Event Suppliers

Marketing your event effectively and attracting visitors and attendees are crucial for the success of any gathering, be it a local craft fair, a major conference, or a festive community celebration.

Practical and Actionable Strategies for Event Organizers

Here are practical and actionable strategies for event organizers to ensure your event stands out, draws a crowd, and leaves a lasting impression.

Know Your Audience and What You Want to Achieve

Imagine planning a birthday party for a friend. You need to know what kind of music they like, who their friends are, and what kind of food they enjoy to make the party a hit. Similarly, define your event’s target audience by their interests, demographics, and what they seek in an event. Set clear goals for your event, like getting 100 attendees, or ensuring that 80% of attendees sign up for your newsletter.

Make Your Event Stand Out

Think of your event as your favorite coffee shop. What makes you choose it over others? Maybe it’s the cozy ambiance, the exceptional service, or the unique flavor of coffee they offer. Your event should have something special too, whether it’s a guest speaker, an entertainment act, or an exclusive opportunity that makes it a must-attend.

Use Different Ways to Spread the Word About Your Event

It’s like telling friends about a great new restaurant. You might text some, call others, and post about it on social media. For your event, use a mix of marketing channels based on where your audience hangs out. If they’re professionals, LinkedIn might work best; if they’re young adults, Instagram or Snapchat might be better.

Create Fun and Interesting Content

Consider what catches your eye in a magazine. Is it the bright pictures, interesting headlines, or fun quizzes? Create content that’s visually appealing and engaging. Post behind-the-scenes photos, interviews with speakers, or fun facts about the event planning process that keep potential attendees interested and engaged.

Give People a Reason to Sign Up Early to Your Event

Think about early bird specials at sales. People love getting a good deal. Offer discounted rates, special access to parts of the event, or freebies for those who register or buy tickets early. This not only secures early funds but also builds initial buzz and commitment.

Work with Local Celebrities or Influencers

Imagine if a local celebrity tweeted about your garage sale. Suddenly, a lot more people might show up! Partner with influencers who can genuinely be enthusiastic about your event and encourage their followers to attend. Provide them with all the necessary details and promotional materials to make sharing easy.

Keep People Excited Before the Event

It’s like the countdown to a big holiday. Keep the excitement building with regular updates. Share countdowns, teasers of what attendees can expect, or showcase profiles of event participants or key attendees. It’s all about keeping the event top-of-mind and building anticipation.

Make Signing Up Easy to Your Event

Think of it as ordering pizza with a simple phone call. Ensure your registration process is straightforward—no one likes filling out long forms. Minimize clicks, ask only for essential information, and ensure the registration platform is secure and reliable.

Watch and Adjust

This is like adjusting the temperature at your party. If it’s too hot, you open a window. If your ticket sales are slow, analyze which marketing tactics are working and which aren’t. Maybe you need more engaging content, or perhaps a different platform could give better results. Be ready to tweak your strategies based on feedback and analytics.

Follow Up After the Event

Sending out thank-you cards after your party helps keep the good feelings going. Similarly, follow up with your event attendees. Thank them for coming, ask for feedback via surveys, and share photos or videos from the event. This not only keeps the connection alive but also helps you gather valuable insights for planning future events.

By deepening your understanding of each of these steps and implementing them thoughtfully, you’re setting your event up for success—just like throwing the perfect party that everyone talks about for weeks!

Issues Event Organisers Should Avoid

When organizing and marketing an event, there are several pitfalls you should strive to avoid to ensure a smooth experience and maintain a positive reputation. Here’s a rundown of common mistakes and what you can do to steer clear of them:

Not Having a Clear Event Plan

• Avoid starting to plan without knowing what you need.
• Try writing down your event’s purpose (like celebrating a birthday or raising funds for a cause). List what you’ll need to achieve this (like a venue, food, and entertainment). Think of this as writing a recipe before you start cooking a meal.

Bad Scheduling & Timing Your Event

• Avoid planning your event when everyone has other major commitments.
• Try looking at the community calendar. Avoid dates with big local events, holidays, or busy travel times like long weekends. It’s like planning a dinner party on a night when you know friends are free.

Not Spreading the Word About Your Event

• Avoid telling people too late or not at all.
• Try starting to promote your event early. Use social media, emails, local newspapers, and word of mouth—like inviting people to a big concert you’re excited about. The more channels you use, the more people you’ll reach.

Ignoring What People Want

• Avoid choosing themes or activities without considering your audience’s preferences.
• Try thinking about past events. What did people enjoy most? Send out a survey or ask on social media what kinds of activities or themes they’d prefer. It’s like choosing a movie genre for a group movie night based on what most friends like to watch.

Making it Hard to Sign Up to Your Event

• Avoid complicated registration processes.
• Try using a simple online form with as few fields as necessary. Think of it like using a fast checkout lane when you’re only buying a few items. Test the sign-up process yourself to ensure it’s quick and easy.

Overlooking Small Event Details

• Avoid missing little things that affect the overall experience.
• Try creating a checklist of all event aspects, from welcome signs to bathroom directions to emergency exits. Walk through your venue like you’re a guest and adjust anything that could make their experience smoother.

Not Having Enough Help at Your Event

• Avoid trying to manage everything alone.
• Try determining how many helpers you need based on the size of your event. Recruit volunteers or hire staff. It’s like having enough servers at a restaurant to ensure all customers are attended to quickly.

 Ignoring Event Attendee & Patron Safety

• Avoid neglecting potential risks.
• Try planning for the worst-case scenarios. Have a first-aid kit, know who to call in an emergency, and have a clear weather contingency plan. This is similar to having insurance—better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

Forgetting to Follow Up After Your Event

• Avoid ending communication once the event is over.
• Try sending thank you emails, post event highlights on social media, and ask attendees for feedback through surveys. Think of it as sending thank you notes after receiving gifts—it shows appreciation and keeps relationships strong.

Promising Too Much

• Avoid overhyping your event’s offerings.
• Try being realistic in your promotional material. If you’re advertising a guest speaker, ensure they’re confirmed. It’s like making sure you can definitely get concert tickets before telling friends you can bring them along.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can enhance the overall success of your event, improve attendee satisfaction, and lay a strong foundation for future events.