This is part one of a three part series this week where we’ll be discussing how to get your current contacts to connect with you across new channels.
Many event organisers recognise the importance of creating a profile or listing for their event brand across multiple online channels, such as Twitter and Facebook, and building an email database of contacts. However too often these are all treated as separate channels of communication – Facebook fans may not be attending your events, email list members may not follow you on Twitter and your event attendees may not know you have online profiles at all. Although you will never be able to get every potential event attendee connecting with you across all channels, it’s important to try to get some overlap and let your biggest fans do your online marketing for you.
Like us on Facebook
Facebook is one of the most important places for connecting with event attendees or customers who are already fans of your on other channels. This is because of the way Facebook users automatically share information with their network. A fan of your on Facebook is promoting your brand every time they RSVP to attend an event, they like your content, they comment on your wall or they tag themselves in a photo. Earning fans on Facebook can be an uphill battle if you are trying to gain fans one by one all by yourself. Instead, get current customers and event attendees to like your page and let them do the promotion for you to the rest of their network. Here are some tips for getting current fans to like you on Facebook.
HOW TO GUIDE
- Create a Facebook page URL that’s easy to remember and type. Make sure your URL looks like http://www.facebook.com/yourbrandhere. To do this, go to http://www.facebook.com/username/ where you can change the URL names of any page you’re an admin of.
- Put your Facebook URL on everything from fliers to promo coupons. Get creative with where you’re promoting your Facebook URL during the event – put it on fliers in bathroom stalls at the venue, or write it on coasters at the bar.
- Upload photos of the event to your fan page and tell people about them during the event. Make sure event attendees go to your fan page to see if they appear in any photos. This is a great option because people need to become a fan before they can see the photos at all.
- Add a ‘Like us on Facebook’ button to your website. Facebook’s new Like buttons make it incredibly easy for users browsing the web to Like content on Facebook without even leaving the page they’re on. Talk to you web site administrator about getting a Facebook Like button installed on your site or visit http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/plugins/like to learn more.
- Offer special promotions on your Facebook page that only fans can see. For example, post a special ticket discount code on your page’s wall. Promote the code on Twitter, your email campaigns and during live events – so people know they have to be a fan on Facebook to get the best deals.
- Make sure to list every event on Facebook. You can do this automatically with Evently or manually through the Create Event functionality on Facebook. Events are easy ways for fans to engage with your brand and when they RSVP to attend an event, that information, along with a link to your Facebook page appears to all of their network of friends.
- Use other online channels to remind your fans about your Facebook page. Add the URL to Twitter and always include a link to your fan page in any email campaigns. You won’t get new fans unless they know you have a page on Facebook!
Facebook fans are invaluable resources for viral marketing so don’t try to grab Facebook users one by one to become fans of your page. Focus on getting current customers and event attendees involved first, then let them spread the word.
Tips for event marketing success:
- Get your fans to do your Facebook marketing for you
- Ensure you’ve got your regular event attendees and key users on other communication channels involved in your Facebook page
- Find ways to create Facebook content that your users will automatically share with their network such as events, photos and discussions
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