Page 100 - DMGT304_EVENT_MANAGEMENT

Unit 4: Marketing and Promotion of the Event

Other Methods Notes

Attendees, exhibitors and speakers have limited time and money. Some can only attend one or
two conferences a year. So excellent logistics, attendees and speakers make a conference stand
out the possible best. A great conference experience has great topics, ample networking, and a
bunch of little things that just go right. A few handy tips to promote your event, seminar or
conference:
1. Build attendance at your meeting or event seminar with all the proven techniques that
seminar promoters have used for years. Use the Internet to look them up or ask around.
2. Allow yourself at least 6 months from “idea” to meeting date for a new, untried, small
meeting or seminar.
3. Allow a minimum of 9 months for a two or three-day conference for planning, speaker
selection and contact, marketing efforts.
4. Consider a separate pitch for each major marketing segment.
5. Profile the prospective attendee who you want to register and then begin subject and
content planning based on that information.

6. Boost in-house know-how with freelance talent - art, copy, and marketing; don’t try to
make do with inexperienced staff.
7. Decide what benefits or knowledge the satisfied attendee will go home with before deciding
on content and format.
8. In your brochure’s copy, give personal benefits first - before corporate benefits . . . agenda
. . . speakers etc.
9. Feature all of your locations and dates conspicuously.
10. Price to match value don’t underprice.

4.9 Promotion

When considering appropriate promotion and publicity for the event make sure you think
about the event brief and objectives of the event and how it relates to the organization’s strategic
agenda. Prepare a profile of the target audience/s for your event and determine optimal numbers,
audience profile, a common source for the group, and also the timing of the event. This will help
you determine the most appropriate method of promotion. Consideration of the appropriate
promotion of the event should be at least three months in advance where possible

4.9.1 Advertising

Advertising is a very useful way to get your message across and can draw on a number of
different mediums including newspapers/magazines, the internet, television and radio. When
considering which form of advertising should be used, a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats) analysis of your event and a careful study of who your target audience
is and how they are best reached will be useful in saving time, resources and money. All
advertising drafts for all mediums should be approved by the Division of Marketing.
Television advertising is an effective way to reach regional audiences; however, it is often a
costly option. When asking a television station for a quote, remember to consider: cost of
advertisement production, programs when the advertisement will be shown.

Local radio is a good medium for advertising as it is cost effective and you can often obtain free
publicity through radio interviews with announcers or media releases to be aired in the station’s

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