If there’s one word that describes the build-up to an event, it would be ‘intense’. Or ‘hectic’. Or maybe even ‘stressful’. However you prefer to describe it, most event planners would agree that afterward, everyone breathes a sigh of relief and then moves straight on to the next event. But is that really the best approach?
Try adding in an extra step: post-event marketing. These days, information is absolutely invaluable for business owners. And you’ve just acquired a heap of current information about your target market. The lull immediately following an event is the perfect time to analyze and harvest this data.
Getting into the nitty gritty
I’ll hold my hands up. I’m a report-nerd. There’s nothing I like more than spending time with spreadsheets and pie charts, working out what story they’re telling. But if you’re less enamored by the thought of looking at event reports, I promise you it’s well worth even 30 minutes of your time.
If you’ve created different types of tickets, you’ll want to know which was the most popular so you can reconsider your pricing strategy. Knowing how many tickets you didn’t sell could be an indication that you need to revisit your marketing plans. If you’re a Get Invited user, your life will be made much easier thanks to the easy-to-follow diagrams that show all the information you’ll need in order to understand how your event performed.
Staying in contact with attendees
The end of an event doesn’t mean the end of the relationship between you and your attendees. If you get your post-event marketing strategy right, it could be just the start. Start the conversation with a simple ‘thanks for coming along to our event’ email. You can easily connect Mailchimp with your Get Invited account so you can send professional mail to everyone on your list.
Make sure your carefully crafted emails don’t end up in your recipients’ spam boxes. You can get marked as a friend, or ‘whitelisted’, by asking recipients to add you to their address book. Include clear instructions to maximise the numbers who carry this out; Mailchimp have it set out right here. As an incentive, let your readers know that forthcoming emails will contain discounts for future events.
All emails that promote events should have links that take readers straight through to your ticket purchase page. Make it as easy as possible for them to sign up to and pay for your next event. You could even offer priority booking for exclusive events – attendees are assured that they’ve secured a place and saved some money, while you’ve got the satisfaction of knowing that revenue is already coming in.
Getting to know your attendees a little better
There are many elements that are crucial when it comes to organising a sell-out event. One is an in-depth understanding of your attendees. Where and when do they go online? What do they like to do in their spare time? How much would they be prepared to spend on tickets for an event? The list of questions is endless.
You can get answers the good old-fashioned way – asking your attendees! Put together a questionnaire and send it out. To boost your response rate, offer an incentive. You’d be surprised at how many people will spend a few minutes filling out a questionnaire in return for the chance to win a £20 Amazon voucher!
Get Invited has created a questionnaire feature that allows event planners to quickly and easily put together questions. It’s best to ask a mix of open and closed questions. Try to strike a balance between enough questions to give you a good amount of information, but not so many that respondents get bored.
If you have any tips on post-event marketing, we’d love to hear them! Get in contact below or share with the Get Invited community on Twitter or Facebook.
