It is not as easy as you may first think to execute a successful conference marketing campaign. We live in the digital age and it is obvious that the internet will play a huge role in reaching great prospects while not spending a lot of money for promotion. A conference seems like a tremendous idea and we can say that it is but organizing one that helps you reach your goals is difficult.
Before you even think about promoting your conference, you need to be sure that your other resources work perfectly. You most likely want to promote a product so you have to be sure that the site can sell. Create a really good landing page and invest in good video conferencing equipment. There is nothing that will turn off people more than low quality audio and/or video during the conference. Always test everything before you even think about promoting a product since you need to know all about it.
Let us now think about the different methods you can use to promote your conference.
Using In-House Resources
Absolutely all in-house communication channels that are available need to be used to announce the conference. This does include but is not limited to Facebook friends, Twitter followers, blog readers and email lists. You have to focus on such channels because they are the core audience you have at the moment. The easiest way to generate sales is to respectfully approach the core with a value-driven message.
Develop Strategic Partnerships
Just as you would use your in-house resources, the communication channels of related organizations can bring in great returns. You can easily talk with potential business partners so that you can establish a win-win strategic partnership. That allows you to get free advertising while you would offer the same benefits to those that are similar to your profile. We live in the age of partnerships and barters because of the need to reduce advertising costs.
Look For Suitable Bloggers
A really cheap online advertising form is blog advertising. This is possible through banner buys or sponsored posts. If you can find some bloggers that have a suitable reputation in the niche you operate in, make sure that you reach out. Ask about potential promotional opportunities. You can easily promote a conference through reputable bloggers as they have a strong dedicated fan base and always want new material to write a post about. A huge traffic wave can be generated through a small announcement that is posted on the appropriate blog.
Using Industry Calendars
You can market your conference through such calendars while not having to spend too much for the privilege. Every single association or magazine newsletter will feature a list of the worthy upcoming events that are connected to the industry. There are even event calendars placed on websites. Why not take advantage of this?
Using Internet Forums
Social media is definitely huge and you need to consider it but you can also take a look at the niched internet forums. They are highly popular as they are suited for a group discussion. Since members already talk about subjects you would cover in your conference, it is obvious that you are looking at a great audience that you can advertise to.
It is easy to locate the suitable forums by using a Google search. In the event you are not a member of the forum you find, talk with a webmaster so that you know all about listing guidelines. You have to respect the rules so that your announcement is not deleted by an admin.
Using Local Listings
Internet marketing changed a lot and we can now advertise exactly for the local audience we are interested in. While it is obvious you can use newspapers for advertising purposes, it is also worth taking a look at only ads sites like Craigslist. Look at your local visitor’s bureau and convention centers to add the event to online calendars.
Free Versus Paid Promotion Options
The marketing channels that we mentioned above are either free or do not cost a lot of money. Whenever promoting a video conference, you need to consider both paid and free options and it is important to have a budget available for advertising. Keep in mind that you can only do so much with free advertising. The best thing you can do is try to reach the widest audience for the money that you have available for promotional purposes. Using Facebook Ads or even Google Adwords is a good idea if you can afford it.