| Build Your Email List - Your number 1 marketing | | | | online event registration, participant data and |
| priority should be maintaining and growing your email | | | | payment are collected instantly and a confirmation |
| contact list. Email marketing is a highly effective and | | | | email is automatically sent out saving your staff time |
| low-cost way of getting the word out about your | | | | and resources. |
| event. Make it easy for visitors to your website to | | | | Send one last email prior to the close of online |
| subscribe to your email newsletter. On event day, | | | | registration - Make sure to identify those email list |
| make sure you provide a paper newsletter subscribe | | | | subscribers that have not yet registered and send |
| list when you are checking everyone in. Make sure | | | | them one last reminder about 1 week prior to the |
| when you design your email newsletters that you | | | | event. |
| include a very clear call-to-action for the recipient to | | | | Partnerships with other event organisers and clubs - |
| "Share this Email with a Friend". | | | | Seek out other organisations that cater to the same |
| Social Media - Build a Facebook page for your event | | | | types of people that would be interested in your |
| and include references to it on your website and all | | | | event. If you're planning a cycling event, do some |
| marketing materials. Offer incentives for those who | | | | research online to find all of the cycling clubs in the |
| become a fan of your Facebook page. For example, | | | | area. You may be able to work out an arrangement |
| offer a deal where those who are on your list of | | | | where the club manager will promote your event to |
| Facebook fans will receive a special commemorative | | | | his members if you in turn promote his club to your |
| t-shirt when they check in on event day. Your | | | | event participants. |
| Facebook fans have their own circle of online friends | | | | Post-Event Festival - Considering how competitive |
| who will notice their association with your event and | | | | the events industry has become, event organisers |
| naturally want to learn more. | | | | are doing everything they can to make their event |
| Recruitment Incentives - Offer registrants a gift if | | | | stand out above the rest. One way of doing this is |
| they can convince their friends to participate. Group | | | | to host a party or festival after your event and |
| discounts are also a great way to recruit people who | | | | offer additional activities beyond the main event. |
| may be on the fence about attending. A common | | | | Activities could include a concert, prize draw, games |
| group discount would be a family deal where 4 | | | | for kids, booth space for your sponsors to hand out |
| people can attend for the price of 3. | | | | free samples or food tasting from local restaurants. |
| Discount Coupons - With a down economy, if your | | | | Allowing your attendees to bring friends and family to |
| potential attendees are on a tight budget, they may | | | | the party is a great way to recruit new participants |
| be thinking about waiting until next year to attend. | | | | for the following year's event. |
| Help them out and offer promotional coupons for a | | | | Make it a fundraising event - Your event is sure to |
| registration discount. | | | | provide your attendees with an unforgettable |
| Early-bird registration fee - Offer discounts for those | | | | experience but why not also send them home with a |
| who register early. Collecting more attendee data | | | | feeling that that have done something for the |
| early in the registration process will also help reduce | | | | greater good? Choose a local charity and donate a |
| the amount of work for your staff in the last days | | | | portion of event proceeds to the cause. If you want |
| prior to the event. | | | | participants to be more hands-on, organise a |
| Offer Online Registration - Registering for your event | | | | fundraising competition and ask that they solicit their |
| online can be as easy as just a few clicks saving | | | | friends and family for donations. Those who are |
| your attendees a stamp or trip in the car down to | | | | asked to make a contribution may also decide that |
| the event office to submit their paper entry. With | | | | they want to participate in the event. |