How to Promote an Event So People Actually Come


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In this episode of The Localist, host Carrie Rollwagen dives into the often daunting task of promoting events to ensure good attendance. She acknowledges the challenges associated with event planning, from logistics to guest engagement, before focusing on strategies to attract attendees. Carrie shares her personal fears surrounding low attendance and emphasizes the importance of creating events that not only draw a crowd but also foster customer loyalty and community. She highlights the dual purpose of events — not only to engage and reward existing customers but to create buzz and attract new ones.

Carrie offers several practical tips for successful event promotion. She suggests using press releases to gain traditional media coverage, leveraging social media posts and encouraging sign-ups or even modest entry fees to ensure commitment. She emphasizes the importance of frequent and varied promotion, providing behind-the-scenes looks to keep potential attendees interested. Additionally, sending personalized invitations through direct messages or texts can significantly improve turnout. Wrapping up, Carrie underscores the value of events in building stronger customer relationships and enhancing business visibility.

Mentioned in this episode:

Carrie’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/crollwagen

Sign up for Carrie’s newsletter: https://gmail.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9c59a060684d71f12f6e495fc&id=98cd3122b9

Carrie’s Website: https://carrierollwagen.com/

Workshop Local Localist Episode: https://carrierollwagen.com/podcast-episodes/hosting-great-events-with-workshop-local/

One Quick Coffee: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/build-your-local-reach-with-email-marketing-tickets-872774912257?aff=erelpanelorg

Morgan Johnston episode: https://carrierollwagen.com/podcast-episodes/building-a-creative-resource-with-morgan-jones-johnston/

About Carrie

Carrie Rollwagen is host of the Localist podcast and cofounder of Church Street Coffee & Books. Currently, she works as Vice President of Strategic Planning at Infomedia, a web development company in Birmingham, Alabama. Find the Localist at @thinklocalist on Instagram and follow Carrie at @crollwagen.

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