TACTICS TO TRANSFORM VIRTUAL EVENT ATTENDEES INTO LOYAL SPOKESPEOPLE
Forget paid marketing deals or social media influencers. The best advertisers of your brand are your event attendees. Especially with the world of events being online, winning over attendees’ networks is one of the most cost-effective ways to unlock access to your entire demographic. Without a high marketing budget, this tactic makes all the difference to a brand or company of any size. And believe it or not, it’s possible with only a few easy-to-implement tactics.
Tactic 1: Social media
When your virtual attendees post on their individual channels, your brand reaches an audience that is exponentially larger than any advertising money can buy.
Create a unique hashtag that will put all of the event posts in one location. You can collect the best photos from your set-up and live-stream to individual audience testimonials. All of this can be re-posted to your brand’s account to build loyalty and celebrate their support.
Encourage your guests to check into your event on Facebook, post a photo on Instagram, or write about their experience on Twitter or LinkedIn. Automatically enter each social media post into a raffle. Provide an exciting prize to the winner, or even give away free tickets to your next virtual event or live-stream!
Making your virtual event feel like it’s offering something people don’t usually experience is the best way to incentivize genuine social media interaction. People are more likely to post on social media if they feel they’ve done something meaningful. Hone in on whatever is likely to be a highlight of your event — whether that’s a speaker, meaningful exercise, or inspirational moment — and remind your audience to post on social media immediately afterwards in order to maximize participation.
Tactic 2: Merchandise
To be more specific: merchandise they will actually use! If you’re hoping to reach out to professional networks, make sure to give them something meaningful and useful. The general rule is that getting your brand or event in front of your audience’s personal networks requires your audience to actually use the merchandise. Here are a few ideas:
To say thanks, mail attendees clothing with small, fashionable logos. Items should be made with quality material and stand out from the typical branded cotton t-shirt. Especially in quarantine, a new, clean t-shirt is certainly appreciated!
Electronics and accessories like portable chargers, USB attachable mouse, and screen cleaners. With so many of us on screens more than ever, these things are increasingly useful.
Tactic 3: Leadership
We aren’t talking about just inviting the company CEO or head of marketing to tune in to your virtual event. Do the work to seek out brand spokespeople at all levels of the company, including rising stars. Encourage your attendees to bring along a “virtual professional plus one,” someone at any level of the company who they or others consider to be a natural leader. Making your attendees feel like they are a crucial piece of your event increases the likelihood that they will use their voice to speak for your brand.
In addition to these strategies, the best way to create brand ambassadors out of your audience is to create an event that is truly spectacular, and that lives on in the minds of your attendees even if they can’t be there in-person. Whether you teach them something memorable that they’ll use in their daily lives, or you create the virtual event against which every event they attend in 2020 will be measured against, they’ll be sure to mention it to their friends and colleagues. The best way to get there is with the help of an event planning and production pro. Contact Wizard Studios and get started today!