Marketing Your Virtual Event

When interested in hosting a virtual event or webinar, you will want to make your online event stand apart and make sure that people show up. What can you do to gain attraction and attendance? How can you make your event appealing when it is online and not in-person? Let’s explore how you can best market your virtual event.  

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Step 1: Determine Your Event Audience

Virtual event sessions do not have to mean your event will have to lose all personal touches and engagements. You just have to be prepared and equipped with the right tools and best practices. As you start to plan your online event, you need to first consider your target audience.

When you know who your audience will be you can market your event to the right people and through the best channels. You’ll want to change your message depending on who you’re talking to. You may already have audience data available from past engagements and events, but if not, consider a couple of factors in who the ideal client is you are trying to reach to best help the success of your event.   

•  Age & Gender
•  Location
• Social media use
• Business or Consumers

For example, in my upcoming Babe Talk with Gina Moccio on September 17, 2020, I will be focusing on reaching local entrepreneurial women. My event is hosted through Babe Crafted, a community of women entrepreneurs in Tampa and St. Petersburg founded by Gina Moccio.

This event focuses on women (sorry fella’s the event is for girl bosses only) interested in growing their business and creating a brand story that will attract and draw their most ideal clients.   If that sounds like something you want to save a seat for, then go ahead and grab your free ticket here.   

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Seriously, who doesn’t want to captivate their customers? Especially if you’re in a competitive market then content can set you apart so you can close like never before.

Step 2: Set the Stage

 Hosting an event online instead of at a physical location can have its pros and its cons.  Often attendees like to attend in-person events because they sometimes get to travel to new cities or venues, and they get to interact with other business-minded individuals in-person.

When the event is online, you miss out on that experience a bit. One of the biggest draws to hosting an online event, besides it being more affordable than an in-person venue, is you are able to cater to more people from across the US or globally. It is easier for someone to set aside a couple of hours from his or her day without the complications of travel.  

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But how can you make your online event more appealing? 

Depending on your audience you can take several steps including: Create an attention-grabbing event page

• Have eye-catching graphics, pictures, and engaging videos
• Include all details of the event: time and date, topic, and sign-up link

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Establish Value

‍No commodity is more precious than someone’s time. Explain to potential attendees about how their business or job skills will be impacted and benefited by attending your virtual event. Like this: Learn how to stay top of mind with current clients and meet new ones in this month's Babe Talk by Babe Crafted!

Here are the key takeaways you'll gain:  

‍*What and when to write

*Blogging best practices

*How to consistently to stay top of mind

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Seriously, who doesn’t want to captivate their customers? Especially if you’re in a competitive market then content can set you apart so you can close like never before. Sign up to learn more or catch the replay!

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Step 3: Establish an Online Presence

The Internet is a direct connection to the outside world, especially now. You will need to make sure to optimize and utilize the Internet as efficiently and effectively as possible. 

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‍Use your Website

Your event page on your company website should include a Contact Us page with links to your social media networks. Remember the SEO optimization to focus on keywords to reach potential registrants through online search engines like Google. Considering writing a blog or other relevant content to be shared to your audience.

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‍Consider Email Marketing

This is a very effective way to market your event! Create an email invitation campaign followed by new information and reminders for your event. Take advantage of your network and share to key partners, vendors, employees, consultants, etc. to share your event with their own clients and followers.

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‍Use Social Media

‍If you have not already, create ocial media accounts for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Make sure to post eye-catching content, graphics, and videos to drum up interest.  

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Event marketing tip: Remember to share your event a few weeks before and then more often as the event gets closer including those last-minute sign-ups day of. You can also share an in case you missed it post with the key talking points and parts of the event!

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Let Charisma Help Market Your Virtual Event

 Successfully marketing a virtual event does not have to be complicated. Take time to think about who you want to attend, how you can reach them, and then make your online event just as appealing as if it were in person.   

At Charisma Communications, our marketing consultants helps businesses of any size from search engine optimization (SEO) to blogs, emails, social media and more. We are your one-stop-shop to making your business stand out with great content!  

The next time you are ready to host an online event or webinar, let Charisma Communications in Tampa, FL guide you. Contact us today for a free 30-minute consult!