Promoting Your Event the Web 2.0 Way

How do you leverage a the Web and Internet marketing to promote your upcoming event? There are so many channels of distribution, the possibilities are almost endless. Here's a checklist of what I did to promote an upcoming workshop I'm teaching at flyte called "How to Plan, Build and Promote a Business Blog."

• Published the event on the Web Marketing Seminars page on my Web site. This is a no-brainer and the first, essential step.
• Added the event information (including a link to the online registration) on Facebook, both on my page and as part of the Portland, ME network so that other local people could find it.
• Sent out an email alert to the people who have signed up for my Web Marketing Alerts email newsletter. (You can sign up for this when you sign up for flyte log, our free, monthly email newsletter.)
• Added it as an event on MaineToday.com, the online presence for the Blethen newspapers.
• Added it as a class through Craig's list.
• Added it at MaineBiz's event calendar.
• Submitted to Maine Public Broadcasting Network's event calendar.
• Posted it to my Internet Marketing 101 blog at MaineToday.com (at least twice.)
• Posted it to my flyte blog: web marketing for small business blog (again, at least twice.)
• Posted to Eventful.com, which sends to several other sites including Podbot, Google Calendar, del.icio.us/events, Ping-o-Matic, Technorati, and Upcoming. Several of these sites extend that reach even further through their own network. (Found through Joan Stewart, the Publicity Hound, through Denise Wakeman tip.
• I also learned about EventCrazy.com that way.

I also plan on submitting this event to the print versions of MaineBiz and the Portland Press Herald.

Will I do this for every event? Probably not, but I will try and track which channel is bringing me attendees, by asking everyone at the event.

Your Turn: What tools do you use to promote your events in this 2.0 world? Leave your suggestions in the comments section below.

Rich Brooks
Business Blog Expert

Comments

[Denise aka The Blog Squad]

Excellent list, Rich. I'd advise anyone promoting an event to make a checklist out of this blog post (modified for their local area) and use it every time you have an event to promote!

[Denise aka The Blog Squad]

One more thing. Submit an online press release. You can post to PRweb.com with links to audio, video and other docs for about $80 or you can use a service like ExpertClick to submit a press release every week for an annual fee of $995. That's the best deal and the one The Blog Squad uses. Even tho it might not get picked up by the media, potential clients may find it and you get links back to your site/blog.

[John]

Try My Event Guru: www.myeventguru.com - which lists ONLY business & industry related events.

[Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound]

Also post it at Kijiji.com, one of the up-and-coming competitors to Craigslist.

And if your event is in L.A., San Francisco, Seattle or several other big cities, check out http://laist.com/ and pitch them.

[Joy, Zvents]

A great way to promote your event is to post it on Zvents: www.zvents.com. Zvents is the local search engine for things to do. Because Zvents partners with media publishers to power their local listings, each listing on Zvents is syndicated to over 200+ media partners with a much better chance of being picked up by Google and Yahoo! in natural search results. For example, if an event is listed on Zvents, when you do a "local search" for "REI Mountain View," you'll notice that the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rankings are naturally the REI store. However, the 4th and 5th rankings are associated with San Jose Mercury News (one of Zvents' media partners). Zvents currently powers some of the nation's largest media companies including The New York Times Regional Media Group, MediaNews Group Interactive, and Freedom Interactive.

[Tara]

Great suggestions, Rich. Thanks!

peace be with you,
Tara

[Robbin Block]

I also speak on marketing for small business and integrate Web 2.0 at every opportunity. Here are a few more ideas for promoting your event:

Internal communications at the venue or organization where you'll be speaking, such as:
--Posting on bulletin boards
--Providing collateral for pick-up at reception, inclusion with materials or on marketing table at other workshops
--Announcements in venue's newsletter/calendar
--Live announcements at prior events

Gorilla: distribute postcard or flyer at coffee shops, supermarkets, etc., depending on the audience you're trying to reach.

Promote through related organizations that get same audience (sponsor, advertise, announce; add to calendar). Build relationships with these other orgs.

Another online calendar for small business: incbiznet.com

In Seattle area, post to:
www.iloveseattle.org, Seattle Times, and seattle24x7.com

...and finally, contribute info to related social networking sites (in addition to Facebook). For small business networking sites, visit: http://www.blockbeta.com/social-networking/

[Jon]

That's a very useful list, thanks

Don't suppose anyone knows any similar sites/resources for the UK?

Cheers, Jon

[Derek]

You might also want to check out http://www.findevent.com it's getting pretty popular