Are you having a hard time getting past and potential attendees excited about your next event? Maybe you are going about your marketing efforts in the wrong way or maybe your timing is just off. Whatever the reason, they are not committing to your conference like they used to.
You need a fresh approach. Here are 6 ways to improve your odds of early sign-ups from attendees and to creating excitement for your event.
Concentrate on Your…Content
I can’t tell you the number of emails, direct mail pieces and magazine ads I have viewed in the last several months that show the date, location, speakers and sponsors but are sorely lacking content. I don’t know the speakers and could care less about the sponsors.
What I do care about (and so do your attendees) is — what am I going to learn and more importantly, why should I come to the event versus learning about this content via a book, webinar or local event.
Bottom line: Content sells.
Select the…Speakers
Without a doubt, the right presenters can help sell your content. Unless the presenter is a celebrity name, don’t assume your attendees will have a clue about who they are. In addition, having a big name that doesn’t seem to connect to the conference, isn’t a show winner either.
Sell the speakers with the content and let attendees know why this speaker is the best choice in this arena.
Sprinkle in…Show Exhibitors
If you are holding a trade show as part of your conference, be sure to let your potential attendees know as much about your exhibitors as possible. Not only the company name but a short bio about who they are and what they plan on introducing at the show will help.
Dial into the…Destination
Here is where it might get a bit tricky; yes, attendees desire to go to Orlando, Las Vegas and New York, but the truth of the matter is it boils down to how quickly they can get in and out of the destination city and hotel.
Remember, if you are holding a 3-day conference in Chicago, no one is back at home to complete the attendee’s workload. Answer these questions for them:
- What are the destination’s flights like?
- How will most attendee’s get there?
- Once they fly in, how long will it take them to get to the conference center?
- Is this somewhere most attendees want to go but you have never been there?
Attend to the…Attendees
Assuming you have completed all the above steps to great success, your attendees can still be on the fence because they want to know who else is going. Many event registration software packages allow you to show registered attendees; but if yours doesn’t, post the information on your website.
Certain attendees will resonate with your potential registrants, however you won’t know which ones carry the most weight. Be transparent and share.
Take a Look at Your…Timing
Certain times of the year are going to be better than others for your attendees. And certain days of the week are busier than others. If in doubt, ask your attendees because they will tell you what works best for them.
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