Photo courtesy of Damian Morys Foto on flickr
You’re probably wondering if I’m out of my mind…read on.
Promoting an event can be one of the most important parts of event planning. Whether it’s for a fundraiser, a product launch or even a social event, promotion is the name of the game. Once all those planning ducks are in a row, it is imperative to concentrate on the promotional end of things.
Just turn on the TV or radio, or go on line to Twitter or Facebook (or any social media outlet) and you will see some great examples of event promotion. Whether you were one of the millions that watched their “wedding” or not, we all have to admit, Kim Kardashian is a master at promoting an event. Yes, her product is herself but she has proven time and again that, above all, her self-promotion skills are beyond extraordinary.
Promoting an Event – Part One
It’s a fact that from start to finish, the high speed “Kardashian” promotion train blasted out of the station and never looked back. Not only do they publicize and promote everything in their lives from soup to nuts, they make what seems like every second of Kim’s romantic relationships public.
They took a new, brief and possibly even passing relationship and exposed and broadcasted it to the masses. They promoted, prompted and publicized all the gory details until millions of viewers took the bait and became involved. It was like a car accident; you didn’t want to look but just couldn’t help yourself. Then they sold those same viewers on a “wedding” and got millions to watch yet again. If that’s where the story ended, we would all agree that it was a successful case in promoting an event.
However…
Promoting an Event – Part Two
Seventy two days later the marriage is off and there are rumors, speculation and accusations that every component of their relationship was, and is, a hoax. So the question remains, was this successful promotion or not?
Honestly, I’m not sure if there even is a correct answer. But what I do know for sure is they got exactly the results they desired. So some would term this exercise, regardless of the consequences, a success.
Promoting An Event – Lessons Learned by US!
By giving promotion some advance thought, you will be able to go the distance and get the most out of your efforts. Here are a few tips to get you started on the right road to event promotion.
Audience – I can’t say this enough, one of the most important pieces of event promotion is to know your audience. Once you pinpoint who is your audience is, it will help you narrow down the various advertising outlets you can utilize.
Approach – Once you determine your audience, you can then decide which media channels are applicable. Typically when blue printing your approach, several media areas are engaged. Whether its social media like Twitter and Facebook, TV, radio, newspaper, websites, billboards or word of mouth. And remember, don’t just advertise in the area of your event, be sure to include the location of your audience in all your advertising.
Time-line – Once audience and approach are established, it is key to set up a promotional timeline. By scheduling accurate promotion lead time you will be that much closer to ensuring success. The reason for promoting an event is to drive traffic and get your audience to your event. By not allowing enough time to promote, you are putting yourself way behind the eight ball. And that can be a tough place to get out of.
We all think it and therefore we all know it, when it comes to event planning and promoting an event, we get out of it what we put in to it. So before diving in, think things through and be sure to consider your audience, approach and timeline before you get started.
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