How to promote your events

Make it fun and make it worthwhile. Customers will love you for it!

Today there are untold numbers of small businesses using Facebook to help pull customers in their door. The sad thing is what a lot of these very enthusiastic Entrepreneurs are finding out is that post, after post, after post to Facebook isn’t bringing groves of people to their business or events. Why............?

The problems

So much, so often

With social media’s massive growth, there are so many new opportunities aimed at consumers with new ways to separate them their money that people are starting to suffer from total burn out. These posts to many are literally becoming the “Junk Mail” of today in an electronic form.

Social media and the workplace

More and more businesses are restricting or completely banning employees from using social media at work than ever before. The problem this creates for you is that your target audience may not be available to get the message you're trying to deliver to them. This is certainly not good news and it's not helping what you want to accomplish.

Things Facebook Won't Tell You

An other thing is that Facebook has, in a very short time, become like a proverbial jungle. Facebookers are following 100's, even 1000's of people and organizations. For those users to actually follow each and every post is seemingly impossible. Another problem is that the majority of your Facebook friends may not be online when you make that all-important post about your event. Unless a user looks at your profile when they do log-in several hours, or days later all the work you put into it was for not. In other words, your post has gone to never-never-land. A good example of this is that a Facebook post can be like jotting something down on a piece of paper and tossing it out the door on a windy day. Unless somebody takes times to chase that piece of paper down and actually read it all that effort you put into writing it becomes meaningless. How do you overcome this and give people a reason to watch or search out your Facebook posts?

Don't Spam

Even though people have “Liked You” on Facebook does not necessarily mean that you now have an open door to send them an email every time you come up with a new offering. Bulk mailings via Facebook email and event calendar notifications could meet the definition of being SPAM.  You may want to read Facebook’s definition of SPAM before sending out new information in bulk. Being classified as a SPAMMER is not the kind of title or problem any business wants.

So, how does one attract attention without being seen as the never ending problem in someone’s Facebook life?

Give something back

Offer a Discount/Coupon for your next event of promotion

No, don’t make them print it. In order for a customer to obtain the benefits of your promotion they just need to to do is show up know the coupon code, a short one please, and give it to someone at your business at the time you suggest in your offer.

Game

I think it goes without saying that people love their games if Facebook games are any indication of this. You might try something like “Word of the Day” for your event. Example; “What year did man first step on the Moon?” Answer, 1969. To play this game all a customer has to do is say “1969” at the appropriate time as described in the offer made by you to be one of the lucky a "Winners". Their reward could be some type of a discount or other special benefit from you and your business to show appreciation for showing up and taking part in the game. It might also be fun to watch those that don’t know what’s going on when those that do keep spewing out 1969, 1969…………………

The Payback

Most of us don't know if the advertising we do is the reason people come to us or not. For the most part, the vast majority of social media post never receive any direct feedback. This can easily be seen as a negative response to your campaign when in reality it may not be. So how do you measure your campaigns? One reason large marketers use coupons is to see if their advertising is effective. Coupons give consumers a reason to shop there. If the coupons aren't used marketers adjust and try something new. When they are used it's a win-win approach for everyone. Attaching something to an ad, or social media invitation in the way of an incentive gives you a yardstick to measure the success of the time and money spent in your various advertising campaigns and allows for adjusts if needed.

Spread the word

Wal-Mart didn't get where it is today by only having one outlet for what they're selling. You may want to consider some other avenues for what you trying to accomplish. Check out "How to promote your events" when you have time.

There are literally 100’s of things a business might try to get customers in the door via social media. The thing is to be creative, keep it light, and keep it fun. And remember, it isn’t going to happen overnight. Most successful promotions take time and patience. A “One Time Deal” isn’t the answer to your under crowding problem. Give them something to look forward to week after week to keep them coming back.

Promotions of this type can also works for your Twitter accounts. What to know more? Contact us