How to Excel at Event Marketing

Meet todays speakers:

Heidi Tobias
Senior Manager of Distance Learning, Constant Contact @htoby

Maggie Georgieva
Inbound Marketing Manager, HubSpot @mgieva

Challenge
Image credit: Digitalnative

Top 3 challenges

1 2 3

Getting people to respond to invites

Getting people to pay attention to invites Minimizing no shows

Challenge

Agenda:

1 What do you and your attendees want? 2 Break through the noise 3 What are your promo channels? 4 Social media + events Challenge 6 Post-event activities & follow-up

WHAT DO YOU AND YOUR ATTENDEES WANT?

What do you want to accomplish?

Your why for having an event determines:

1 2 3

Type and content Desired result

How to measure ROI

What do attendees want?

Learn what attendees desire:

1 2 3 4

What of our past events have you attended? Why do you attend events? What types of events interest you? What social media tools do you use?
Ask the uncomfortable question about a previous event: What didnt you like about our last event?

Top 3 things attendees want:

1 2 3

What is in it for me? Why would I want to attend? What topics/trends drive a response?

Event success
Event organizers wanted:

Increase attendees to events Update perception of chapter Fundraise for Sidney M. Oman Cancer Center
Attendees wanted:

Something interesting to do while giving back Attending an It event

11

Event success
What organizers achieved:

7,800 attendees 250 volunteers Profit of $150,000 Increased engagement

What attendees received:

A good time and doing something good New wines and a way to be involved Motivation & resources for next event

12

BREAK THROUGH THE NOISE PROMOTIONAL FOUNDATIONS

Break through the noise

1 2 3 4

Create objectives for you and your attendees Identify the right people and ways to promote Monitor before, during & after Use this info to make next event rock

Break through the noise

People new and familiar with you? What makes them the same/ different?

Influence in networks (local and social)?

Ideal Attendee

Where do they look for info?

Break through the noise

1 2 3

Create a steady stream of content

Stage timing to keep their interest Make each post unique & compelling

Promotional Foundation
Start with those who know you and love you- Email Invites!

Branding is important
79% of respondents said they hit the "report spam" button when they don't know who the sender is.-Email Sender and Provider Coalition

Show your personality Use a subject line & headline that captures and keeps attention Personalize the message to each recipient Provide event details

79% hit the "report spam" button when they don't know who the sender is.-Email Sender
and Provider Coalition

Engage with Video in Email Invites

Today, 71% of the U.S. online audience watches video on the internet, and the number of streams consumed should more than double by 2013 Forrester
Research 2009

Video in email can increase clickthrough rates by as much as three-hundred percent Forrester
Research 2009

Do your invites do more than just ask people to come?

Promotional Foundation

How do you know if your invites did their job?

Invitees share in Social Media

5 weeks:
Personal email invites

3 weeks:

Reminder, speaker info & discounts

Dont miss email with social media.

1 week:

Use shareworthy content: -Showcase speakers and related content -Feature reviews from past events -Use the words that attendees use, not internal jargon

Design for sharing and search

WHAT ARE YOUR PROMO CHANNELS?

Eggs

Flour
Butter
Sugar

Chocolate

Milk
Image credit: sassyradish

Blog

Email
Social Media
Paid

Promotion
Other Campaigns

Referrals

Build Registration Page

What to Include on your Landing Page:

1 2 3 4

Compelling copy and images Speaker info Bullet points Social media sharing links

Create a Call-toAction

Email Community

Create a Blog Post

Dont Forget!

Create Video

Write Press Release

Use Ads

Post on Social Media

SOCIAL MEDIA + EVENTS= SUCCESS WHAT AND HOW IT WORKS

Social Media + Events = Success

A tool is not a strategy. Strategy is about communication and conversation

Clearly defined goals Leveraged networks of participants (speakers & attendees) Measurement of success

Communication What will the event be about? Tools Social Networks YouTube Video Location-based apps Email

Who will be there?

Why is the event important? Conversation

Do not miss it!

At this years event Hear them speak
Copyright 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.

37

Social Media + Events = Success

Use communications on social networks to create awareness and enthusiasm to attend

Facebook + Events= Success

1 2 3

Register right from Facebook Talk with and respond to questions Encourage comments and likes

Facebook+ Events = Success

Consider a custom landing page to promote your event

Photos and Video

Share materials
Share via Mobile

Live Updates

During Event Facebook

Twitter+ Events = Success

Use Twitter to create a place online for conversations about the event

Create and use a #hashtag for the event Thank each sponsor for the contribution theyve provided.

Include their handles in the tweet

Raise awareness

Guess Speakers Topic & Issues addressed

Twitter + At Events= Success

1 2 3

Attendees tweet using #hashtag Live feed of photos & videos Add their handles to name tags

Twitter has 165 Million Users 50% of them use Twitter Mobile.
Mashable.com, Mobile by the Numbers

LinkedIn + Events = Success

Join LinkedIn Groups
Join Groups where the people you want to attend participate. Cant find one? Start one and nurture the conversation. Ask questions in the group
Follow up with those who posted Answer questions asked of you

Understand your connections through InMap: http://inmaps.linkedinlabs.com/

LinkedIn + Events = Success

Promote your event in your profile and on your updates Invite your LinkedIn connections

Live updates from event in status updates and groups

YouTube + Events = Success

Create a strong desire to attend with a video
Promote your event on your website or email and include a YouTube video
Guest speakers Activities Success stories

Increase attendance with videos.

Mobile + Events = Success

Do you have a Foursquare venue? Create a location to check in

Co-marketing with local businesses? Drive traffic to each other Leave a tip or review about your event Leave a To Do about your event Scavenger hunt around event

Hints in tips area Understand interests of people checking in (profile info)

Location-Based Services information http://www.socialquickstarter.com

 Watch how many and who has checked in

Review comments, tips and to dos left by attendees Watch for instant feedback

Real information in real time

Negative comments about the food Problems with the facility

How can you use mobile at the event?

Mobile + Events = Success

Consider using QR Codes to keep the interaction going

Direct to web-based event information Get feedback via a poll or short survey Access video content that is complementary to the event objectives Access live Twitter stream focused on event #hashtag Direct access to Facebook event

How do I build? -http://bit.ly/ Add- .qr at end of shortened url

QR Code information http://www.socialquickstarter.com

POST-EVENT & FOLLOW-UP

Image credit: s.alt

Post-Event Activities:

1 2 3 4

Archive Event Materials Distribute Archives Collect Feedback Promote Next Event

Post-Event Activities:

Archive Event Materials

Archives Matter

Archives

Post-Event Activities:

Distribute Archives

Distribution

Post on Website

Get all the slides, handouts and even the Flickr stream.

Email Folks

Announce on Twitter

Photos on Facebook

SlideShare

YouTube

Other Sites
Flickr

Post-Event Activities:

Collect Feedback

Photo Credit Dunbar Gardens :

Collect Insights

Launch Survey

What to Ask in a Survey:

1 2 3 4

Were you satisfied with the content? How likely are you to come again? Will you refer others? What did you like or not like about the event?

Facebook Poll

Review Twitter Hashtag

Coverage

Post-Event Activities:

Promote Next Event

Check out the list of existing groups

Call-to-Action

Calendar

Save the URL

Next Steps:

See how event marketing works in a live tour from Constant Contact: http://conta.cc/EasyEvents

Learn how to leverage inbound marketing to promote your events with HubSpot:
www.HubSpot.com/demo

THANK YOU

Q&A