Amplify Your Event’s Attendance

The proof is in the numbers. When your event has a large number of attendees, it sends a clear message to everyone that your association is sought-after and doing something right. It also assures your team that all their hard work is paying off. 

From budgeting and logistics to marketing and advertising, event organizers already have a significant responsibility to create a profitable event. Ensuring you have a worthwhile number of attendees is one of the primary elements of that responsibility. 

When you have a good turnout, you can easily prove the ROI generated by your event to investors through increased sales or awareness. Organizers can then confidently make changes and tweak their event planning strategies with an increased sense of assurance.

An effective and unique marketing strategy without breaking the budget is key to boosting event attendance. Here are our top five favorite methods to secure a large number of attendees at your next event!

Value Proposition by EXEC

Before we dive in, here's our podcast episode on this very topic:

Social Media

Social media is one of the most effective but underutilized marketing tools by associations across the globe — when pushed to its fullest potential, it can make a world of difference. Your organization’s social media platforms should be running promotional campaigns and blasting content to excite the public in the weeks leading up to the big day.

• Giveaways: Coordinate giveaways for those who register early to win event merchandise or tickets. 
• Hashtags: Simple yet effective. Create a catchy hashtag that your team can utilize to spread the word. A study found that tweets with hashtags receive two times more engagement than tweets without them. 

• Behind the scene: While you’re preparing for the event, post sneak peeks of the venue and entertainment selections to get the public pumped. Consider even going live with speakers to answer questions, connect with your audience in real-time, and share any exciting updates. 
  

Your social media platforms should also be a gateway to the event’s website, a landing page where attendees can register, purchase tickets and merchandise, and seek information.

Incentives

Understanding why your audience wants to be at your association's event is essential. For example, are you providing a learning experience? A networking experience? Is entertainment the main attraction? 

Time is priceless. Your event must come with an incentive for people to be inclined to spend theirs with your association. Ensure that the event’s objective parallels with the needs of your target audience. 

Offer incentives for those who register and buy tickets early. These could be through food and beverage vouchers, front-row seats, complimentary services, or event-special membership rates. Early-bird discounts and promotions are among the best promotional tactics to boost attendance and revenue. 

Personalization 

Whether via email, social media, or in person, personalizing your invitations is key to standing out from the typical marketing campaigns that bombard your audience. 

• Email: Follow the guidelines of email marketing etiquette to ensure you aren’t the cause of email fatigue. Personalize your content to retain engagement and make your audience feel valued. 
   
  • Use their first name or words like “you” rather than “you guys” or “everyone.”
  • Include personal reasons why they would benefit from attending your event and what’s in it for them. 

• • If they’ve been to previous events, attach a photo of them to the email. 

• In-Person: If you’re planning a more intimate event, consider inviting people in person. For previous attendees or high-value clients, have something hand-delivered to their homes, such as: 
  
  
  • Harry & David gift baskets*

• • Branded swag and merchandise (we recommend EXEC partner, Swag.com)*
  • 1-800-Flowers*
    
    *EXEC Members receive discounted prices

Use Your Entertainment For Your Promotional Benefit

If you’re hosting a forum or conference, the speaker’s platforms are prime real estate for marketing and promoting. Tag them in your posts so they can reshare, thus opening the doors to their more extensive audience. 

If the event is centered around entertainment, create a bold graphic with their name and headshot to capture the attention of prospective attendees. Utilize a promotional code or complimentary service in return for their event marketing. Whether a famous speaker or a popular band, your association should harness the power of influence.

Wrapping Up

There's a lot to consider when planning an event: content creation, marketing, ticketing, and selling. However, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, where everything comes together in a seamless experience for your attendees, and you're already on to planning the next one!