You’ve got a great lineup for your event. The speakers are top-notch. The location will wow your attendees. Now it’s time to market the event to get everyone to experience everything you’ve put together.
But let’s be honest: All of the marketing in the world is not as influential as a recommendation from a close friend. So the key is getting as many of your attendees talking about your event to increase your reach and the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
But let’s be honest: All of the marketing in the world is not as influential as a recommendation from a close friend. So the key is getting as many of your attendees talking about your event to increase your reach and the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
So how do you get attendees talking about your event? Here are some easy-to-do tactics for getting them talking on social media:
Promote hashtags and accounts everywhere
One thing we’ve noticed about the excitement surrounding the reopening of the Cincinnati Music Hall is that the hashtag, #MusicComesHome, is prominent. It’s a way to bring together the multiple arts groups that use the facility for performances to show why they are excited about coming back to their home stage for the upcoming season. You will find this hashtag online as well as on printed materials heralding the 2017-18 season. And as we get closer to the opening date, we expect the excitement to only grow.
Take a note from this: Keep social media accounts and the applicable hashtag top-of-mind by having it on all collateral, both printed and digital. Then populate your social media accounts with sharable content. Provide your followers something to talk about, and show them exactly how to talk about it. The easier it is for attendees to talk about your event, naturally the more they'll talk about it. Plus, they'll talk about it exactly how you want.
Take a note from this: Keep social media accounts and the applicable hashtag top-of-mind by having it on all collateral, both printed and digital. Then populate your social media accounts with sharable content. Provide your followers something to talk about, and show them exactly how to talk about it. The easier it is for attendees to talk about your event, naturally the more they'll talk about it. Plus, they'll talk about it exactly how you want.
Pay influencers
Influencer marketing is receiving a lot of criticism lately because sometimes it can come across as inauthentic. But done right, this is also a great way to get your attendees talking.
First, identify your influencers in your industry. That doesn’t mean some big celebrity. You’re looking for people that can really move the needle and those with great, responsive networks within your industry. Don’t know who those people are? Start asking around. You will likely start hearing the same few names over and over again. Those are the people you should be targeting.
Once you identify targets, start giving them content that sounds like it’s in their voice and not out of the ordinary. And make sure you remind your influencers to make it clear that they are receiving compensation for the post by adding #ad or #spon to the post.
Finally, get creative with how you pay these influencers. Maybe it’s as easy as a free registration. Or maybe it’s face-to-face time with one of your speakers. Find out what they value and let that guide how you compensate them.
First, identify your influencers in your industry. That doesn’t mean some big celebrity. You’re looking for people that can really move the needle and those with great, responsive networks within your industry. Don’t know who those people are? Start asking around. You will likely start hearing the same few names over and over again. Those are the people you should be targeting.
Once you identify targets, start giving them content that sounds like it’s in their voice and not out of the ordinary. And make sure you remind your influencers to make it clear that they are receiving compensation for the post by adding #ad or #spon to the post.
Finally, get creative with how you pay these influencers. Maybe it’s as easy as a free registration. Or maybe it’s face-to-face time with one of your speakers. Find out what they value and let that guide how you compensate them.
Gamification
If you really want your attendees talking, create a game out of it.
Before you get started, define your goals. Is success to you simply people talking about your event or is it actual registrations? There are pros and cons to both methods. But once you have decided on your goal, reward that action with something your attendees might find valuable.
For example, give your attendees a special url to talk about your event, so that every time someone registers via that url, it is tied back to that attendee. That could then earn them money off of their own registration for every new attendee. Or maybe, you can reward every attendee that registers five new attendees with a small group discussion with your most high profile speaker. Just tie it back to something that gets them excited and into the game.
Whatever you do, don’t forget the basics of social media. Engagement and creating great content can go a very long way.
How are you getting your attendees talking on social media?
Before you get started, define your goals. Is success to you simply people talking about your event or is it actual registrations? There are pros and cons to both methods. But once you have decided on your goal, reward that action with something your attendees might find valuable.
For example, give your attendees a special url to talk about your event, so that every time someone registers via that url, it is tied back to that attendee. That could then earn them money off of their own registration for every new attendee. Or maybe, you can reward every attendee that registers five new attendees with a small group discussion with your most high profile speaker. Just tie it back to something that gets them excited and into the game.
Whatever you do, don’t forget the basics of social media. Engagement and creating great content can go a very long way.
How are you getting your attendees talking on social media?
