Growing an event is not easy, and in many ways it is getting more difficult. Traditional tools, like direct mail, email blasts and telemarketing, while never perfect, are struggling to provide even the results they used to. Good lists are hard to find, and the best lists are over-used. Social media seems to hold lots of promise, except many find the results disappointing when compared against the potential. We believe that Social Media is a massive opportunity, but only if approached the correct way. Social media, unlike the other mediums such as print, email and the like, is a bidirectional activity, and as such, social media marketing needs to encompass that reality. This means that people on social media need to be approached as “active co-marketers” not simply “passive consumers”.
When done well, this approach allows event organizers to build a relationship with their attendees, empowering them to share their excitement with their network. This is what we call Advocate Marketing. Empowered advocates do more than just grow your event; they reach millions of people in a trusted, personal way, creating unparalleled brand affinity by connecting their personal brand to your event’s brand, turbocharging all your marketing campaigns.
So, how do you create these valuable advocates? We’ve created this infographic to share 5 ways to mobilize advocates for your event.