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Summer is often called the “slow” season, but for those working within events and promotions, this time of year is known as the ramp-up period before Fall conferences hit.
We talk a lot about traditional PR, but utilizing a public relations strategy for event organization is one way to tap into new audiences, build relationships with key media, and help generate credibility for your speaker roster.
Today, we’re exploring a few of our most effective communication tools for increasing registration, amplifying awareness, and making your summit a smashing success.
Read Time: 2 minutes
As they say, the best defense is a good offense. In event speak, this means the sooner you can start promoting your conference, the better. Post-COVID, the event space looked bleak, but in recent years, in-person conferences have picked back up. Now, everyone is competing again for limited travel budgets, and attendance ROI needs to be established early.
Don’t Be Afraid to Add Some Pizazz ✨
Know your audience? Then talk to them. Tell them a story. Give them details on what they can expect to learn. Too often, we see corporate marketing speak plastered all over event pages. It’s ineffective and boring and unlikely to convert viewers to registrants. The more personality you can infuse into the signup process, the better your numbers.
Empower Your Speakers đź’Ş
Give your thought leaders the tools they need to amplify the conference on your behalf. Templatized media alerts announcing their sessions, social media collateral, interview opportunities, and a platform to network with other speakers before the event. Creating connections and leveraging their vast reach is an effective way to generate higher attendance and get the crowd excited pre-event.
Media Incentives đź“Ł
Beyond “offering insights and interviews,” what can you do to show the media that you appreciate their attendance? Meda mixers (where they connect with other leaders and journalists, not people pitching their solutions) are a nice way to welcome them to the location. Are there exclusive elements you can share with attending writers to give them a leg-up on a story? Is there a scoop you can share? Getting creative with the reporter experience can draw more articles than just running with your traditional press pass.
Post-Event Pitching đź“°
We know planning for a successful event is the main focus at this time of year, but don’t forget to leverage your content and insights post-event. Speaker transcripts can often be mined for unique pitch angles, and session titles provide excellent subject lines. Getting permission to share conference notes post-event is a good way to stay linked to your speakers, and sending the resulting articles can provide a great excuse to reach out to attendees. As in all things, effective communication is key.
Happy planning!
Until next week -
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