Promote a Conference

Promoting a conference should be done using a number of methods and at various times. You should get the message out and continue to let people know until the event day arrives. If you are interested in learning more about ways to promote a conference, consider the following options.

Steps

1. Begin the conference promotion process early. This way, potential guests have enough time to save the date. Your first method of communication can be an email informing them of the conference and inviting them to the event. You could also post an announcement on your website, send out a press release and add it to your online calendar.
2. Update your voicemail to include information about the conference. For example, you could follow your regular message with a brief note about the date of the event. Direct the caller to the website. If you do a countdown to the event, remember to update it daily.
3. Send out invitations to those you wish to attend the event. These may be certain employees, delegates and executives. Add a note about why the conference is important and their attendance relevant.
4. Make your headlines count when submitting promotional information. You want to capture the attention of your readers, so when you post an announcement or send out an email, you need a short but effective headline. You can also generate excitement by including benefits in your subheadings.
5. Take advantage of social media as a forum for promoting upcoming conference. Social media is a great way to get the message out immediately. The nature of Facebook and Twitter also allows you to post consistent updates, so don't be afraid to send out a countdown to the event. You can also send out regular teasers to get people excited about attending, such as, "10 Days to go�accommodation still available if you register now."
6. Post blogs about the upcoming event. You can offer daily extracts of the event to get people interested. Discuss the subject, mention a speaker or offer a tease--just don't give too much away. You want to entice people to come and learn more. You should also ask any attending speakers and exhibitors to link to your site.
7. Take part in discussions online and offer applicable insight as part of event promotion. Join discussions that are relevant to your conference. Focus on providing insightful information so that others on the forums are interested in what you have to say. Generate interest in yourself, so that those who are interested will want to know more and attend the conference. Don't obviously advertise the event, but rather mention it diplomatically.

Tips

• Consider a raffle for early registration. The winner could receive a valuable 1 hour private consultation with an industry expert.

See also

• Hire a Funny Motivational Speaker for Your Next Meeting
• Have a Successful Meeting with a College Advisor
• Stay Focused During a Long Meeting
• Speak Up in Meetings
• Prepare for a Board Meeting
• Follow up Tasks After a Meeting
• Choose a Hotel for Your Conference
• Do Distributed Development Meetings
• Overcome Nerves As a First Time Chairperson
• Prepare for Wikimania

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