Event Marketing: How to Successfully Promote Events, Festivals, Conventions, and Expositions

■Promotional brochures for unrelated events such as a speak-

ers’ series or a special fundraiser

■Chapter and affiliate newsletters and magazines

■Letterhead and envelopes (preprinted or stickers)

■Membership directories (including those of allied groups)

■Association Web sites

■Closed-circuit television at organizational events

■Recorded message for those on “hold” for the headquarters

telephone

■Tent cards for members’ reception rooms

In other words, the savvy marketing executive will look at

every piece of print material, electronic communication, and even

seemingly unrelated association activities that may provide a ve-

hicle for advertising the event. In most cases, except for the cost

of developing and printing a “stock ad,” the cost of ad insertion is

free because the medium is association controlled. And, obvi-

ously, the audience will be that which is most sensitive to the mes-

sage. This is the easiest audience segmentation available.

Stock ads are often preprinted on a reprographic, or “repro”

sheet, photo-ready for the printer to use in any journal or newslet-

ter. While various publications may use different column widths

and page sizes, ads are generally produced to fit on an “as needed”

basis and may often appear when the publisher needs a “fill” to

eliminate white space and fill a page. Ad size adjustments can be

made by the publisher or printing company by expanding or re-

ducing the image. However, the normal increments for advertising

(either purchased or free) are^1 ⁄ 4 page,^1 ⁄ 2 page,^3 ⁄ 4 page, and full-page

inserts. Or, they may be designed in column inches at the direc-

tion of the publisher.

Regardless of whether or not advertising is paid or free, it is

incumbent upon the writer/designer to maintain specific objec-

tives and goals in the preparation of the ad. A good ad will con-

tain several, or many, of the following desired principles, designed

to convey the messages and the mission:

1. Creating a “stopping power” headline, designed to grab the
   attention of the reader


2. Using the language of the market, complete with “buzz
   words” and anecdotes that are quickly identifiable


3. Designing editorial content that conveys the image and spirit
   of the event

114 Chapter 5 Marketing Association Meetings, Conferences, Events, and Expositions