4 tips to take your event to the next level

Looking for great ways to take your event to the next level? Read the article below…

Network locally

World domination starts locally. Many organizations are always looking for artists to promote. While they may not be able to pay you for performing, they have small but loyal groups of supporters who could give you a good promotional push.

Do you know a member of the media or a blogger? If so, ask them to write an article to promote the event and be there to cover your performance. Small organizations cannot always afford advertisement, so they are usually very happy when someone brings them any kind of good exposure. And they will probably spread the word about you, as a result.

Promote early and repeatedly

Start promoting at least 45 days before your event. Here is a list of what you should do to create a great buzz:

–Prepare promotional materials (flyers, banners, posters, bookmarks, postcards, etc.) to send to friends, fans and connections. Also, make them available for download on your website, blog and social networking profiles.

–Create a short trailer (90 seconds max) and upload it on YouTube.

–Write a press release and send it with your press kit to the media. Should your event take place in Canada, feel free to contact me.

–Reach out to bloggers and Internet Radio hosts to secure some interviews. Check out Blog Talk Radio, in particular.

–Register your event on Eventbrite, Eventful, Craigslist, CalTweet and Facebook.

–Talk about your event in your blog, newsletter and videos.

–Organize a contest to attract more potential attendees.

–Promote your event several times a week on social networking sites. However, make sure that you do so at different times of the day. People are usually more responsive on weekday mornings and Saturday afternoons. Avoid Sundays, unless you have a big following.

–24 hours before the event: Send a reminder to all the people who have RSVP’d.

Be respectful. Do not spam people with your links.

Stream your event online

What is the easiest and cheapest way to reach global audiences and receive increased exposure? Live streaming. All you need is a laptop, a webcam and one of the following services:

–Livestream: Probably the best broadcasting tool out there. People around the world use it to stream their events and grow their audiences on the Internet and mobile devices. Producers have access to their own studio and a lot of tools to create high-quality and recordable webcasts.

–Ustream: Ustream is another excellent service that works in a very similar way.

Collect audience information

After the event, be approachable. Make sure that people know how to contact you. If you have a newsletter, invite them to become subscribers. Hand out business cards, bookmarks, pens, posters, etc.

Make your products visible without being pushy. If people like your performance, they will certainly buy what you have to offer without you having to “sell” anything.

Update your social networking profiles within hours of the event. And the next day, send an email to all the people who RSVP’d. Thank them warmly, even if they did not show up. Being grateful and graceful will go a long way…