THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SPECIAL EVENT MARKETING

Promoting your event can be just as crucial as the planning itself, but with so many marketing channels available, it’s easy to feel lost in the noise. From social media to email campaigns, the choices are endless. So, where should you focus your efforts to get the best results?

Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. There are several strategies to successfully market your event, and we’re breaking it down with six essential tips that will make the process easier and more effective.

6 TIPS THAT SIMPLIFY SPECIAL EVENT MARKETING

1. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

When planning your event marketing, one of the most important decisions is knowing who to target. If you’re unsure where to start, look at the data you already have. Even if you don’t use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management system), you can gather valuable insights from other platforms or tools you have access to, such as:

• Customer demographic information
• Customer behavior patterns
• Customer engagement history

This data can help you identify your audience and understand their needs and pain points. By analyzing this information, you can create detailed personas that reflect your target audience, allowing you to tailor your marketing efforts to their specific interests and preferences.

2. PLAN YOUR MARKETING AROUND YOUR SALES FUNNEL

Now that you know your audience, it’s time to adjust your special event marketing strategy to your potential guests. Here are a few proven tactics that increase event marketing ticket sales based on a mock sales funnel based on special event marketing:

AWARENESS STAGE

Introduce your special event by serving tailored teaser content to your audience. Some examples include early bird pricing, announcing guest speakers, or simply detailing the event to potential attendees ASAP. 

CONSIDERATION STAGE

Nurture engaged leads interested in your special event with targeted email campaigns, exclusive content, or limited-time offers that keep them excited and motivated to take the next step toward attending. Content may include:

• Customer testimonials
• Blogs and social posts
• Downloadables
• And more detailed event content

CONVERSION STAGE

Once your guests are close to purchasing, it’s time for one last push. You can do this by offering flash sales and discounts, highlighting your event benefits, and providing instructions on making travel accommodations or buying a ticket.

3. OFFER EARLY BIRD PRICING

We love seeing our clients leverage early bird pricing promotions to secure a prompt headcount. If you’re new to this type of event marketing, think of it as a strategy to entice customers to purchase a ticket by offering them a timed discount based on a specific deadline. Typically this happens as soon as tickets go on sale. 

THE BENEFITS OF EARLY BIRD PRICING:

• Generates immediate interest in your event
• Drives ticket sales
• Builds customer loyalty by rewarding early adopters
• Provides early ticketing data helpful for attendance planning

4. PROMOTE YOUR EVENT OVER SOCIAL MEDIA

A solid social media presence is essential in the event marketing space. As a result, this means promoting your occasion across all four major social platforms: TikTok, Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

Start by creating a social media strategy that addresses each stage of the marketing funnel discussed above at a minimum. 

From there, consider using Facebook Event Ads to target specific demographics by serving tailored advertisements encouraging your potential guests to purchase a ticket or increasing visibility to low-intent audiences.

MORE TIPS FOR PROMOTING EVENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: 

• Develop a content calendar
• Get creative with promotions
• Offer timely responses
• Leverage paid social ads

5. ELEVATE YOUR EVENT EMAILS

Every $1 spent on email marketing averages $44 in potential sales—use email strategically to promote your event. 

Feeling stuck? Below are a few additional ways to use email marketing to increase attendance:

• Segment email lists based on demographics and previous buyers.
• Offer tailored messaging to guests who attended your special event previously.
• Explain how your event appeals to new audiences by highlighting individualized benefits.
• Leverage automated nurture campaigns that provide timed updates and promotions.

6. PLAN AHEAD

Depending on the size of your event, most experts recommend starting six months before your event at a minimum. Still, we encourage those new to event marketing to give themselves anywhere from eight to twelve months to provide additional wiggle room. 

Planning a nonprofit event? Check out these tailored tips to help you effectively promote your event on social media and reach a wider audience.

YOUR TRUSTED SPECIAL EVENTS INSURANCE PARTNER 

It’s easy to forget about the importance of special event insurance when planning and marketing a tradeshow or unique occasion. 

We offer special event policies nationally, including cancellation coverage and other curated needs. Simply contact us directly or submit a request to receive a complimentary quote. We’ll follow up with additional information once we receive your note.