When it comes to pulling off a successful event, it goes without saying that you simply can’t neglect your marketing. After all, there’s not much use in putting months of hard work into creating an event that’s dynamic and impactful if there’s no one there to attend it. You’ve got to gather the crowds – the success and reputation of both your event and your brand depend on it. But marketing can be expensive, and can be tough to prioritise if you still have speaker, MC and venue fees to cover. Fortunately there are many marketing options available to you that won’t break the bank. Here are our top five tips on how to market your event on a shoestring budget.
This one should come as no surprise, social media is critical if you’re looking for affordable and effective marketing tactics. But be warned: social media marketing is no slapdash affair. You need to make sure you’re using the right platforms and that you regularly produce interesting and engaging content. Using some of your budget to promote your posts is also a fine art, and it’s best to bring social media gurus on board who know how to make your money go further.
If you’re putting on an event that’s interesting and important, there are sure to be sponsors that would like to be associated with it. They will want to be crystal clear on what kind of exposure is on offer, however, and how this association will enhance their business. Time and preparation are essential here – as is thorough and detailed industry and market knowledge.
Ideally, your speakers should be authorities in their field, with established digital followings. These audiences, who are likely familiar with your speakers but not necessarily with you (yet), offer a valuable and entirely untapped market segment. Speak to your eventing team about how to harness these additional groups so that you can grow your attendance and put your event on the map.
What are the most important developments in your industry? What are you aware of that you think your competitors are neglecting? What new technology and innovations will you be featuring at your event? High-quality content that is professionally written, offers unique perspectives on your line of work, and is discerningly distributed on your website, social media channels and to the press will help you access a wider audience.
Your database is worth its weight in gold. Are you using it to its maximum advantage? Are you maintaining regular contact with your attendees by sending out creative, useful and informative messages? There is a range of techniques that can be used to make email an inexpensive and effective marketing tool, but you have to be sensitive to people’s emailing preferences and habits. The last thing you want is for people to hit the “unsubscribe” button.
Two of the most important aspects of marketing your event affordably are preparation and having the right team on board. Take your time, get organised, and ask the pros for help. At Worx Group, we’ve got all the skills listed above – and more – down pat, and are here to help you make your event a hit, while always keeping a close eye on the bottom line. Get in touch with us today.