Ask Veronica
Thanks to Clifford Dobbs, LYST, London for this month’s question.
How can we better communicate our events to increase attendance?
Maintain communication with your contacts even when you’re not running events. Keep at the forefront of their minds so that when you do invite them to something, they know who you are immediately. People forget, and unfortunately your brand will be diluted amongst everything else competing for their attention if you don’t manage the relationship. Understand your target market as this will tell you how best to reach them.
Be unique and communicate the benefits of attending the event. People don’t buy products; they buy benefits so if you have a high profile speaker, that’s great, but don’t think the name alone will attract people. Sell the benefits of having that person there, for example expertise in a particular area, opportunity to ask questions, book signing etc. Offer as much information as possible, and give the event its own identify through branding and a dedicated web page or site.
Don’t underestimate the power or cost effectiveness of social media. Actively tweet and send out broadcasts daily. There’s no point having dormant accounts. Think outside the box. Offer an early bird discount or some other incentive to encourage early registration.
If you run more than one event annually, think about a loyalty scheme. Recommend a friend works well too! Continue communication with pre-registered delegates to reduce drop outs. This is particularly important for free events. Always always follow up with delegates after the event. This is often overlooked, but is fundamental to establishing a relationship and gauging feedback.
