Just imagine the scenario: you’ve been planning this over the top experience for your event for months and weeks. Time for the event is closing in, but you still feel like you need one big clincher to get everyone on board and really bring in a crowd. And then, all of a sudden it’s there: a major social media influencer has agreed to make an appearance at your event. Things couldn’t get much better. You may think that you’re all done. That is a mistake.
Is a Social Media Influencer Enough To Draw People To Your Event
Getting Them To Say Yes!
It won’t just be enough to get the influencer or the social media celebrity to agree to appear at your function. The short answer is “yes. It can help.” The real answer is slightly more complicated than that. Having a social media influencer agree to appear at your corporate event is a great way to drive interest and to attract people to come to your event. The kicker is that it has to be done the right way. The big thing with an event is not the event itself. In fact, the most important part of the event is what happens after, and that’s why many people look to include a major social media influencer or celebrity at large gatherings.
By sharing their experiences, building anticipation, and even providing their followers with unique content or discounts, social media influencer can further personalise event advertising. Potential attendees may find the event more approachable and interesting due to influencers’ ability to produce real, relatable content.
The Goal: To Get People Talking
Social media influencer may unquestionably make a big difference in spreading the word about your event. Influencers have the ability to reach a wide audience and create buzz and excitement because of their engaged and loyal fan bases. When an influencer promotes your event, their followers are more likely to pay attention and consider going.
When word-of-mouth gets out that someone who is famous or popular is going to be at something and have something to say, it will draw an audience in, but it will also generate conversation after the event. That right there is the goal: have people talking about what happened at your event afterward. You want them to remain interested and engaged in what you are offering and why you are important.
On the surface, having a social media influencer can seem like a gimmick or a trick, but it is actually a calculated move. By having them there and endorsing your message, you will get those who take them seriously to take you seriously as well. It will bring your company more exposure, and could potentially lead to interest from other influencers in the future at other events that you may host.
So we’ve talked in detail about the benefits of having them there. And yes, there are quite a few reasons why you would want to try and get someone on board for one of your major functions. The most important thing to remember is the execution of getting that information out there. You can’t simply announce that you will have a major speaker at the last minute and hope that people will agree to come in droves. In fact, that particular aspect of the plan may backfire on you. Like any good thing, it is going to require a little bit of planning and execution for the vision to work out the way you want to.
For this endeavour to be successful, you need to get the person to agree to be there in advance enough that you have time to market their appearance. Some professionals suggest a minimum of 14 weeks of social media marketing to drive interest in the event. You also need to be clear about what exactly they will be getting from this appearance, both from the audience and for the influencer. It is a great chance to let your company shine and let people see what type of people buy into what you were showing them or selling them. An influencer at your event could be a great way to drive attendance if it is planned accordingly.
The Limitations of Social Media Influencer
While social media influencers have a lot to offer in terms of promoting your event, we can’t deny that they also have limitations. For a variety of reasons, depending solely on influencers to advertise your events may not yield the expected results. Here are four of the reasons why:
Authenticity Concerns
The public has become weary of content that is overtly commercial. Social media influencers’ endorsements may not be favourably received by their followers if they come across as forced or unauthentic.
Target Audience Relevance
The demographics of an influencer’s followers and their specific areas of expertise or niche differ. The influencer’s audience may have little effect if it doesn’t match the target audience for your event.
Saturation and Competition
Social media influencers frequently promote goods, services, and events. Your event promotion may become obscured by sponsored content, diminishing its impact.
Limited Reach
Even though some influencers have sizable fan bases, their reach is still limited to social media. To reach a larger audience or people who are not on social media, this might not be sufficient.
The Importance of a Comprehensive Marketing Approach in Events
Events have a pivotal role in the success and growth of most businesses and organisations. Whether it’s a trade fair, product launch, or corporate conference, these types of events offer a distinctive opportunity to engage with the target audience.
However, arranging an event successfully involves more than just logistics and detailed planning; in order to maximise the event’s impact, a thorough marketing strategy is required. Let’s delve deeper into the significance of using a thorough marketing strategy for events and how it might improve attendees’ experiences in general.
Reaching a Diverse Audience
Oftentimes, events cater to different audiences with varying needs, preferences, and interests. Event planners can effectively target this varied demographic by using a complete and comprehensive marketing approach. Diversifying marketing efforts guarantees that the event message reaches a wide variety of possible attendees because different demographics may be active on different channels.
Building Anticipation and Awareness
An effective marketing approach builds anticipation and raises awareness of the event long before the actual date. Opting to utilise a variety of marketing platforms, such as social media, email campaigns, content marketing, and traditional advertising, can significantly help generate interest in the event. A thorough marketing strategy guarantees that more people are informed and excited about the event by reaching out to the target audience through numerous touchpoints, boosting the possibility of attendance.
Encouraging Early Bird Registrations
Early-bird registrations are essential to the success of an event. A comprehensive and detailed marketing strategy includes strategic early-bird offers and promotions. Event organisers can encourage attendees to reserve their spots far in advance and ensure a solid initial attendance by providing special discounts or exclusive benefits to those who register early.
Personalisation and Tailored Messaging
Personalisation and tailored messages to different parts of the audience are possible with a thorough marketing approach. Event organisers can give personalised information and communication to attendees by segmenting the audience depending on their interests or preferences. This makes the event more relevant and engaging for each attendee.
Leveraging Social Media for Engagement
In recent years, social media platforms have evolved into effective and powerful event marketing tools. To engage the audience, a comprehensive approach leverages the strengths and capabilities of each platform. Using Facebook for event pages and community participation, Instagram for visually appealing content, Twitter for real-time updates and conversations, and LinkedIn for professional networking can help to develop a comprehensive social media presence that will increase engagement and connection with attendees.
Harnessing the Power of Social Media Influencer
As mentioned above, social media influencers can be valuable partners in promoting events. The reach and credibility of the event can be increased by interacting with influencers who are in tune with its theme and target market. Influencers can add a personal touch to marketing initiatives by producing authentic content, sharing their enthusiasm for the event with their followers, and encouraging them to come.
Post-Event Engagement and Follow-Up
A thorough marketing strategy goes beyond the actual event. To keep guests engaged and connected after the event, it is crucial to include a post-event engagement strategy. Following up with participants after an event via emails, surveys, and content sharing will help you keep in touch with them and collect input for future improvements.
Conclusion
Even though they can be helpful collaborators in event promotion, social media influencers ought to be just one component of a comprehensive marketing plan to draw people to your event. As such, it is important to utilise different approaches and strategies for your event to be successful, such as incorporating email marketing, event partnerships, social media advertising, and content production. Integrating social media influencers’ impact with other marketing platforms can ensure a successful and well-attended event.
Dimitri Cassimatis is the Marketing Manager at Pink Caviar Events, a corporate event management and styling company based in Sydney, Australia. With a background in marketing and communications, Dimitri brings a wealth of expertise to his role, including strategic planning, branding, and digital marketing. He is passionate about creating engaging content that resonates with Pink Caviar’s target audience and helps to drive the company’s growth. Dimitri is also committed to staying up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in marketing, and regularly attends industry events and conferences.
