As the old saying goes when everyone else Zigs you Zag! Following the herd will rarely get you ahead of the pack. Particularly when it comes to the ultra-competitive and busy space of planning and hosting events.
In this post, we’re going to outline 2 of the most overlooked marketing methods that have the power to sell-out events in seconds. Time and battle-tested but it’s all in the way you use it. So let’s dive in.
Contests
Everyone loves them. In fact, there may be some evolutionary drive to participate in contests, because not many people can turn them down. You can create and sponsor a contest yourself, encourage a sponsor to create a contest and work with them to share it, both, or find another way.
Entries in the contest – things you’ll ask from attendees – could include pictures of themselves with the event’s hashtag, pictures of something they love with a geotag of the venue, their tagging of friends in popular social posts about the event, or anything else that would help you to get more exposure or more data about your audience.
In exchange, contest winners could win free or extra tickets to the event, upgraded VIP tickets, exclusive access to speakers or musicians, free gifts like shirts or other branded items, and more.
Video
Video is the thing that everyone is using to get people involved and excited, no matter the industry or the product.
You should definitely use video, too.
Several platforms offer the ability to do “lives” – Facebook and LinkedIn in particular – which means you can start filming and sharing video at the same time and interact with people watching in real-time. For possible attendees with questions or who are just excited about the event, this provides a personal touchpoint to get them answers and even more excited for the big day.
Recorded videos are also important, though; especially because they can go “viral” in a flash but for best results be casual and natural. Speak authentically and don’t be afraid to mess up, social media is all about showing people who you really are.