secrets to award winning event marketing strategies
DESCRIPTION
Developing award winning marketing strategies are great if you have a strong brand and the support of an international creative agency. If you're a small event or festival...with next to no marketing budget what can you do? Here's some simple hints from a recent presentation at the Queensland Regional Events Conference staged in Mackay, Australia (you may be already using some of these hints, but hope they help :).TRANSCRIPT
Secrets To An Award
Winning Marketing
Strategy for Events!
Guess what…
There are no secrets…
It’s like baking a cake
Combining
the right ingredients
in the right quantities
or you can end up with…
STEPS FOR WRITING AN AWARD
WINNING MARKETING STRATEGY
NAME
DATE
CONTACT – WEBSITE, MAYBE PHONE
Promotion
Price
Product
Place
IF IT WAS THAT SIMPLE
CONTACT – WEBSITE, MAYBE PHONEWE’D ALL BE RICH
It’s about getting
enough people,
spending enough money
and loving your event
so much – they come back
next year and bring more
friends
in a world of clutter
it’s hard to stand out
why were you created?
why do you exist?
understanding why you were created
and why you exist helps you focus
What’s your theme?
What’s your brand?
If you can’t afford a big advertising firm to help you develop your brand,
here’s some hints + techniques to develop with your event team..
If you were a band
…who would you be?
what colour are you?
DIFFERENT (beware of biggest & best)
Ballet anywhere
Ballet in the tropics
Port Stephens Running Festival
Running Events
KEY MESSAGES
NAME
DATE
CONTACT – WEBSITE, MAYBE PHONE10 WORDS OR LESS
( what makes you genuinely different)
WEBSITE
NAME
DATE
GREAT images
+
key message
+
call-to-action
IMAGE GALLERIES
Regional Tourism Organisation
Tourism + Events Queensland
http://teq.lookat.me.com.au/
Tourism Australia
http://www.images.australia.com/
Local & Regional Visitor Centres
Regional Tourism Organisation
Tourism + Events Queensland
Tourism Australia
Push Marketing
Leverage The Network
Don’t forget online calendersOnline Calenders - ATDW
Story Angle – Press Example
2013 National Left Handed Golf Tournament
secured by Northern NSW chapter
x National golf championship
x Held in every major town – Lismore, Byron
Bay, Ballina, – spread economic benefit
x Supported by local businesses
There’s a national association
for left handed golfers
When pitching to media
put yourself in their shoes
Visual – happening all the time
High cost of travel to event
Often aired after the event
TV
• Quality images
• Personalised angle
• Lifestyle /people angle
• Behind the scenes
Magazines
“Online billboard”
• One Image
• 25 – 50 words
Digital
“Simplicity + consistency
is KING for cut-through!”
Website Tiles
CAMPING
Email Footers…with dates
“Space filler”
• Dignitaries/VIPs
• Local council, VICs, RTO, TEQ, TA
• Media
• ANYONE you meet who shows an interest
Direct Mail
Italian festivalSpecial Interest Clubs
Digital + Social Media
NO SHINY MARKETING TEAM?
Involve your volunteers, stall holders,
performers, suppliers and
visitors in the marketing
Create photographic & ‘selfie’
opportunities at the event
Make them the stars!
What if all your event community sent a
personalised postcard?
Volunteering
Emotional Connection
My secrets
Learn by experience
Listen to your customers
Get the mix right
Network with your neighbours
Understand it’s not just marketing
Thank you!