The Best Marketing Strategies for Your Event
Halloweekend... a popular time to go out and celebrate #SpookySzn with your friends and family! That's why we hosted "Bark-O-Ween" at the Lanes Bowl & Bistro for 2023's staple Halloween weekend, and we want to show you exactly how we got over 700 people to attend.
Bark-O-Ween was targeted towards bringing Cape Cod families (including their pups) together for Mashpee Commons' annual Dog Parade that passes right by the Lanes' patio. In that spirit, we wanted to welcome dog owners by celebrating their pups and Halloween through a doggy costume contest, sugar cookie and pumpkin decorating for the kids, and handing out candy and dog treat goody bags.
Every successful event has great timing and fantastic marketing! That's why Build You was elated to take care of the entire event marketing process for the Lanes Bowl & Bistro's Bark-O-Ween.
Here is what we did:
Graphics
Flyer
A nicely designed flyer with easy-to-digest information and a strong call-to-action is a staple of a successful event. You can place flyers in high-foot traffic areas to increase the amount of people that know about your event!
1. When
Include the date, day of the week, and time range, so people know exactly when the festivities start and end. Every great event starts and ends when it is supposed too.
2. Where
Even if you have your company's logo on the flyer or you're handing them out at the location of the party, always put the address of the place because you never know who will see your flyer.
3. What's Happening
Include a few of the key activities happening at your event, so that people can quickly know what is going on!
4. Call to Action
Make sure to tell people what to do with your flyer (just having one is not enough). A QR code or short link leading to more information about the event allows people to decide if this is something they want to go to, and allows them to easily share this information with friends and family.
5. On-brand Design
If your event is targeted towards a specific holiday, make sure it aligns to theme of that holiday. We recommended using ChatGPT's Dalle-3 integration for inspiration. The biggest thing to remember, have a fun name and include your company's logo!
Social Media Kit
Make it easy to post about your event on multiple platforms by doing all the design work upfront -- and please don't just post a square graphic on all platforms. Tailored social media graphics for each platform increase engagement. These graphics can be similar to your flyer, just in a different format.
Facebook (1.91:1)
Instagram (Square)
Instagram / Facebook Story (9:16)
Make sure to leave space for the "Reply" section and Header of Instagram & Facebook stories
Social Media
Facebook Events
You HAVE to utilize Facebook's event platform that allows you to list your event on a calendar of other local events that is pushed to people within the area of the zip code you set. Not only will more locals be able to find your event, but you can track a guest list, see how many people are interested, etc. -- it also allows you to easily share the event into a Facebook group.
Facebook Posts
Your followers will probably be interested in learning more about your event, so definitely post on your Facebook page about it! We recommend sharing it as a Facebook event.
Facebook Groups
Alongside publishing your gathering to Facebook Events, posting in Facebook groups is another FANTASTIC way to get people to your events. Specifically, focus on posting your event into town Facebook groups (Ex. Everything Mashpee). These groups generally have thousands of community members in them, and are pretty active. Our one warning, read the group rules and don't post too much. Remember... these are members of YOUR community, you do not want to annoy them.
Instagram & Facebook Reels
Short-form content is the new wave of social media, with company's racking up millions of views on their content. So you definitely should create a reel about the event you're hosting -- ideally, a few before the event, 1 during, and 1 after. This way, you can reach non-followers in the area!
Instagram & Facebook Stories
Sometimes, your content may not get pushed to a follower's feed, but your story may! Make sure to utilize your social media kit, and post about the event on your Facebook & Instagram story.
Instagram Giveaway
A giveaway is an awesome way to incentivize people to share your event post. Giveaway something worth while (Ex. $100 gift card), and to get an extra entry, they need to share your event post and tag you. Pick the winner at the event!!
Partnerships
Local Businesses
Reach out to your fellow community businesses and organizations to form partnerships to boost your marketing. Maybe add the local coffee shop as an event host for them to gain more brand awareness in exchange for them providing coffee at your event or pitching in for any materials you may need. This is also valuable because you can tap into their network of customers that may be interested in coming to your event.
During Event
Photography & Videography
Ensure to capture the moment(s) through photo and video, so that you can share about the success of your event and show people what they can expect if you have throw another one of these! The goal is to exemplify the vibe and emotion of the event.
Reminder Post
Halfway through your event, share a collage of photos in a post to remind potential attendees that there is still time for them to have a share in some of the joy.
Post-Event
Recap Post
Sum up the day with photos, videos, and a nice caption to thank everyone for coming and showing off the festivities.
Now... take a deep breath! You just hosted an AMAZING event for your company. People are super happy and your brand has a spectacular reputation. Enjoy the success and get ready to host another soon 👀
And if you need help marketing your event to reach as many people as you can, give us a shout! Send us an email to info@thebuildyou.com, so that we can make sure your next event is as awesome as "Bark-O-Ween."