5 tips and tricks for your event marketing

Not least because of the ‘social distancing’ measures, which made organising events difficult during the pandemic, the events season is back in full swing. People are really looking forward to meeting colleagues from the industry again, getting to know new ones, discussing the ins and outs of the trade or simply having a chat. That’s all well and good, but it does mean there’s a bit of an event boom – so there are quite a lot of them. So how do you manage to attract as many guests as possible? We’ve got 5 tips for successful event marketing for you.

1 | The basics: website

If a tree falls in a forest and nobody reports it, has it really fallen? This question from the field of communication studies can easily be applied to your event. If your event takes place somewhere and nobody has heard about it, did it really take place? Or to put it another way: how sad are the organisers when they have to clear the buffet all by themselves?

So the first step towards a well-attended event is the website! We’ve all experienced it ourselves: when you’ve heard about an event but can’t find a website for it, it seems utterly baffling. Did I perhaps mishear something, or am I misremembering?

Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be a costly website – just a page where all the important information and any news can be seen quickly and easily. These include:

• Where and when is the event taking place?
• When exactly does it start (doors open, panel discussions, special features) – these are precisely the details that visitors search for most frequently just before the event begins.
• How does one sign up (perhaps there’s even a dedicated app to download, or at the very least a link for personal registration or a reference to a Facebook event page)?

Websites like these can usually be created ‘in-house’ or developed with the help of an agency. It’s best to put this at the top of your to-do list for your event, as the website address should already be included on all subsequent promotional materials.

2 | The simplest option: use your own communication materials

The simplest – and arguably the most efficient – way to inform your existing customers about your event is via your existing communication channels. Are there perhaps regular newsletters in which you could announce the event at an early stage? Could you post the odd teaser on your social media feed? Is there perhaps a customer magazine published in which you could even dedicate a single or double-page spread to the event? The important thing here is not to overdo it. Yes, the event is important, but mentioning it countless times in every communication for months on end could lead to a certain degree of weariness, especially if some customers have already registered. 

To return once more to the very important point of ‘early announcement’, the earlier the better here, because, as mentioned at the outset, there is fierce competition in the events calendar. If the event is already circled in red on the client’s annual calendar, you’ve already won. If someone else has already secured that slot, it becomes difficult (see the self-serve buffet).

3 | The tricky bit: reaching new people

Of course, it’s always nice to see familiar faces at your event. But new faces can also help your business grow. Naturally, you can’t reach these potential event attendees via your own CRM channels (i.e. through existing customer management). As new customer acquisition is a highly diverse field and would go beyond the scope of this brief sub-section, let’s just say this: who might these potential new customers be, and how do I reach them? Whether I target them with specialised social media adverts or through tactically well-placed out-of-home campaigns (see our articles on the subject Outdoor advertising), if I don’t know who the prospective visitors are supposed to be, it becomes difficult, expensive and offers little prospect of long queues at the entrance. 

4 | The premier class: personalised invitations

Let’s return to the topic of securing a slot in the 2025 events calendar. If you consider how much a loyal customer can bring you, both financially and personally, then don’t skimp on the creation of Invitations. This is precisely where you can really let your creativity run wild and choose high-quality materials that suit the theme. Even opening the invitation should feel like an event in itself; personalisation makes the reader feel valued and ensures the printed work of art doesn’t end up in the waste paper bin straight away.

If you’re not quite the right person to design such invitations yourself, there are bound to be colleagues in your company who’d be more than happy to take it on. If that’s not the case, there are also plenty of options available for this occasion Agencies near you, who are always on hand to help. And once again: personal invitations should not be overlooked simply to save money – they are far too important for that!

5 | The Warm-up: A look behind the scenes

“The life-size ice sculpture and the fire-eaters have already arrived.” Even if the news isn’t always quite so eye-catching, it’s still worth sharing via social media channels. Speaking of social media – particularly for events, it’s well worth setting up an event page on Facebook. Here, visitors can stay up to date, network, see who else has RSVP’d (were it not for the rather unhelpful but frequently used ‘maybe’ option amongst the RSVP choices) and receive timely reminders about the event. Whilst such a Facebook page shouldn’t completely replace the website, it can certainly complement it.

Offering a glimpse behind the scenes is a great way to keep interest in the event fresh. For example, if a particularly interesting speaker has been invited or an exclusive caterer booked, this is news that is relevant not only to those who have already confirmed their attendance but also to those who are still undecided. And yes, ice sculptures and fire-eaters are, of course, always a good idea…