Promoting your event with social media

PROMOTING YOUR EVENT WITH SOCIAL
MEDIA

Agenda

Planning
 Social Media Strategy
 What are the goals?
 Who is the audience?
 What to say, when & where?
Promote & Communicate
 Facebook
 Twitter
 LinkedIn
 Foursquare
 YouTube
Measure your success
 Keep the conversation going
 Collect post-event feedback
 Did you meet the objectives?

Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact Inc. 2

Planning
A promotional social media strategy contains:
 Clearly defined goals
 Target audiences
 Selected social media tools (Remember: you may not have to use all of them)
 Measurement of success
Remember that a tool is not a plan or strategy; Strategy is about the
communication and the conversation.
Communication
What will the event be Tools
about?
Social Networks
Who will be there?
Why is the event important? YouTube Video
Location-based apps
Conversation
“Do not miss it!” Email
“At this year’s event…”
“Hear them speak…”
3

Planning

What are the goals of promoting the event
through social media?
 Increase attendance/ticket sales.
 Establish/increase customer loyalty.
 Attract new customers/followers.

We know you want people to come, but…
 Are your desired attendees engaging on social
media?
 Do your speakers and sponsors have a social
presence?
 Do you have the time communicate in all the
networks?
 How do you measure the impact?
 What will the event messaging be? 4

Planning

Who is your audience?
 Make a list of your social networks.
 Begin by promoting to those you know.
 Find out what social networks your sponsors and
speakers are active in, and encourage them to
promote the event.
 Get them to share the event information on their
networks.
 Politely ask your followers to share on their networks.

Let your speakers’ networks and attendees
create the buzz!


Planning
What to say when & where?
 Like any topic, content is king, so each post
must be compelling.
 Each communication should be unique and
offer new info or insight.
 There are lots of great things about your
event and you don’t want to say them all at
once; stagger your promotional content.
 You want to create a steady stream of
content that people will consume and share
on and across their social networks.

■ Get started on social media with
Social Media Quickstarter:
http://www.socialquickstarter.com


Promote and Communicate
Use communications on social networks to create
awareness and enthusiasm to attend.


Using Facebook
Facebook offers many tools to help with planning the event
and creating awareness to attend.
Before the event:
 Try asking a question with
Facebook Questions to learn
what attendees are
interested in.
 Post updates to create
awareness of guest speakers
and incorporate links to their
site.
 Post information about topics
that will be discussed.
 Provide date, time and
location of event in posts.
 Use Facebook Places:
Simply add location to your
Event or Page.

Share your events on Facebook
It’s easy and fast to build buzz online with the Event
Marketing Facebook app.

 Promote your Published event details on  Talk with registrants on Facebook – let
Facebook as well as your event homepage. them comment or “like” your posts.

 Register attendees from your Facebook page  Share the details of your event on
anytime using our easy registration tool. Facebook and respond to questions.


Using Facebook

During the event:
 Use live updates to mention
booth contests, fun activities
and share pictures.
 In each post, share any links
or materials of the guest
speakers.
 Include pictures of any guest
speakers or attendees.
 Encourage attendees to
share or comment during the
event on Facebook via
mobile.


Using Facebook

After the event:
 Share images and videos
from the event.
 Ask people to tag themselves
“are you in our photo album?”
 Include a link to a post-event
poll or use Facebook
Questions to get feedback.
 Begin promoting the next
event.


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

Before the event:
 Create a #hashtag for the
event.
 Thank each sponsor for
the contribution they’ve
provided.
 Include their handles in the
tweet .

 Use updates to:
 Create awareness of guest
speakers.
 Incorporate links to their site.
 Announce who’s attending and
include their Twitter handle.

 Tweet information about
topics that will be
discussed. Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact Inc. 13

Using Twitter

During the event:
 Encourage attendees to tweet about
what they are experiencing during the
event under the event #hashtag.
 People who are interested and could
not make it can be part of event
following a Twitter feed.
 Encourage attendees to post photos
and videos from mobile devices to
Twitter with tools like Twitpic.
 Add Twitter handles to name tags (as
appropriate).
As of Dec 2010, 27% of all mobile phones are
smartphones, by end of 2011 over 50% will be
smartphones. -ComScore’s “2010 Mobile Year in Review”

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


Using Twitter

After the event:
 Thank attendees and
sponsors.
 Via the #hashtag.
 Include their handle.

 Review the #hashtag for
insight into conversations
about the event.
 Ask attendees a question
through the #hashtag.
 “What was the most useful thing you
learned/saw at the event?”

 Send a thank you tweet (@) –
to everyone who engaged
with the event on Twitter.


Using LinkedIn

Join LinkedIn Groups
What Groups should you be in?
Join Groups where your
potential attendees are.
 Members
 Industry
 Topic

 If no group exists, consider
creating a LinkedIn Group
and start the conversation.
 Be active in the group, do not just use
it for event promotion.
 Ask questions in the group.
 Follow up with those who posted.
 Answer questions asked of you.

16

Using LinkedIn

To promote the event:
 Promote your event in your profile
and on your updates.
 Include a link to the event website and
#hashtag.
 Prove the value of attending by sharing
information about event topics and
speakers.

 Invite your connections in
LinkedIn.
 Provide the event #hashtag and Twitter
handles of guest speakers.
 Understand your connections through
InMap:
http://inmaps.linkedinlabs.com/

 Post event notification inside of
LinkedIn Groups you’re active in.
 Provide information to attend and include
event #hashtag.


Using LinkedIn

After the event:
 Ask those who you met at the
event to connect on LinkedIn.
 Send a thank you for
attending.
 Review the highlights of the
event with the Group.
 Planting the seeds for the
next event.
 Consider having a member of the
Group be a guest speaker.


Leverage Mobile Marketing

How can you use it?
 Do you have a venue? Create a
location to check in.
 Co-marketing with local
businesses? Drive traffic to each
other.
 Leave a tip 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).
 Watch for instant feedback.
– Negative comments about the
food.
■ Location-Based Services Section – Problems with the facility.


Using YouTube

Create a strong desire to attend with a
video.

 Promote the event on your website or
email and include a YouTube video.
 Guest speakers
 Activities
 Success stories

Increase attendance with videos.


Good invitations cause interest and action

Invitation must include:
 Simple step-by-step easy registration or RSVP.
-How do I say yes or no.
 When and where? How do I get there?
 Is there a cost? What is the cost?
 Who do they contact for more information or to
ask questions?
 Content is shareworthy.
– Share button for posting social media..
– “Forward to a Friend”-email.
– Add list of upcoming events.
Do your invites do more than ask people to come?
Goals: Today, 71% of the U.S. online
audience watches video on
 Engage with video. the internet, and the
 Increase interest. number of streams
consumed should more
 Improve attendance. than double by 2013 –
Forrester Research 2009
 Provide event information:
 Topics Video in email can increase click-
through rates by as much
 Lessons as three-hundred percent–
Forrester Research 2009

 Speakers


Starting the buzz in social media about the event

Expand the reach of your invitation
through Social Media

Use Simple Share to promote
the event on Facebook, Twitter,
and LinkedIn at the same time!

■ Customize the message for
each site
■ Include an image (optional)
■ Easily share to all your
Facebook, Twitter, and
LinkedIn profiles


Registrants start the buzz about the event
Ask registrants to share the event information. Jump start the word of mouth
buzz around your event!

Once registered, attendees can spread the word about the event by sharing
on Facebook or Twitter.

Note: Facebook users have on average 130 friends*
*Facebook FAQ’s


Share information on social media about the event

Get more attendees by sharing the event on Facebook & Twitter.
Whether you send an
invite or not, promote
the event on social
media! Here’s how:  Establish a hashtag (e.g. #B2Bevent) to
track buzz around the event.
 Tweet your event and watch how your
followers retweet the details.
 Do not forget to ask them to retweet; asking
and saying “Please” really does work.

Promote the event on a
The Facebook post can contain a
schedule: custom message to
Weekly encourage attendance and
will include a link to register.
The day before
An hour before

Get your event found online

Built-in Promotions with
Social Media and Search
Engine Optimization
■ Help your event be found in
online searches by using
keywords
 Topics, speakers, theme,
location
■ Create an event hashtag to
encourage conversation about
the event
■ The hashtag is automatically
featured in event
communications


Engage your attendees at the event

Consider using QR Codes to
keep the interaction going.

 Direct to website information via mobile device.
 Get feedback via a poll or short survey that
people can access via mobile device.
 Post video content that is complementary to the
event objectives to view via a mobile device.

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


Promote and communicate – In Summary
Tools Before During After

• Promote the event by • Share updates on your wall • On your wall, thank those
sharing the event details and upload pictures from who came to the event
on your wall the event • Answer remaining
questions from event and
send email with link to your
wall
• Create an unique event • Maximize the opportunity • Encourage people to
hashtag for a re-tweet by limiting continue discussion
• Customize your Twitter your tweet to 120 • Use tweets to promote next
background with the characters event
event brand • Encourage tweeting during
• Schedule tweets in the event
advance to promote • Create a Twitter List of
your conference speakers
for others to follow
• List people’s Twitter
usernames on their badges
• Have link to event • Encourage those that meet • Continue networking after
homepage in your profile at the event to connect the event
• Invite connections to • Review the highlights of the
attend event within your groups
• Join Groups
• Create a location to • Develop scavenger hunt • Review Check-ins and Tips
check-in about event left by attendees
• Co-market with content • Watch for negative
provider feedback about the event
27
• Leave a “Tip” or “To Do”

Keep the conversation going
Use Social Media to build relationships following the event.
 Provide links to materials
distributed at the event.
 Consider hosting them via
Slide Share.
 Share speaker content.
 Promote the next event.


Collect Post Event feedback

 Post and promote a short survey
to engage fans and followers and
drive engagement.

 Review the comments and
conversations on your Facebook
wall.

 Review the comments via Twitter
about your event by searching
under the event #hashtag.


See all the engagement in one place

Track conversations with NutshellMail.
 Monitor your social networks while
at your event.
 Review your event social media
activity at your own pace.
 Track engagement and review
conversations.
 Promote the next event by making
a list of all your followers on social
media.
 Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and
Foursquare engagement can all be
monitored on NutshellMail.


Feedback and Data for next event

 Analyze participation to identify high
attendees for future events, then
perform the appropriate follow up.

 Leverage details from your registration
data to help identify the right segments
of people to invite to your next event.

 Use the information they have shared
to personalize your future
communications.

 Segment:
– Details such as who paid,
how they paid, demographic,
geographic, etc.
 Search: Who retweeted you?
– Follow them on Twitter


Did you meet the objectives?

Measure your objectives by: Measure attendee objectives by:

 The number of people who  Show rate of individuals
attended registered

 Revenue from the event  Conversations about event in
Social Media networks
 Analyze data collected via  Feedback in surveys
reports and survey


Best Next Steps

Try Online Event Marketing For Free

http://www.constantcontact-event.com/

Check out a Live Product Tour
Register for the live “Event Marketing Product Demo”

http://www.constantcontact.com/learning-center/webinars/live/index.jsp

Questions? You have a consultant here to help at 1-855-816-6508

34
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.

On Twitter:
@ctctevent

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/ctcteventmarketing

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

35

Get Started with social media

Go to www.socialquickstarter.com
and get help with:

 Social Media 101
 Facebook
 Twitter
 LinkedIn
 Blogs
 YouTube
 Location-based marketing


Promoting your event with social media

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