How Clear Event Marketing Leads to Better Results
Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work on some awesome events with incredible nonprofits.
I’ve also come to realize that the most successful events I’ve ever worked on have one thing in common.
(And spoiler: it’s not a massive budget or a fancy venue)
The greatest, most successful events all have an incredibly clear audience and that clarity translates to their marketing.
The problem with muddy audiences
If you’ve ever felt hesitant to narrow your audience for an event, you’re not alone!
I’ve heard many times that focusing on a specific audience for an event can feel like you’re excluding people or limiting who can attend, and nobody enjoys being left out. But think about it this way: If you invite everyone to an event, can you guarantee your speakers will connect with every attendee?
Can you find an activity or topic that you’re confident will resonate with every person there?
Would a “one-size-fits-all” event truly deliver meaning to each attendee?
Probably not.
Finding a specific audience is less about exclusion and more about ensuring everyone leaves your event with something meaningful — and that becomes much easier when attendees share common careers, interests, or goals.
Why event specificity matters (with examples)
“When you speak to everyone, you speak to no one” is a marketing phrase you’ve probably heard before… and it’s such a popular saying because it’s true.
You should be able to clearly explain what your event is and who it’s for in a very clear sentence (or two). Saying something like “this is an event for everyone” or “we’re serving the community” doesn’t work, because that could mean anything and you’re not trying to reach just anyone.
You want people to read your event invitation and immediately understand the value for them.
Here are three examples of how to explain why an event matters to the audience in question (instead of just opting for generic information).
✘ Get your tickets to hear Jane Doe today!
✔ Get inspired by our keynote speaker and nonprofit executive, Jane Doe, who teaches women nonprofit leaders how to make room for themselves at the table.
✘ Join our event on November 14!
✔ On November 14, be in the room with local community leaders for our Housing Solutions Conference. You’ll hear from state leaders and those who have successfully launched housing programs in their community giving you the tools and resources you need.
✘ Only 1 week left to register for the class!
✔ Looking to boost your confidence at your next board meeting? Only 1 week left to register for our Public Speaking Class, where you’ll leave with specific techniques to speak in front of a group with confidence.
Try this before your next event
When your marketing is clear about who the event is for and what they get from attending, you’re not only connecting with your audience.
You’re setting expectations, generating excitement, and getting them on board to attend, because they know the event was made specifically for them.
So, before your next event, carve out some time to work on tailoring your event messaging.
Write one or two sentences about who the event is for and why it matters to them, and make sure everyone on your team sticks to that same level of specificity when promoting the event.
The clearer your event marketing is, the clearer the value proposition for your audience is — and the more likely you are to see the attendance numbers you deserve.
See you in two weeks!
Catrina
P.S. If you’re swamped with planning your next few events, I can help with marketing them! Reply to this email and let’s chat about how I can help with event promotions that get the results you need to succeed.
