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Using Social Networks to Market Your Events

Spread the word faster, to more people
by Ed Lemire, Executive Vice President, Acteva
Of all the ways to market your events -- via email, direct mail or word of mouth -- social networking has begun to prove its effectiveness as a valuable, cost-effective way to "get the word out" about your events.
You may already be using social networking to network with friends and relatives, or to re-connect with former colleagues, on "Web 2.0" vehicles such as MySpace or Facebook. You're not alone. Estimates at the end of 2008 say that over 87 million Americans use the Web for social networking, including about 75 percent of college students and 60 percent of adults with incomes in excess of $200,000.
More and more consumer and business-to-business marketers are also discovering the power of social networking -- and the well-publicized fundraising success of the Obama campaign has added fuel to the fire for the interactive "friend-to-friend" approach.
The payoffs for event organizers
For many years, most organizers simply displayed static Web sites that showed event details, exhibit floor photos and a "Click here to register" button. These sites were little more than electronic "brochureware." Today's conference and event Web sites are more dynamic, allowing attendees and speakers to talk with each other about issues, ideas and the event itself.
It makes good sense to tap into these new technologies. After all, events and conferences are essentially huge social gatherings where people share common ideas, get together with friends or colleagues and connect with people who can help them in their careers. Social networking allows your attendees to build stronger personal relationships with others who have similar interests and issues, and helps them build their personal networks, before, during and after your event.
As a result of these relationships and interactions, attendees have a much richer experience and perceive the value of your event as higher. And guess what? They're more likely to come back year after year to renew these relationships. That translates into more dollars for your event, sponsors and exhibitors.
Key benefits
Social networking allows you to identify your audience's interests and issues more specifically, and target your message tightly to a specific group attending the conference, rather than broadcast a general message to anyone who attends.

As they say in the infomercials, folks, that's not all. If you act now, you can get:

  • Low to nonexistent costs. Online social networking is significantly cheaper than traditional advertising or direct mail. With social networking, the built-in feedback loop makes it easier to learn what your prospects do and do not like.

  • A more personal relationship. The personal "touch points" you get from building a relationship are more valuable than the response you get from impersonal print or direct mail advertising. As a result, you can turn more suspects into prospects, or tire-kickers into attendees.

  • Message control. Social networking offers a great opportunity to create slightly different messaging and content -- perhaps more edgy or creative -- than what's on your Web site. Think of it as an ongoing conversation, and ask for content suggestions, feedback and comments. That will engage prospective attendees and enhance the conversation.

  • Credibility and trust. A rule of thumb is to offer ideas, expertise or help -- before asking for anything in return. That will build credibility and trust. If you encourage feedback, you can learn what's on your attendees' minds on a day-to-day basis, gauge their preferences and even make changes to your event "on the fly" so it is more relevant to their immediate needs.

  • Easier access to decision-makers. The "six degrees of separation" rule applies. To meet the president or CEO of a large company, start by talking to the executive's friends. You can eventually meet people that you wouldn't have met otherwise. But remember that social networking relationships need to benefit both parties. Be ready to reciprocate if a contact introduces you to a prospect.

  • Faster communication -- to more people. Social media enable faster information sharing. Traditional media, such as magazines or newspapers, have long lead times. A PR news release promoting your event may take days or weeks to reach the end consumer -- if it doesn't get "bumped" along the way. Social media, on the other hand, allow for instantaneous dissemination of not just news, but images, audio, video and other multimedia content. And because releases geared toward social media outlets contain key highlights, pertinent facts and hyperlinks to related statistics and quotes, bloggers and other online journalists can immediately pick up the information they contain.
A word of caution
If there is a downside, it's the time and research involved to learn how social networking works and how best to utilize it for your particular event. Fortunately, creating a successful social network takes some basic online knowledge -- but that's it!
Also, beware of information overload. You may want to provide basic, need-to-know information about your event and direct potential attendees to your event site or registration page. You're facilitating a two-way discussion, rather than a one-way bombardment of promotional messages. In short, this means that you keep
others engaged.
It's also important to continue doing what has worked well for you and to not completely abandon press releases, direct mail and printed collateral. After all, this is a gradual process, and not everyone is on Facebook or Twitter.
It's also important to have realistic expectations: It may take time to see measurable results. Social networking is not a magic bullet or a quick fix -- you must integrate it into the overall marketing plan for the long haul.
How to get started

If you've already used Facebook or LinkedIn for personal use, you're off to a good start. If not, don't worry -- just set aside some time to determine how best to take that first step into the social media landscape. Here's a three step approach:

  1. Investigate. With so many social media sites out there, you may want to do some investigative work to find out where your best customers are. Keep an eye out for social networking events and Webinars. Major conferences dedicated to social networking happen throughout the year. Find those best suited to your needs.

  2. Join. Once you're comfortable, dive in and register. But it may not be best to make sales a pitch for your event right from the start. Find a site that fits. For example, events on Facebook offer a great opportunity to build awareness. As users indicate they're attending an event, the news spreads exponentially across their network, even showing up in each user's news feed. This serves as a passive but personal recommendation of the event.

Flickr and YouTube can also build event awareness. You can put cameras and camera-phones in the audience to good use to document the ins and outs of a show. This can enhance the show experience for attendees and can create interest in others to make the trip the next time around. You can even create your own YouTube channel that features all of the videos and speaker sessions from your event.

  1. Get Involved. Invite current clients and colleagues to join in -- let them know you're out there, what you do and, eventually, let them know about your exciting events coming up.
Put your event on the radar
The social networking rules are not fully defined, and it's difficult to know which sites will flourish. Will mobile social networking be the next big thing? Whether it is or not, social networking continues to grow at an astounding rate, and you ignore its potential at your own risk.
Although there are many directions you can choose from, the effort it takes to open an account and establish your presence is minimal. Over time, establishing awareness through these channels will pay off in the form of increased name recognition, growth in attendance or membership and a growing pool of people waiting to hear about your next event.

At very low cost, you will get these end results:

  • Raise the profile of your institution.
  • Maximize your promotional and fundraising efforts.
  • Increase opportunities to easily network with both prospects and colleagues in the event planning industry.

Above all, social networking gets people talking about your event and will offer even more exciting opportunities in the coming months and years.