My Top 10 1/2 Tips for Marketing Your Event

I run a *lot* of in-person and online events. These have included workshops, webinars, masterclasses, group coaching calls, LinkedIn Lives, etc.

And I've learned a lot of marketing techniques to help amplify your events on LinkedIn that I'd like to share with you in this list of 10 1/2 tips.

LET'S GET STARTED!

1. Create the event. The event might sit on your website. Or it might be on EventBrite. Or it might be on your LinkedIn profile. Wherever it sits, be sure to cover the 5 W's in the event write-up and details: WHO should attend; WHAT is the event; WHERE is the event being held; WHEN is the event date, start and end time; and WHY should people attend. I would add to this list: event cost, if there is a fee to attend, as well as HOW to register and include a registration deadline if there is one. Some webinars offer the ability to register after the event date and get access to the playback. If that's the case, wait until AFTER the event to tell people, otherwise, they might not attend live! Or, encourage them to register even if they can't attend if you want everyone to get access to a playback.
   
   
2. Post about the event as soon as registration is open. In your post, be sure to summarize the 5 W's and include a link where they can register. If you're self-employed, I recommend posting FIRST on your LinkedIn homepage feed from your profile, and possibly sharing as a post to your company page later. If you're an employee of a company and it's a company event, the event should be posted on the company page first and then reshared to your LinkedIn homepage feed.
   
   
3. Share the post with any collaborators / cohosts / speakers / sponsors and give them instructions on sharing the event with their network. Tell them when to share it, what to say, and explain why you need their help!
   
   
4. Plan on posting several times before the event. A typical virtual event should offer the ability to register 4-6 weeks in advance, whereas in-person events or conferences may be announced 3-6 months prior. For virtual events, you should then post once per week until the week prior, and maybe twice in the week that the event occurs.
   
   
5. Create a LinkedIn event page on your profile. I like this feature because it allows us to cross-promote LinkedIn events all in one place. It's tricky to find event calendars on websites, and it relies on people visiting your site. Event pages on LinkedIn keep people ON LinkedIn. Plus, you can add in an external link to drive people where to register, AND you have the ability to capture email addresses and an opt-in to your marketing emails, if you wish! Here is my event page on my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendameller/recent-activity/events/ You'll notice this includes all my upcoming LinkedIn live events and webinars. The bonus here: if someone stumbles upon your event page link looking for one event, they will be able to see ALL of your upcoming events!
   
   
6. Create an event hashtag and encourage people who register for your event to use the hashtag. Then periodically (once a week) search for hashtag mentions and engage with the people who use it by leaving a comment on their post to thank them for sharing the event. Use a hashtag that is specific for the event, such as #LILMellerMarketing instead of a broad hashtag like #marketing which will include non-event posts. 
   
    
7. Ask your employees, board members, and supporters to help you promote the event. They can do so by adding a comment to your event post or by tagging in others who might be interested in attending the event.
   
   
8. Use pictures of people in your event whenever possible. People like seeing real faces! Especially when they are of people that they know, including you and your speakers or co-hosts. 
   
   
9. Create urgency with an offer. This might be an early-bird registration discount. Or freebies to the first X people who register. Or it might be limited seating / spaces.
   
   
10. Send reminders the day or two prior to the event. Sometimes, I do multiple reminders in the week leading up to the event (1 week prior, 3 days prior, 1 day prior, and for virtual events:1 hour prior plus a reminder at event start time. Assume people are busy and they didn't add it to their calendar. Make it easy for them to attend!

Want more event marketing tips? Watch this video of my chat with Victoria Ipri about Event Marketing Tips:

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