Are you in the event planning business? Event planning is a booming industry, and whether you organize a conference, fundraiser, seminar or just a simple party, social media is a beneficial tool to gain more attention and attendees. A huge advertising budget isn’t necessary to get people to show up since we’re now living in a world where social media is everywhere and as close as the nearest laptop. Here are ways to put your event in the spotlight using current technology.
The most well known sites on which to promote events are LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Facebook is the largest of the three networks, with almost half a billion users. However, you can use one or a combination of all three to send what’s known as a “mail blast” to individuals who might be interested in the event. That being said, it will take a bit of work to target specific people who share your enthusiasm and each channel will require you to craft different messages.
What you could do to make the invitation more enticing is to create a video. Facebook is the friendliest site for those types of presentations and videos can convey lots of excitement. This might spur more people to register for the event. Make a video eye-catching with colorful graphics and an upbeat audio recording, however you may need a powerful graphics card in your computer if you plan on making videos regularly. Alternatively, you can record a YouTube video and post it on Facebook.
A hashtag can create lots of buzz for an event when it’s posted on Twitter. The # symbol is used to mark keywords in a Tweet. Basically, it allows anyone to interested in a topic to find others taking about it. To make the most of a hashtag, post it well before the event. Keep it short, unique, and always use it in Tweets.
If your event isn’t free to attend, consider offering two kinds of tickets: early bird and regular. Even better, you can categorize the early bird prices to encourage more sales before the cost of a ticket goes up. If you’re still worried about no one showing up, it might be a good idea to give discounts to people who register early. Customers will feel as if they’re valued and, of course, they might try to invite their friends to come along. If you’re planning to make an event annual, you just might have scored some loyal attendees!
When the big day arrives and the event is in progress, keep the engagement level high by answering questions, sharing insights, and addressing complaints. An on-site promotional campaign, such as one in which attendees take a picture of the event and tag it for the chance to win a prize, can keep everyone present entertained. If you ask attendees to rate the event after it’s over, chances are they will have nothing but positive remarks.
Event planning is tricky and can be expensive. The last thing you want is to invest time, money, and energy only to see an event fail. But social media provides useful tools to increase the odds of success.