Boost Attendance with These 9 Event Promotion Ideas

Boost Attendance with These 9 Event Promotion Ideas

In the events industry, it’s not difficult to guess the one thing that organizers fear the most: empty seats. 

Although attendance isn’t the only key performance indicator that can measure an event’s success, it certainly is one of the most important. But how can you ensure robust attendance?

Turn up the volume with these nine game-changing event promotion ideas that will inspire your target audience to mark their calendars. Then, get ready to watch that venue fill up! 

9 Simple Event Promotion Ideas Proven to Increase Attendance

1. If You Want to Know What People Want, Ask

Have you been pacing back and forth, wondering what kind of event your key demographic wants? All you have to do is ask. There are several ways to reach out to them to find out the answer:

• Send out a survey to the people on your email list;
• Start an online forum;
• Organize one-on-one discovery calls; and/or
• Use social media to gain insights. 

Remember: defining and understanding your target audience is the first step to a successful, well-attended event!

2. Craft a Catchy Event Name and Description

How many times have you skimmed through the internet and clicked on a blog just because of a catchy headline? Thoughtfully crafted headlines are key to piquing audience interest. When it catches your eye and convinces you to read more about it, that’s when you know it’s effective! 

The same principle applies when thinking of a name and description for your event. Looking for a few tips when crafting witty event names? They usually have these characteristics:

• Easy to remember;
• Short, simple, and straightforward;
• One of a kind; and
• Embodies your brand’s personality. 

3. Provide Discounts or Limited Time Offers

Event promotion ideas like bulk or early bird discounts and limited-time offers will help build anticipation and drum up attendance to your event. Here’s how these methods make a difference: 

• People who might not attend otherwise are motivated to purchase because of the lowered price;
• You’ll get early insights on your event’s potential performance rate, allowing you to adjust your strategy accordingly; and
• Bulk ticket discounts usually convince audiences to invite those in their social circles.

4. Optimize Your Event Registration Page

You don’t want to miss out on sales just because your registration page isn’t working. Make sure sign-ups are seamless with user-friendly forms. Also, ensure that the page is:

• Mobile-responsive;
• Fast-loading; and
• Optimized. 

Test your event registration page regularly and make sure it doesn’t go down. If it does, ensure you have a team ready to bring it back online as quickly as possible.

5. Use Teasers

Don’t underestimate the power of an exhilarating teaser. Will there be a special guest at your event? Are there one-of-a-kind swag bags that attendees can look forward to? It’s details like these that will help create buzz. 

Social media posts, videos, and teaser campaigns can show your audiences that your event is definitely one they shouldn’t miss out on. 

FOMO is a real thing — and it’s one of the most strategic event promotion ideas.

6. Create Exclusive Content

Create exclusive videos, blogs, articles, podcasts, infographics, and other shareable content with information about the event. About 96% of people who attend events do some online research first before deciding to save the date. 

Not only will exclusive content share important information with your attendees, but it will also drive valuable traffic to your website and social accounts. 

7. Partner with Speakers and Influencers

Teaming up with the right people can help broaden the reach of your event marketing efforts. So who should you partner with?

Influencers are often the perfect teammate you’re looking for because they have thousands or even millions of followers. Getting them to mention your event could give you an insane number of leads.

Collaborating with sponsors and speakers is another event promotion idea worth considering. They can create content and talk about the event on their own social media pages, podcast, etc., to encourage people to attend.

8. Organize a Pre-Event Contest

Everyone loves a good game with an even better prize. To add to the pre-event hype, organize an online contest or raffle a few weeks before the event date. The possibilities are endless! Here are some event promotion ideas in this category you could try:

• Comment/retweet to win
• Photo contest
• Instagram story design contest
• Hashtag contest
• Tag a friend
• Facebook Live giveaway

For the raffle, announcing the winner at the end of the event would be a strategic way to encourage people to see the entire thing through.

9. Run Retargeting Ads

You’ve probably seen retargeting ads before. It’s when you look for something online, leave the page, and later on see ads for it wherever you go online.

Why is running smart retargeting ads important prior to an event? Here are some reasons why it’s beneficial:

• It reminds your audience about your event;
• It gives them another chance to complete a conversion, thus, generating more sales; and
• It increases brand awareness and brand recall.

Does retargeting work? Statistics indicate it does. 

Three out of four customers notice retargeted ads more than regular display ads. So if you don’t want to completely lose people who have initially shown interest in your event, retargeting ads would help pull them back in.

Bring These Event Promotion Ideas to Life at The Loft on King

A huge part of any successful event is where it is held. So if you’re looking for a place to make your event come to life, look no further than The Loft on King.

The Loft is a unique event space in downtown Toronto where you can hold corporate or private events, product launches, weddings, and more. 

We also offer exclusive catering, bar service, lighting and sound, and everything in between to make organizing your event hassle-free. 

Want to know more about the services we offer? Contact us today for more information!