By Aimee Woodall
Filling seats and spots at an event is NO easy feat. With a deluge of happy hour, gala, workshop, and coffee requests inundating inboxes and mailboxes everywhere, securing a definitive “yes” is harder than ever before. And let’s face it — the first decision your invite list makes is not the first decision YOU make. Here’s how to snag the elusive — and enthusiastic — RSVP without having to ask, “S’il vous plaît?”
Say “no” in being someone you’re not.
Authenticity is not playing it safe. Authenticity is attracting the right people to your event at the right time and in the right ways.
Don’t overextend yourself, your resources, or your brand’s integrity for the sake of a large turnout. You’ll want people talking about your event for the right reasons and looking forward to future events from your company.
Say “no” to being excessive.
Why would anyone RSVP “yes” to your upcoming mixer when you’ve got another one just around the corner? That they’ve ALREADY been invited to?
No, there’s no need for you to have an event every single week or month. By spacing out your events, you’ll have more time to successfully implement your event strategy, attract exciting sponsors, and entice attendees, new and old, through strategically timed and targeted marketing efforts.
Say “no” to being unprepared.
You have a strategy for everything, right? (RIGHT?) PR, social media, marketing – you name it. You’ve probably got a strategy for it. Well, guess what? Whether you’re planning an annual conference or a weekly press conference, no successful event is complete without a well-thought-out event brief and overall strategy.
From mapping out every little detail to monitoring and measuring benchmarks and milestones, you’ll need to be constantly evaluating, reassessing, and updating this critical component. In addition, a fully-formed strategy fleshes out PR and social media roles to help maximize event exposure and engage all possible audiences.
Say “maybe” to mixing things up.
Oh, the same ol’, same ol’ isn’t working for you anymore? I’m not surprised. If you’re not looking forward to your event, chances are you’re not alone. Escape the deathtrap of monthly networking mixers and quarterly luncheons at the same stuffy hotel by exploring inventive ways to reach your audience.
Spice your event up by inviting guests to the unexpected — bingo nights, picnics, movies in the park, trips to the local arcade. Incentivize followers with performances from local musicians and artists. Get involved with charity-based events through local nonprofits.
Plan your event around something YOU’D like to attend and watch those RSVPs start trickling in.
Say “yes” to responsiveness.
Imagine you’re sifting through hundreds of snail mail party invites. There’s no doubt about it; your eye will be drawn to the invitation that stands out of the stack.
When mailing invitations to your upcoming event, your presentation needs to make a statement. (A “look at me, come hither and RSVP” type of statement.) Whether you’re switching up something as simple as the size or color of your envelope or packaging your invitation in an unconventional format, you’ll want it to be the first one they see. The first one they open. The first one they respond an enthusiastic “yes” to!
Say “yes” to community collaboration.
Community collaboration is the key in engaging new audiences and drumming up additional (and much-needed) RSVPs. By teaming up with like-minded, well-established, collaborative partners, you’re not only bringing their team and ambassadors on board, you’re immediately boosting brand visibility within your community, effortlessly conveying a “team-player” attitude, and winning new fans, followers, and friends in no time.
Win-Win? More like WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN!
Don’t just throw an event. Throw an event that people WANT to attend, and, with a little Yes/No/Maybe in your life, planning a must-attend event just got a whole lot easier.
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Aimee Woodall is the owner of the Black Sheep Agency, a Houston-based creative agency specializing in non-traditional public relations, social media, and experiential marketing. Amy can be contacted by phone at 832-971-7725 or by email at aimee@theblacksheepagency.com. Follow the Black Sheep Agency on Twitter @shearcreativity and on Facebook at Facebook.com/theblacksheepagency. You can also visit the website at www.theblacksheepagency.com.
