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Copyright © 2009 Jim Romanik
A goal for most events is to get enough participants to reach capacity. Occasionally we work on an event that sells out quickly and we stop accepting registrations early, but more often than not there's room for more participants.
Event marketing is complex and strategies vary for different demographics and event types, but doing a few simple things can make a difference. To help your events reach capacity, we have come up with five ideas to increase attendance without lowering your price.
1. Use testimonials from previous events.
Testimonials can be very powerful if used in the right way and can be applied to any sales situation including selling an event. The most effective testimonials are short, and contain specific details about the event not just "the event was great". Follow up surveys from previous events can be a good source of testimonials or most people will be willing to provide a few sentences if you ask them. Remember to always get permission before using a persons quote and name.
2. Partner with another company to get discounts to attractions, restaurants, services, etc.
This one works best if you are working with participants from out of town. Offering your event participants discounts to attractions, or services may provide extra incentive to attend. Many businesses are willing to offer a small discount in exchange for promoting their business to your participants. The discount may seem minor to you, but it could be just enough to convince someone to register for your event.
3. Partner with a related but non-competing event to promote each others event.
If you know of a related but non-competing event contact the organizer of the other event to see if there is an opportunity for cross promotion. Maybe you can swap flyer inserts, mention each other on the event websites or get a mention at the event. This idea can expose you to a whole new market, won't cost anything and will benefit both events.
4. Include an e-book or whitepaper with registration.
Giving something of value away for free to your event participants doesn't have to mean spending money. E-books or whitepapers can be very valuable and once you have permission to use one, it is free to send via email. If you don't already have a document to send, find one on the internet by doing a search for "ebooks". Contact the author and tell them how you want to use the document and you may get permission to use it, especially if it will help promote the author's business. Make sure the document you are offering is of real value to your event participants and that it has a good title to catch attention.
5. Ask people to enter the name of another person who may be interested in the event.
If someone is registering for an event they likely have a colleague or friend who would also be interested in attending. Most of the time people just don't think of suggesting it to others, so you should remind them. Something as simple as text on the form or in the confirmation email can be enough to get people to act. If you want to go to the next step, add fields to the online form to collect name and phone number or email address of the referral. Then follow up with a call or email inviting them to register.
About the Author:
Jim Romanik - founder of ePly Online Event Registration Software (http://www.eply.com)
We are online registration experts and treat your reputation as our own to build registration forms that help your events succeed and make people wonder how you did it.
Download our Free Guide - "What Every Event Planner Should Know About Online Event Registration" at: http://www.eply.com/lp/articles.html
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