With all the tips and tricks out there and so-called expert advice about digital marketing, it can be easy to overlook the value of traditional event advertising methods. But with nearly every person and brand vying for positions in the news feeds online, the digital marketplace is ridiculously cluttered and noisy. And event planners are finding that some of these marketing and advertising channels of yesterday are far more effective than ever before.
So, if you want to break free of the noisy online grind, try some of these great and old-school advertising techniques to land more event clients and boost event attendance!
1. Print Advertising Still Works
According to stats recently published by Harvard Business Review in an article about advertising, more than half of consumers “always” or “often” read paid advertising they get in the mail. Print advertising is starting to drive even more results since it’s become less popular for major brands. People are receiving fewer pieces of junk mail these days, meaning any tangible, colorful mail inserts you put out there are being read and handled.
2. Radio Is Still Worth Tuning Into
People still love their music. And while many are tuning into satellite radio and iTunes, radio is still an effective way to reach people in their cars and on their commutes. Event planners can reach broader local audiences about event announcements with radio advertising.
3. The Value of Cross-Platform Press Releases
If you’ve been event planning for a few years, you probably remember leaning into press releases back in the day to inform local media outlets about your upcoming events. But don’t presume press releases aren’t still valuable methods of advertising. In fact, creating PRs today means having valuable digital assets you can share across all of your online platforms, too.
4. In-Person Sales Visits Offer Personal Touches
With all the digital communications, email marketing, and online schedulers, some of your event clients and prospects might be missing out on the personal connection. New York event planners are getting back to in-person meetings and sales calls for this very reason. Showing up with your brilliant personality is going to make more of an impression than a static email. Inviting a client to lunch is going to be more memorable than a text. Bring those personal touches and customized engagements to your sales process for big results.
Yes, you’re still going to need to be innovative and smart about embracing all the digital marketing and advertising methods out there to be effective as an event planner. But customizing your approach to include some of these more traditional channels can be game-changing for you, too. Start adjusting your strategy and try new (old) things. And learn more about improving your marketing efforts when you get in the room with Gary Vaynerchuk at The Event Planner Expo!
