After all the planning, perfecting and pulling of hair you spend on a big event, you want to be sure that it’s as well attended as possible.
You don’t just want bums on seats. You want to fill your event with relevant, engaged attendees that will take something of value away, and hopefully offer you some value in return.
So, what can you do to increase attendance at your next business event? We caught up with Croke Park Meetings & Events for a few tips…
Target Your Audience
Throwing out a generic invitation and expecting it to pull people in isn’t the way to capture the hearts of your audience.
It’s important to identify exactly who you want to attend. What professional level are they at? Where are they geographically based? What are they interested in? How will they benefits from attending?
Only then, can you create a slick, tailored message to capture their attention… and interest in your event.
Get On Social Media
If your event isn’t on social media, the world won’t know anything about it.
There’s more to it than creating a Facebook event and hoping people will see it. Your social media strategy needs to be well-considered, in line with your audience, their interests and what makes them tick.
Use the targetted ads on Twitter and Facebook to get your message out to a wider audience that fits the demographic of your ideal attendee.
Link in with key influencers in your industry and ask that they share your event. Ask any attendees already confirmed to help create a buzz too with a dedicated hashtag.
Incentivise
By asking attendees to book early, you not only ensure that you sufficiently fill spaces in good time, but you can also offer an ‘early booking’ incentive to those that do. Win-win all round.
Consider offering early bookers a discounted rate or a free gift. Encourage them also to share the incentive with colleagues and friends to further increase opportunities for bookings.
Incentives can be as lavish or as simple as your budget allows. If you can afford to splurge, offer a bottle of fizz on arrival, a goodie bag of spa treats or a complimentary dinner at the venue on a return visit.
If the budget is tight, go with a % off the ticket price, or if it’s a free event, give early bookers a voucher to spend online.
Use Your Contacts
If you have an influential speaker, entertainer or a special guest, ask them to promote the event through their own networks and contacts. Likewise, rope in your venue, catering team and any third party suppliers that can help spread the word. These contacts will most likely have similar target audience to yours, and so you can lean on their networks to widen your reach.
Wordsmithery by Siân | Perception Sales & Marketing