Next year’s event is still months away, but you don’t want your audience to forget about you in the mean time. You already posted an abundance of #TBTs, and ticket presales aren’t going to begin for another few months… so how can you keep your attendees engaged during this lighter time? Luckily, our event experts have the tips you need to keep that event buzz alive year-round. Read on!
Targeted Email Blasts and Newsletters
Email marketing remains an effective way to consistently engage with attendees throughout the year. Regular newsletters provide a method to share event updates, guest announcements, contests, and the latest news relevant to your attendees’ interests. With so much else filling attendees’ inboxes, though, you’ll need to make efforts to capture and hold their attention. Try developing a story, and add on to it with each subsequent newsletter, using phrases like “Find out next month…” to draw in return readers. Also, consider what you use as your subject lines. Exciting headlines such as “6 Months and Counting!” or “New Guest Announcement!” can be helpful in increasing open rates! Beyond your general monthly newsletter, also consider curating targeted email content to specific segments of your audience. For example, you might send a presale code to loyal past attendees to encourage early ticket purchases. Or, if your most recent event had engaging photo/gif booths on-site, you could send an email during the off season to those who took photos, reminding them of the memories they made while offering deals on custom photo prints!
Consistent, Relevant Social Posts
Even with your next event far in the future, make sure all your social media platforms remain active. You don’t have to post daily, but make sure to update each account at least 3-4 times a month during the off season, while still engaging with followers who contact you through social. For extra content, you could make note of relevant silly holidays (like “National Margarita Day” if your event is a tequila tasting festival), or share a link to the new single from a band in your music festival’s lineup. Requesting participation is also a great way to encourage engagement. Start a contest asking followers to design a t-shirt, where the winning design is featured at your upcoming event. And, of course, as event announcement dates approach, be sure to share teaser posts to build a sense of intrigue around your event!
Collaborative Sponsorships
Face-to-face interaction with potential attendees is a great way to drum up valuable exposure for your event. Sponsoring an event or cause relevant to your audience’s interests throughout the year can be a powerful tool in introducing your event to new attendees and keeping past attendees engaged. For example, if your event is a gaming convention, consider sponsoring a regional video game tournament or trading card game competition. Alternatively, if there’s a charity that’s close but separate from your organization, consider sponsoring or donating to one of their events and having your team attend.
Live Streams and Virtual Meet & Greets
Keep the buzz around your amazing event content alive all year long by partnering with special guests and past/future talent to offer live streamed Q&A sessions, performances, webinars, and even virtual meet & greets. While your live, in-person event will always be your biggest draw for attendees, hosting a series of these virtual sessions can be a hugely effective way to keep your event top-of-mind all year. Not to mention, high-demand live streams can be a significant revenue boost for your event organization, which could prove extremely welcome during off-season months! Compared to a full-scale in-person event, live streams and virtual meet & greets can also be much easier to set up. And we have the tools you need to make sure only registered viewers are able to gain access to your live streams or saved video-on-demand content!