promotion tactic that wows today’s digital-first audiences.

Livestream on Multiple Platforms

Expand your event’s reach by livestreaming simultaneously across social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. This multiplication strategy exposes your event content to broader, platform-specific audiences instead of just your existing followers.

Plus, enabling viewers to tune in from their preferred platform makes accessing your event more convenient across demographics. It also gives you more opportunities to promote interactive features like live chats and Q&As.

Subscription Box Collaborations

Think outside the box by partnering with popular subscription box brands such as Dollar Shave Club and FabFitFun. See if you can include co-branded box items or miniature event merchandise and materials in upcoming subscription shipments.

This promotes your event to new audiences in a context where they already enjoy discovering and engaging with brands. The unboxing experience generates buzz while positioning your event as a cutting-edge, customer-centric experience.

Wellness Initiatives

Promote health-conscious values and self-care by incorporating wellness initiatives into your event agenda or registration package. For example, you could host guided meditation sessions during conference break times or offer online yoga classes for virtual attendees.

Providing these refreshing breaks demonstrates your commitment to attendee well-being. It also attracts modern professionals who prioritize workplace wellness and makes participating in your event more rewarding.

Mixed Reality (MR) Experiences

Mixed reality blends physical and virtual elements into interactive experiences. Bring this innovative tech to your event by engineering ways for attendees to engage with digitally overlaid content using MR headsets or their smartphones and tablets.

From visual digital signage to informational pop-ups on event accessories, opportunities abound to overlay digital enhancements onto physical event elements. These cutting-edge MR engagements make attending your event truly one-of-a-kind.

AI-Generated Art and Music

Showcase emerging AI capabilities by featuring art, music, or other content created by artificial intelligence algorithms. You could display AI-generated works in a virtual gallery, perform an AI composer’s music at the event, or have an AI artist paint live at your venue.

This cutting-edge concept attracts tech-savvy attendees while demonstrating innovative and artistic applications of artificial intelligence. It creates an event experience that feels ahead of its time.

Data-Driven Personalization

Use attendee data and analytics to deliver hyper-personalized promotions and experiences. Send customized agendas highlighting sessions they’ll love based on their interests. Or provide personalized venue maps showing optimal networking spots based on attendees’ goals.

Implementing data-driven personalization makes each attendee feel recognized and catered to at your event. It also helps demonstrate the value your event can provide on an individual level, prompting registrations.

Sustainable Merchandise

Promote eco-conscious brand values by offering only sustainable merchandise and supplies at your event. This includes items like reusable water bottles, tote bags made from recycled materials, bamboo utensils, and solar-powered chargers.

Providing attendees with practical and innovative sustainable products lets them participate in your brand’s efforts to reduce waste. It’s an ethical promotion strategy that attracts environmentally minded audiences.

In-Game Collaborations

Meet audiences within the virtual worlds of popular video games by collaborating on in-game events. Work with game developers to have virtual versions of your event appear within popular metaverse-style games like Fortnite or Decentraland.

Gamers can attend your event digitally to unlock exclusive rewards and interact with other players. This groundbreaking concept generates buzz in the gaming community and expands your event’s digital footprint.

Voice-Controlled Event Apps

For a hands-free event experience, develop custom mobile apps that integrate with Siri, Alexa, and other AI voice assistants. Attendees can navigate event agendas, access info, and engage using only their voice.

Voice assistant integration casts your event as highly innovative and accessible. It also enables attendees to easily discover and connect with all aspects of your event through conversational AI interactions!

Virtual Food Tastings

Enhance virtual events by arranging to send attendees curated food and beverage tasting kits. Meal delivery services ship packaged samples representing the cuisine being showcased at your event.

Attendees can follow along with cooking demos and sample food and drinks from home. Combining interactive presentations with shipped tasting experiences makes virtual events more multisensory and memorable.

Uncomplicate Your Event Promotion with Attendease

Today’s audiences expect events to wow them with unique concepts and experiences. By brainstorming creative applications of emerging technologies, sustainable practices, and immersive digital mediums, you can devise event promotions that intrigue and delight target audiences!

Looking for help seamlessly managing the end-to-end event lifecycle? Event management software like Attendease enables you to execute even the most inventive ideas without breaking a sweat.

  • Attendease offers robust features including registration management, event promotion tools, interactive hybrid event broadcasting, and detailed data insights to set your event up for success.

Discover how the right technology partner can help bring your most imaginative event promotion and experience ideas to life! Book a demo to learn more about how Attendease can elevate your next event.

6 College Event Promotion Ideas

  • Event Management
  • October 13, 2023
6 College Event Promotion Ideas

Imagine you put in weeks of work planning an event for students and community members, but only a few people show up. If this feels too familiar, it may be time for some new college event promotion ideas.

From event promotion to thank-you messages, communicating with your participants is critical for securing initial buy-in and sustained engagement. To help you sharpen your communication tactics, we’ve compiled six actionable tips: 

  1. Create an event landing page on your website
  2. Develop a multi-channel strategy
  3. Leverage marketing automation
  4. Personalize event outreach
  5. Send text reminders and updates
  6. Don’t forget to follow up

When using any of these tips, remember to keep your focus on your participants’ interests and preferences. Now, let’s dive into our top six college event promotion ideas!

1. Create an Event Landing Page on your Website

Your university’s website is often the first place for students, alumni, and community members to find information about upcoming events. If you don’t already have a landing page for your next event, creating one should be your first step. 

An event landing page, or a separate microsite for major events, lays the groundwork for effective communication. Once you have one set up, your website will serve as a source of truth for participants seeking the most up-to-date information. You can link to this page in the rest of your marketing materials and direct participants there for questions.

To set yourself up for success, make sure your landing page or website includes all important event information, including:

  • Date, time, and location
  • Where and how to register
  • If registration is required
  • Ticket price, if any
  • The purpose of the event
  • Any speakers, performers, or special guests
  • A schedule if the event lasts multiple days
  • Transportation or parking instructions
  • Contact information 

Along with key information, you can make the page extra engaging by adding photos from last year’s event or integrating your social media feed.

2. Develop a Multi-Channel Strategy

Once you set up your event’s landing page, create a communication strategy that uses multiple channels to get the word out. Use a combination of:

  • SMS: Mogli’s SMS marketing guide explains that texts are one of the most effective communication methods because of their 98% open rate and ease of use. Your students and alumni likely check their text messages more often than any other channel. This makes texting the perfect way to promote your event. Send short, casual announcements and reminders to register for the event on your website.
  • Email: Email often works well for sending event invitations, surveys, and more in-depth information like detailed event schedules. Make sure your subject lines include the event’s name and that they’re compelling enough to get readers to open them. Then, use visuals and links in the body of the emails to make them engaging.
  • Social media: By promoting your event on social media channels like Instagram and Facebook, you can leverage social sharing to get the word out and draw in participants. Create a variety of social media content, such as graphics, videos, and stories, then encourage existing participants to share them with their friends and classmates.
  • Flyers: For on-campus student events, flyers are a necessity. Align the design of your flyers with your social media posts, then hang them up throughout campus in the most relevant locations. Add a QR code so students can easily scan to register for the event or find more information.

Think about your target audience as you choose marketing channels. If your participants are only on-campus freshmen, for example, you might focus on social media and dorm or classroom flyers to get the most visibility for your event. If your event is aimed at older alumni, however, prioritizing emails, texts, or even direct mail will get you better results.

Then, create a marketing calendar to determine what content you’ll post, where, and when. Make sure to spread out communications and maintain consistent branding across channels. 

3. Leverage Event Marketing Automation

Save your team time and effort by automating emails and text messages to participants. With the right marketing automation tools, you can create email templates that auto-fill with participants’ personal details and your university or department’s branding. Or, set up reminder texts to automatically send to those who haven’t registered for the event by a certain date.

There are a variety of automation tools that can make a big difference in your event communication strategy. For example, if your university uses Salesforce, you can use a Salesforce SMS app to automate bulk and one-to-one texts to promote your event.

Plus, most marketing automation software comes with helpful data analytics features to gauge marketing success and event satisfaction. With Attendease, for instance, you can compare metrics across events and get web traffic insights by integrating your event website with Google Analytics.

4. Personalize Event Outreach

Personalizing messages to potential participants can increase the chances that they’ll read the message and attend your event. This doesn’t only apply to invitations, either. By personalizing marketing emails, event reminders, and follow-up messages, you can ensure that your outreach is relevant and engaging for each individual participant.

Start by creating segments in your database or event software for participants who have already registered and those who haven’t. Then, make additional segments within those two groups based on relevant shared characteristics, like academic department or event engagement history. 

In the messages themselves, be sure to address participants by name and include any details that will make the message stand out. On an invitation for an alumni fundraising event, for example, you might include the recipient’s graduation year, program, and latest donation.

5. Send Text Reminders and Updates

Texts are one of the quickest ways to get information out to your participants and keep your event top-of-mind. Use text marketing apps to send out quick updates, announce last-minute changes, and remind guests to register and attend your event. 

These quick update texts might look like:

  • The STEM career fair starts in an hour! Join us in the student center at 2 pm to make your mark
  • ❗ Location change ❗ Tonight’s music department welcome party has been moved to the Pressor auditorium. See you there!
  • Want to watch next week’s meteor shower? ☄️ Sign up to join the astronomy professors at our stargazing event on Friday night 
  • Ella, there’s still time to register for Alum Weekend. Relive the glory days this May 23-25. Tickets are only $30!

Don’t be afraid to get creative and keep texts casual by using emojis and a friendly tone (as long as it aligns with your audience’s preferences). 

6. Post Event Communication

Communication shouldn’t stop after the event ends. Following up with guests afterward is crucial to building relationships and encouraging future attendance.

Whether you send emails, texts, or other kinds of messages, your follow-up should accomplish two main goals:

  • Appreciation: To show attendees you appreciate them and keep them engaged even after the event ends, send thank-you messages to all of your participants, volunteers, and speakers. Consider sending different types of messages based on involvement. While you might send short thank-you texts to guests, for example, eCardWidget recommends sending handwritten thank-you cards or even goodie bags as small gifts for volunteers. 
  • Gathering feedback: By asking for feedback, you’ll collect valuable information to improve your next event and show participants you value their opinions. Use event management software to send post-event surveys that ask questions about guests’ experiences, satisfaction, and suggestions for the future.

Depending on the scale of your event, you may send a single follow-up message or spread out multiple communications over a short period of time. For example, you could send a quick thank-you text to all alumni participants the day after the event, then follow up in a week with a longer email and a feedback request.

As you test these college event promotion ideas, take note of which ones are the most effective for your audience. Use the data you gather from this event to improve the next one, and always be open to feedback from your participants. 

Attendease software helps many higher education organizations manage their yearly calendar of events, big and small alike. Talk with one of our experts and let us know what your calendar looks like and what you’re struggling with. We’re here to help.

Simplify the Complexity of Managing Your Meetings and Events with a Powerful Suite of Tools

Make your attendees gather with ease. From small to large and complex events – plan and manage all of your events in one flexible platform – Attendease.

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8 Tips for Your Hybrid or Virtual Event Marketing Strategy

  • Event Management
  • September 6, 2023
People at a hybrid event

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of hybrid and virtual events. This led to a quick shift in how to approach one’s virtual event marketing strategy. For most event organizers and businesses that rely on heavy foot traffic for exposure at conferences, the digital transformation was embraced more out of necessity than fervent interest. Event organizers knew they had to adapt quickly or businesses would crumble.

Now, as large-scale conferences and events have returned en masse, many won’t think twice about returning to an event hosted on Zoom or Teams. However, it cannot be denied that virtual and hybrid events have provided several inherent advantages, even in, dare we say, ‘normal’ times. In 2022, statistics show that virtual events still held a firm place in the industry.

Virtual and Hybrid Events Are Hardly Relics of the Past

For startup founders and small business owners, virtual conferences allow participation you may not have been able to afford with traditional in-person events. Without the need for travel and lodging costs, digital events open up valuable networking, learning, and partnership opportunities.

By incorporating digital elements into face-to-face events, organizers can expand reach, provide scheduling flexibility, interact with global audiences in multiple time zones, and effectively manage costs. Hybrid approaches fuse the power of in-person networking with the convenience of remote access. 

With COVID restrictions a thing of the past, event organizers may still find that the virtual or hybrid approach is worth considering. Marketing these types of events can be pivotal to drawing huge numbers of registrations and high levels of engagement. If you’re considering marketing a hybrid or virtual event in the near future, consider these eight keys to success as part of your advertising strategy.

1. Optimize Website and Registration Pages

Your event website and registration platform are often the first touchpoints for potential attendees, as well as keynote speakers or sponsors.

Ensure that your web pages convey professionalism while ‌optimizing for conversions. Include clear calls-to-action, engaging and benefit-driven copy, high-quality images, and seamless user experience. Ensure that your pages load quickly on both desktop and mobile devices and do not overlook the integration with your CRM system for event registrations.

Provide all the details participants need on speakers, agenda, schedules, directions (if hybrid) and sponsorship opportunities. Prominently display perks and offers like exclusive access or discounts to encourage sign-ups. Your website is the first point of call for many attendees. Given its significance, ensure your website functions flawlessly and delivers an intuitive user experience.

2. Use Social Media Wisely

Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook allow you to distribute organic, promotional content, along with targeted sponsored posts and advertisements to your ideal audience and demographics. 

Use your social channels to share speaker announcements, post agenda sneak peeks, and run special discounted ticket promotions in the months leading up to the event. This will encourage sign-ups and movement to your website for conversions, as well as social sharing and engagement through relevant prompts and hashtags.

If used correctly, social media can be a convenient asset to your event marketing strategy.

3. Produce Engaging Visual Assets

Compelling visuals like video clips, sizzle reels, photo galleries, and speaker interview videos can capture interest and convey the unique experience of your hybrid or virtual event. 

Invest in professional, high-quality assets – they will pay dividends in your multi-channel promotions. Instead of using tried-and-tested stock images that don’t accurately convey your event style and scale, consider taking original photos and videos to create unique, compelling content that adds value to your website pages and social media.

To affordably create visuals even on a modest budget, consider investing in a used camera or videography equipment that does what you need it to do. Excellent, polished visuals are crucial for any marketing strategy.

4. Leverage Influencers and Earned Media

Influencer marketing taps into the social media platforms where your industry thought leaders are most active. Identify relevant influencers and content creators to feature on panels, give them exclusive access or behind-the-scenes views, and provide multi-channel promotion opportunities in exchange for their own organic promotions. Carefully select the influencers that can add value to your event and won’t charge extortionate commission fees. 

Similarly, build relationships with journalists and reporters at key industry publications. Pitch them on profiling your distinguished speakers or covering important panels before and during your event, and ask for roundups or summaries of the event after it’s concluded. The valuable pre-event exposure and hype could prove instrumental in attracting more attendees to your event. 

5. Implement Retargeting Ad Campaigns

Retargeting ads on platforms like Google and Facebook allow you to re-engage previous website visitors who left without registering or converting. This is a valuable and often overlooked component of digital marketing that can push more of your audience further down your sales funnel. 

Create customized advertisements that promote early pricing, marquee speakers, or exclusive discounts, while being mindful of their existing awareness and familiarity with your brand. 

Don’t rehash the same, top-of-the-funnel marketing content that drew them to your site or platform in the first place. Create unique, compelling and dynamic content that addresses their needs whatever stage they’re in. These engaging digital ads allow you to target your promotional messaging at those who are interested and aware of your brand but need a little more convincing to convert.

6. Implement Segmented Email Campaigns

Email marketing remains one of the most effective digital channels, and allows for more personalized outreach at scale. Send a series of targeted emails to your existing subscribers and attendees highlighting relevant event details, speakers, and special offers that align with each group’s interests.

Students, corporate teams, solo entrepreneurs, exhibitors, and others will suit specific – or a series of – target demographics. Emails should inspire engagement and drive conversions, provided that the content is aimed at the right groups.

7. Strategically Offer Discounts and Perks

Special offers and perks can further incentivize event sign-ups and sponsorship partnerships. 

Consider early bird pricing, flat group discounts for teams, exclusive bonuses like access to an invite-only VIP reception, or special giveaways for the first 30 registrants, as examples. Free tickets for students and nonprofits also help build positive brand exposure and expand your reach. 

You can also promote exclusive discounts and perks through sponsors and partners. For example, partnering with a ticket distributor where attendees can save money and enter into a prize draw, as an example, can be a good incentive. The key is aligning each perk with the appropriate target segment.

8. Promote Safety for Any In-Person Elements

If your event includes an in-person component, prominently promote up to date health and safety measures on your website and in promotions. Some attendees still require reassurance and peace of mind, and their concerns will be eased knowing that sufficient protocols are being taken, such as air filtration and sanitization. 

Hybrid events allow digital access options, providing flexibility for those still hesitant about participating in person. Promote this flexibility while highlighting your commitment to safety.

With the right digital marketing strategy, hybrid and virtual events can help you expand your reach and engagement beyond what’s possible with in-person-only events. Follow the above tips to spark some ideas for getting creative when targeting your audience across several marketing channels. 

If done right, your next hybrid or online event can be a resounding success that delivers an exceptional experience whether your attendees are participating online or in person. Over time, building a recognizable and trusted brand in the art of hybrid and virtual events is well on the horizon.

Need a better solution to manage your virtual and hybrid events? Attendease can help you with both your virtual and hybrid events. Book a demo with us today!

Social Media Event Promotion: The Top 10 Strategies

  • Event Management
  • August 30, 2023

To increase awareness of your events and boost ticket sales, businesses should consider investing their time and effort into social media event promotion and marketing. Planning ahead and developing a cohesive marketing strategy can unlock social media’s full marketing potential.

While most of your social media marketing and event promotion occurs before an event starts, it shouldn’t stop there. Promoting your event on social media while it’s happening and even after it’s over is just as important as creating initial hype.

When you think about connecting with your followers at every possible touchpoint, including social media marketing, you’re more likely to convert them into customers. With that in mind, here are some easy tips to incorporate into your social media event promotion strategy before, during, and after your next event.

Choosing the Right Social Media Platforms for Event Promotion

Choosing the right social media platforms for event promotion is crucial to reaching your target audience effectively. Each social media platform caters to different demographics and has unique features that can enhance your event marketing strategy. Here’s an overview of some popular social media platforms and their potential benefits for promoting events:

Facebook

With over 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook is a versatile platform suitable for various types of events. It offers event creation features, allowing you to create dedicated pages, share event details, and engage with attendees.

Benefits: Extensive reach, event analytics, and the ability to create a community around your event.

Instagram

Known for its visually appealing content, Instagram is perfect for events that can be showcased through images and short videos. The platform’s Stories and IGTV features are valuable for sharing behind-the-scenes content and event highlights.

Benefits: Visual engagement, hashtag usage for event discoverability, and influencer partnerships.

Twitter

Twitter is a real-time platform that excels in quick updates and conversations. It’s suitable for events where frequent updates, live-tweeting, and audience engagement are essential.

Benefits: Hashtag trends, real-time updates, and direct interaction with attendees and influencers.

LinkedIn

Ideal for professional and B2B events, LinkedIn allows you to target a more business-oriented audience. It’s effective for sharing detailed event information, industry insights, and networking opportunities.

Benefits: Professional networking, targeted advertising, and thought leadership.

YouTube

For events with rich visual content or video highlights, YouTube provides a platform for sharing longer videos and live streaming. It’s suitable for conferences, performances, and product launches.

Benefits: Video content, live streaming, and a dedicated channel for event archives.

Snapchat

Primarily used by a younger demographic, Snapchat is perfect for creating ephemeral content that encourages FOMO (fear of missing out). It’s great for events with a sense of urgency and exclusivity.

Benefits: FOMO marketing, geofilters, and interactive content.

When choosing the right social media platforms, consider your target audience, the nature of your event, and the type of content you plan to share. A well-rounded approach that combines multiple platforms strategically can maximize your event promotion efforts.

TikTok

TikTok has rapidly gained popularity for its short-form video content. With a focus on creativity and trends, TikTok is suitable for events that can leverage engaging and entertaining video content.

Benefits: Influencer collaborations, hashtag challenges, live streams.

Social Media Event Promotion Strategies to Promote Your Event Before It Happens

1. Share behind-the-scenes details

Build hype around an upcoming event by showing a little of what’s going on behind the scenes. You can “tease” the event by introducing your followers to important guests, such as hosts or panelists, and sharing photos and videos of the event venue, program, or agenda.

The goal here is to give potential event attendees just enough information to entice them and encourage them to register for your event without spoiling the entire experience.

2. Come up with an event hashtag

Creating a branded event hashtag will help you organize all event-related content across your social media channels. 

Make it unique, short, and easy to spell so it’s recognizable and easy for attendees to use. 

To ensure that people see and engage with the hashtag, use it on all event-related social media content and marketing materials. You can even email attendees ahead of time, encouraging them to use the hashtag themselves on their social media pages when they talk about the event.

Utilizing an event hashtag curates a collection of user-generated content that you can re-share to your audience to show the event from an attendee’s point of view. Sharing user-generated content excites attendees about posting more in hopes that their posts get picked next. 

3. Countdown to the event

Create a countdown to get your social media followers excited about your upcoming event.

Instagram makes this easy with its countdown sticker feature on Instagram Stories. Simply set an end date and time, and you’re ready! 

To customize your countdown further, edit its name and color to reflect your event’s branding. In their article about marketing ideas, Getting Attention explains that cohesiveness among your marketing materials is key to brand recognition.

When people view your countdown, they can subscribe to receive a notification when the countdown is over and share the countdown on their own Instagram Story.

While you can certainly use this feature to remind your followers of the event, it’s potentially even more useful for calling attention to ticket sale deadlines to drive sales.

4. Make a Facebook event page

Facebook event pages are an incredible way to store and share information about your event in one place. You can add the date, time, event category, description, and photos to really flesh out the page.

Additionally, take advantage of the event page’s discussion area to post updates and answer any questions before the event. You can also tag hosts or panelists so they can share the information as well.

Most importantly, don’t forget to add the ticketing link to your event page for easy access.

A wonderful feature of Facebook Event Pages is when someone interacts with your event pages and identifies as ‘Going’ or “interested’ Facebook then shares that information and your page with their audience, exposing your events page to a much wider audience than you have on your own individual page.  

5. Host a contest or giveaway

To increase brand awareness before an event, try hosting a social media contest or giveaway.

First, create a post with the details of the giveaway. Then, ask your followers to share the post using your event hashtag to enter.

For the price of some free tickets or merchandise, you can exponentially expand your reach and encourage ticket sales, making this strategy worth the investment.

Social Media Event Promotion Strategies to Promote Your Event While It Happens

6. Engage with your followers in real-time

There are many different ways you can spark conversations online about your event. Live tweet important updates or information that your followers could benefit from. This play-by-play coverage style helps your followers feel immersed in the event even if they’re not actually there.

You could also take advantage of Instagram Stories by interviewing hosts and attendees or sharing pictures and videos of the event in action. Remember to use your event hashtag to keep all your event content in one place.

7. Display social media posts at the event

Just as you can incorporate your event into your social media posts, you can also incorporate social media into the event itself. Display tweets or comments about your event on a large screen to initiate a dialogue between your followers and attendees.

You can also answer questions that pop up, making the conversation more interactive between the in-person and online participants.

Social Media Event Promotion Strategies to Promote Your Event After It Happens

8. Post-related user-generated content

User-generated content is an incredible addition to your social media channels because it’s organic and shows your event from different perspectives.

After your event, go to your event hashtag and take a look at the content people have created. 43% of regular TikTok users feel that the promotional content they see on the app blends in with other content, so TikTok is a great platform for finding organic, engaging, user-generated content.

Then, respond to the creators to show you value their engagement with the event. TikTok users appreciate when businesses comment on user-generated content, with 77% agreeing that they love to see brands get excited about what other people post. Just make sure you get the creators’ permission before sharing their content. 

9. Solicit feedback.

Finding out what people liked and disliked about your event is the best way to make future improvements. Start by thanking people for attending your event. eCardWidget recommends thanking supporters promptly and personally to make them feel appreciated. 

Add details to your thank you notes, such as attendees’ names, the specific event they attended, and any details about their participation, such as if they made user-generated content or purchased during the event.

Next, ask your attendees if they have any feedback they’d like to share. You can do this through a social media comment, a direct message, an email, or a formal survey. Then, analyze the data you receive and incorporate it into your next event’s marketing strategy.

10. Summarize the event for those who couldn’t make it.

Provide some quick summaries on your social media channels to let people in on the event who couldn’t attend. These should include your best highlights or snippets of the event, such as photos, videos, and notable quotes or information.

You can also send a recap email summarizing the event for attendees and email list subscribers. That way, attendees remember the main details, and subscribers can get excited about possibly attending the next event.

Frequently Asked Questions About Social Media Event Promotion

What are the advantages of using social media for event promotion?

Social media enhances event promotion by providing a wide-reaching platform for targeted marketing, real-time updates, and cost-effective advertising. It fosters engagement, enables user-generated content, and offers valuable analytics, making it a powerful tool to amplify event visibility and success.

How do you announce an event on social media?

To announce an event effectively on social media, create visually appealing posts with key event details, utilize attention-grabbing visuals or videos, incorporate relevant hashtags, and schedule posts strategically to maximize reach. Engage with your audience through interactive elements, such as polls or Q&A sessions, to generate excitement and encourage social sharing for broader event promotion.

How far in advance should I promote an event on social media?

Start promoting your event on social media 8-12 weeks before the scheduled date. This time frame allows for ample anticipation and engagement and ensures that the event gains momentum leading up to the date.

How often should you post on social media to promote an event?

For optimal event promotion, aim to post on social media consistently leading up to the event, with a frequency of 2-3 posts per week. This ensures a steady stream of updates, maintains audience engagement and avoids overwhelming followers with excessive content. Adjust the frequency based on the platform’s dynamics and audience responsiveness.

Make Social Media Event Promotion Simple with EventUp Planner (formerly Attendease)

With so many different social media event promotion ideas and strategies out there, it can be difficult to figure out which ones work best. Hone your social media marketing strategy with these tips to better promote your events and engage attendees.

Looking for ways to promote your events more effectively? Use EventUp Planner event marketing software to easily launch and promote your events, interact with registrants, and track your campaigns.

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Navigating the Top Challenges of Corporate Event Marketing

  • Event Management
  • May 9, 2023

Corporate event marketing has become a critical component of customer acquisition. Corporate events facilitate in-person relationship-building, boost employee satisfaction, and foster a sense of community amongst the attendees. Plus, they allow you to tease upcoming changes to your business, such as new product releases or partnerships. 

Despite the unique advantages of corporate events, marketing them can be challenging. Unlike cut-and-dry statistics, such as email click-through rate or social media engagement, measuring corporate event marketing ROI can be difficult as it’s not always clear where attendees come from. Event marketers also need to acquire the right target audience, set their company’s event apart, and master robust event data software.

Fortunately, corporate event marketing doesn’t need to be daunting. With a little planning, research, and tech-savvyness, you can achieve your goals and sustainable growth. Let’s explore some of the top challenges event marketers face and how you can overcome them.

Challenge #1: Finding the Right Target Audience

The best marketing campaigns are tailored to audiences that would benefit the most from attending your event and buying your products. However, it can be difficult to customize your messages to the interests and needs of many attendees, especially when you host an event with an array of keynote speakers and products on display. Fortunately, you already have some tools at your disposal to help you structure your messages and pinpoint your target audience.

The best assets you have are your data management systems. Pull data from your CRM to better understand what your average customer looks like. Determine how old they are, their net worth, what they usually purchase, their interests, and other relevant information to your business to make a profile. This allows you to step into your audience’s shoes to make tailored marketing messages. Also, if you’re marketing an event that your company hosts repeatedly, use your event registration software to understand who signed up in the past and how you can attract them again. 

These insights help you create marketing collateral that resonates with most of your customers based on data.

Challenge #2: Setting Your Event Apart

The point of corporate event marketing is to get attendees through the door of your event. To set your business apart from others in your industry, you need to highlight why your event is unique and what your attendees can achieve or gain from coming. For example, here are some ways to set your event apart:

  • Leverage your partnerships. If your event is centered around supporting a nonprofit partner for your CSR campaign, you can let your audience know that all proceeds will benefit their cause. 
  • Advertise the event’s unique activities or theme. For instance, if you’re advertising a corporate golf event, mention that it has a $500 prize pool or other special activities to encourage more signups. 
  • Incorporate a virtual component. It’s never been easier to host your event partially (or fully) online and involve attendees from across the world. Besides increasing attendance, OneCause’s guide to hybrid events states that virtual event components are also more cost-effective and eco-friendly. Simply create and send out a meeting link via Zoom, WebEx, Google Meet, or another virtual conferencing platform so people can participate online. 

By effectively communicating the value of your event, you’ll attract newcomers to your event, acquire them as customers, and keep them coming back for more. 

Challenge #3: Competing in the Digital Space

For corporations, standing out in the digital world is key to broadening your audience. That being said, making intriguing and unique marketing content in the oversaturated online space can be challenging. So, how do you go about marketing your corporate event amongst the sea of other competing businesses online?

First, assess your SEO status. According to Fifty & Fifty, less than 1% of searchers look for results past Google’s first page of search engine results. Updating your current website and pages to be SEO-friendly allows you to rank above your competition and achieve more visibility. Start by researching the simple changes you can make on your website in the short term to make it SEO-friendly, such as adding alt text to images and being deliberate about keyword inclusion. Then, revise your long-term content strategy by creating new and revising old educational blog posts on your website. 

Next, look into online advertising opportunities. Establish where your target audience spends their time online and buy social media and Google Ads to spread the word about your event and company. If you have room in your budget, trying these methods can guarantee more exposure online.

Challenge #4: Measuring Your Campaign’s ROI

Unlike other types of advertisers, event marketers face the unique challenge of gauging ROI and campaign performance. After all, it’s more difficult to determine which attendees came from email appeals versus social media marketing versus your website.

To overcome this roadblock, start by asking your attendees directly. After they’ve signed up online, include a drop-down list of your marketing channels for them to tell you how they found your event. Take it a step further by including separate URLs that redirect visitors to your signup page based on the platform they’re on. This allows you to track your conversion rate for each marketing channel.

Challenge #5: Using Event-Centric Tools

Marketing an event requires a different approach than other forms of marketing. While digital marketers can rely on specialized tools to execute digital marketing campaigns, event marketers have limited options for suitable online platforms for event marketing.

To streamline the lead acquisition process while maintaining functionality, use sophisticated marketing platforms with intuitive integrations and features so you don’t have to transfer information between your CRM and event management platform manually. Some popular marketing tools that your event marketing software might integrate with include Hubspot, Salesforce, Marketo, and Google Analytics.

Corporate Event Marketing: The Bottom Line

Despite the obstacles that many event marketers have endured, the tide is changing. By following the tips above and evolving with the changing landscape of event marketing, especially regarding virtual events and digital outreach, your company can improve lead generation, thought leadership, and brand awareness. With the right tools and strategies, navigating the challenges of corporate event marketing can be more manageable and rewarding than ever before.

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