Promoting your event
You know your event is going to be amazing but does the community know?
There are a number of ways to promote your event to your target audience. You can use social media, interviews, media advertising including radio and newspaper, media releases and other promotional materials such as posters and flyers.
Which methods you use will depend largely on the size and nature of your event and your target audience. Organising an event is only the first step; effective promotion through appropriate channels is just as important.
Online Marketing
Online marketing is important for event management because it allows you to reach a wide audience with your message.
Event Listing sites
There are two main event listing websites in New Zealand where you can list your event online for free, and for a small fee you can use these sites to sell tickets. Many news, destination and other websites use these sites for their event listings pages.
Listing on our Event Calendar
If you would like to list your local event on our Event Calendar, you can register your event for free by filling in this form and we will be in contact with you in 2-3 working days. For any enquiries about registering your event, please email website@horowhenua.govt.nz
List on our Event Calendar
Listing on Horowhenuanz.co.nz
Whats on uses Eventfinda to list events happening in the district. It you list your event on there our Destination Management Team will add it to the site.
Social Media
Create a Facebook page and a Facebook event. Use clear and concise text and great images when posting information about your event. Share with local community pages.
Electronic Newsletters
Invite visitors to your website and social media channels to sign up to your newsletter by sharing their email address with you. Produce a regular event newsletter to send to everyone on the mailing list with event information prior to the event. It is also useful to send a follow up survey after your event.
Email Signature / Letterhead
When you send out any email, you can advertise your event by putting a sentence or two explaining when and where your event is, at the bottom of your email, and link to your social media accounts and/or event website.
If sending paper letters, create an event letterhead with your logo for brand recognition.
Printed Material
Even in this online world there is still use for printed physical printed advertising.
Posters, Flyers and Brochures
Create a poster, flyer or brochure about your event and display at community places such as cafes, schools, gyms etc. (Remember to ask permission first).
They can also be useful to hand out to people after speaking to groups, potential sponsors, at markets or at other events.
Flyers can be produced and distributed relatively cheaply and easily. Canva.com is a great free resource for creating posters.
Event Programme
If you have an event programme that can be printed or published online in advance and widely distributed, it will give people a definite idea of what is happening and when. It will allow people to plan and take in aspects of the event that appeal to them. Try to get this printed in the local newspaper.
Media Releases
The targeted and careful use of media releases provides a free alternative to paying for media advertising, but only as long as the media are made sufficiently interested in your event. To work effectively with the media, you need to be able to write and/or speak clearly about the purpose and importance of your event and why it is of interest to their audiences. It is important to consider listing your event on the local and national event calendars as well as engage in the various forms of social media.
VIPs
Inviting media and VIPs can result in your event having further profile with these people; you may then get further free media coverage in the form of photos or editorial. Finally and most importantly, invite your sponsors. Without these people, your event would have cost more money.