Friday Buzz: Avoid These Event Marketing Errors

Your association may be spending good money on marketing your meeting, but are you sure you’re pulling the right levers? You could be making some common mistakes.

Don’t overlook the word of mouth you can generate when you enlist outside help. A recent CadmiumCD blog post  (opens in a new tab)suggests that influencers can play a big role, but be sure to involve them early. “Make sure that these influencers feel involved in planning, so they can make sure their guests will have a good time,” writes Stanley Tan. “You want to get a buy-in from them, so that they want to see your event succeed as much as you do.” (And if you need to get influencers on board, here are some recruitment tips.)

Don’t forget that your vendors are potential marketing partners, too. “If you’re in a niche industry, incentivize vendors for your attendees, or exhibitors and sponsors, to market your event to reach a wider audience,” recommends Tan.

For a truly successful event, also be sure to target the right audience, make contingency plans well known, and plan plenty of activities for attendees.

Generating Goodwill

https://twitter.com/kikilitalien/status/903242998942539778  (opens in a new tab)

People tend to be pretty unforgiving of companies that deliver a bad experience, and the same holds true for nonprofits. But nonprofits can create a lot of goodwill with donors that often lessens future hiccups.

Start with making sure your donors know how grateful your group is for any donation. Connect with them by email, phone, or letter to say thank you. “You want them to notice you for the special invitation or thank-you call,” writes Abigail Harmon in a Mersky, Jaffe & Associates blog post  (opens in a new tab). “Then, if something bad should happen, they will know that you want to hear from them at any time—not just when they are writing a check.”

Other Links of Note

Different events require different seating layouts. Event Manager Blog  (opens in a new tab) shares the best room layout for your meeting.

Deliver an event that your attendees actually need. Meeting designer and facilitator Adrian Segar reveals how to crowdsource a conference program  (opens in a new tab) in real time.

Have you been in a leadership role for a long time? Inc. shares a few important management truths  (opens in a new tab) you may have forgotten.

(SIphotography/iStock/Getty Images Plus)