by ClearEvent Support | Event Management
Event planning and management is a complex ballet of logistics, creativity, and strategic partnerships. Among these, sponsor relationships stand out as both a challenge and a golden opportunity. Understanding the immense value hidden within your event and effectively communicating this to potential sponsors can transform the way you finance and elevate your event experiences. Here’s a tactical guide, leveraging insights and tools from ClearEvent, to not only simplify sponsor promotion efforts but to also unlock new depths of sponsor engagement and value.
The Untapped Value of Your Event
At the heart of any successful sponsor partnership lies a mutual exchange of value. Many event organizers, however, undervalue what they have to offer. Your event is a unique gathering of an engaged, interested audience – a goldmine for the right sponsors. The challenge is not just finding these sponsors but presenting your event in a way that highlights this value. Here’s where understanding your audience, through demographics and interests, becomes crucial. Yet, without the right tools, this data can remain elusive.
Showcasing Sponsors with Precision: ClearEvent at Work
ClearEvent offers a suite of features designed to uncover and present the real value of your event to potential sponsors. By effectively using these tools, you can transition from merely seeking sponsorship to creating meaningful partnerships that benefit both parties.
Web Banners and Sponsor Galleries
Imagine offering your sponsors not just visibility, but targeted visibility. ClearEvent’s Event Portal allows for the placement of web banners and a curated sponsor gallery. These are not static advertisements but dynamic, interactive elements that connect sponsors directly with their desired audience. By selling these spaces, you not only generate revenue but also offer your sponsors a direct line to engaged participants.
Crafting Compelling Sponsor Profiles
Beyond basic logos and names, ClearEvent enables the creation of detailed sponsor profiles. These profiles go deeper, offering stories, products, services, and direct contact information. It’s about transforming sponsors from faceless entities into integral parts of the event narrative, fostering a connection with the audience that’s both meaningful and memorable.
Naming Rights: The Crown Jewel
Offering naming rights is perhaps the most direct way to entwine sponsors with your event’s identity. ClearEvent makes this seamless, allowing for prominent display and recognition of top-tier sponsors across all event materials and communications. This level of sponsorship not only provides unmatched exposure but also firmly establishes a sponsor’s commitment to your event.
Tactical Steps Forward
- Deep Dive into Your Audience:
Use ClearEvent to gather and analyze attendee data, showcasing the direct value your event offers to sponsors.
- Create Tailored Sponsorship Packages:
Leverage the platform’s features to build packages that go beyond traditional offerings, incorporating web banners, detailed profiles, and even naming rights.
- Communicate Value Effectively:
Craft compelling narratives around your event’s audience, using data and insights to demonstrate the unique opportunities your event presents.
Embrace the Power of ClearEvent
Promoting sponsors effectively is an art that requires understanding, strategy, and the right tools. With ClearEvent, you have at your fingertips a powerful ally in not just managing your event but in elevating it through strategic sponsorships.
Ready to Transform Your Sponsor Relationships?
Start with ClearEvent today. Harness our tools to not just promote your sponsors but to create a vibrant, value-rich ecosystem where sponsors, attendees, and organizers thrive together. Begin your journey towards more meaningful sponsor engagements and unlock the full potential of your event.
Promote your sponsors effectively with ClearEvent – Start your risk-free trial today to see the difference firsthand!
Happy Planning!
by ClearEvent Support | Event Management
Planning an event is only half the battle; the real challenge lies in effectively promoting it to ensure a successful turnout. Whether you’re an experienced event manager or a volunteer organizer, these strategies can help you boost attendance, media coverage, and exhibitor presence. Let’s dive into the various methods you can use to spread the word about your event.
Email Campaigns: Reaching Your Audience Directly
Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools for event promotion. If you have a mailing list or newsletter, leverage it to communicate with potential attendees. Here’s how to make the most out of your email campaigns:
Crafting Effective Emails
Create a series of emails that build anticipation and provide essential information. A three-part email campaign could look like this:
- Announcement Email: Introduce the event, highlight key attractions, and include a call-to-action (CTA) to register or purchase tickets.
- Reminder Email: Send a follow-up a couple of weeks later, emphasizing the benefits of attending and including testimonials or highlights from past events.
- Last-Chance Email: A final reminder a few days before the event, creating a sense of urgency and offering any last-minute deals or incentives.
Simplify this task by taking advantage of tools which allow you to schedule sending emails ahead of time.
Email Signature Promotion
Encourage your team to update their email signatures to promote the event. A simple message like “Don’t miss out on the event of the year – tickets on sale now!” with a link to the registration page can significantly increase awareness.
Optimizing Your Event Website
Your event website is a critical hub for information and registration. Here’s how to optimize it for maximum impact:
Clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs)
Ensure your website has prominent and clear CTAs. Each page should guide visitors towards registering or buying tickets with minimal effort. For example, a “Register Now” button should be highly visible and easy to find.
Dedicated Event Pages
Create a dedicated page for your event with all the details potential attendees need. Include information on speakers, schedules, venue, and FAQs. Use engaging visuals and testimonials to build excitement.
Harnessing the Power of Social Media
Social media platforms are invaluable for reaching a wider audience. Here’s how to effectively use them:
Regular Posts and Updates
Post about your event regularly on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Use engaging images, videos, and hashtags to increase visibility. Consistency is key – make sure to post updates, behind-the-scenes content, and reminders leading up to the event.
Facebook Call-to-Action Button
If your event has a Facebook page, utilize the Call-to-Action button feature. Setting up a “Sign Up” button can direct visitors straight to your registration page, significantly boosting sign-ups. Learn how to set this up now.
Social Media Advertising
Invest in targeted social media ad campaigns. Platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn allow you to reach specific demographics and interests. Use these tools to promote your event to users who are most likely to be interested.
Encouraging Social Referrals
Word-of-mouth remains a powerful promotional tool. Encourage attendees to share the event with their networks:
Incentivizing Referrals
Offer incentives for referrals, such as discounts, exclusive access, or prizes. This not only increases your event’s reach but also adds a layer of engagement for your attendees.
Official Event Hashtags
Create and promote an official event hashtag. Encourage attendees to use it when posting about the event. This helps build a community and makes it easier for people to find content related to your event.
Learn more about using hashtags effectively by reading the Digital Marketing Institute article here.
Leveraging Video Content
Video on social media platforms are shared 12 times more frequently than text and images combined. Using video can significantly boost your event promotion efforts:
Highlight Reels and Testimonials
Create a highlight reel from past events or a promotional video showcasing what attendees can expect. Use testimonials from previous participants to build credibility and excitement.
Sharing Across Platforms
Share your videos on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Embed them in your emails and on your event website. Videos can capture attention quickly and convey a lot of information in a short time.
Building Partnerships and Affiliations
Collaborating with partners can extend your event’s reach:
Industry Partners and Sponsors
Reach out to industry partners, sponsors, and affiliates. Ask them to promote your event through their channels. They have a vested interest in your event’s success and can help you reach a broader audience.
Media Coverage
Seek media coverage by sending press releases to relevant media outlets. Highlight unique aspects of your event that would appeal to their audience. Media coverage can significantly boost your event’s visibility.
Utilizing ClearEvent’s Features
ClearEvent offers several features that can simplify your event promotion efforts:
Registration Form Sharing
ClearEvent makes it easy to share registration forms through various channels. Utilize private registration forms for targeted invitations and public forms for general promotion.
Social Media Integration
ClearEvent’s platform allows you to add a share button on your Event Portal header. This encourages attendees to share their participation with their networks, expanding your event’s reach.
Event Hashtags
Create and display an event hashtag prominently. This encourages attendees to use it in their posts, helping to build a community and increase your event’s visibility.
For more detailed insights into leveraging ClearEvent’s features, visit ClearEvent’s features page.
FAQs: Common Questions About Event Promotion
How far in advance should I start promoting my event?
It’s best to start promoting your event at least three to six months in advance. This gives you enough time to build awareness and excitement.
What social media platform is best for event promotion?
It depends on your target audience. Facebook and LinkedIn are great for professional events, while Instagram and Twitter are excellent for more casual or visually driven events.
How can I measure the success of my event promotion?
Track metrics such as website traffic, email open rates, social media engagement, and registration numbers. Use these insights to refine your strategies for future events.
Final Thoughts
Promoting an event requires a multi-faceted approach to ensure maximum reach and engagement. By utilizing email campaigns, optimizing your event website, leveraging social media, encouraging referrals, creating engaging video content, building partnerships, and utilizing ClearEvent’s features, you can significantly boost attendance and make your event a resounding success.
Remember, effective promotion is all about consistency and creativity. Start early, use a variety of channels, and always look for new ways to engage your audience. Happy planning, and may your next event be the best one yet!
Interested in boosting your event’s success? Contact us today!
Ready to streamline your event promotion? Book a demo with ClearEvent now!
by ClearEvent Support | Event Management
Emergency preparedness, like flossing, is something that all event planners know they need but always seems to be an afterthought. The consequences of not planning for an emergency can be steep if something goes wrong. “Something terrible happened” is not how you want people to remember your event.
This article will highlight considerations and practical tips for event planners about disaster preparedness. Of course you can’t plan for everything. But knowing you’ve prepared a response plan to common scenarios provides a safer event for your attendees and gives the event planner peace of mind.
To research this article we spoke with Dave Leonard, CEO of Med-On-Site, an emergency preparedness service provider. Med-On-Site has provided disaster preparedness and medical resource services to events for more than 7 years. A key learning from the discussion was that emergency preparedness doesn’t have to be extreme such as loss of life. You definitely want to plan for the obvious medical emergency and emergency crowd evacuation. However, its important not to overlook a plan to deal with a lost child or consider proactively adding a security presence to deter problems in the first place.
The most important first step in emergency preparedness is to determine what are your goals in the event of an emergency
What is your goal?
The most important first step to take towards emergency preparedness for your event is to determine what your goals are in the event of an emergency. Is discretion the most important element? Do you want the event to continue? How will you handle overcrowding at an event? Do you want the event to be perceived as an integral part of the community? Or will the event be perceived as a drain on local emergency services? And how do you control the narrative if something bad happens? The last thing you want is to have bad news spiral out of control on social media. Do you have a plan to communicate messages that inform and confirm that the situation is under control?
Enlisting an outside service can help identify what this goal should be and how best to prepare for common scenarios
Enlisting an outside service can help identify what your goal is and how best to prepare for common scenarios. They can help group types of disasters by severity of risks and provide appropriate response plans. Seasoned event planners will benefit from the advice of emergency preparedness professionals too. Let the experts do their thing allowing the event planner to do what they do best….stress about the other 99% of the event.
When to start Emergency Preparedness Planning?
The very beginning of planning an event is the best time to initiate discussion with emergency professionals around this topic. Early planning could impact critical layout decisions that work better for emergency crowd control. Mapping out entrances and exits enables a quick evacuation if needed? The vast majority of planners involve emergency services one week before the event which may be too late to make any layout changes. Another consideration is choosing to have on-site medical staff which can significantly reduce the response time for emergency care compared to community ambulance services which may take some time to arrive based on the event location.
The very beginning of planning an event is the best time to initiate discussion with emergency professionals around this topic
Communication and Training of Employees
Enlisting the help of other volunteers and staff at the event can multiply your emergency preparedness staff thereby ensuring a more responsive, safer event. Training of staff at a pre-event briefing will help them know how to determine level of risk, who should know about it and how to communicate it. Response time will be faster, more effective and will empower your event staff to respond correctly.
Never before has there been so much emphasis on emergency preparedness at events. Additional resources for emergency preparedness planning are shown below. They can serve as examples and are by no means exhaustive but can help the event planner with ideas and resources to make the next event safe and prepared for any emergency.
Useful Links
by ClearEvent Support | Event Management
When planning online registration and ticket sales, you may be tempted to include an option for payment by check. Payment by check is a bad idea for several reasons. A key drawback of check payments is the delay and additional manual work they create, but there are other downsides too. If you can’t eliminate check payments, the next best option is to avoid check payments in your event as much as possible.
It’s important to get proceeds from registrations fast. Here’s three easy methods to help protect your time and revenue from the drawbacks of check payments by avoiding check payments.
Minimize the number of checks you deal with
One of the simplest ways to save yourself a lot of wasteful busy-work dealing with checks is to charge more for check payments.
Charging more for for payment by check both discourages customers from paying by check and encourages them to take advantage of paying by credit card.
Charging 20-25% more is a reasonable starting point. (There may be other factors in your event that lead you to set your “check payment” price higher or lower.) For example, suppose you have an exhibitor fee of $100 to be paid online by credit card. The same exhibitor fee when paying by check can be set to $120 or $125.
Charging more for check payments provides you a little compensation for the additional work you’ll be doing to manually process checks. For a $100 registration fee you’ll collect $20-$25 to cover your time and risk for manually handling check payments. As you can see, this barely covers the cost of your time! This is a good reason to avoid check payments altogether.
2) Help your check customers in pay by credit card
Some of your customers prefer to pay by check because they don’t have a credit card. Many event systems, such as ClearEvent, accept pre-paid credit cards which is a great option if the buyer does not have a bank-issued credit card.
Publish suggestions on your website and on your registration form where your customers can purchase pre-paid credit cards to help avoid check payments.
This approach also helps to minimize the number of bad checks you’ll have to clean up. Resolving bad checks is often a drain on time and resources as well as damaging your relationship with your bank.
3) Make check payment options less prominent
It’s best if most registrations use credit card payments, so structure your registration fees by putting credit card payment methods in the top positions. ClearEvent provides a lot of flexibility in setting up your registration forms. Fees can be grouped and ordered so you can organize your registration options as needed.
Keep check payment options separate and less prominent.
On your fees page, put your registration fees with credit card payment at the top and list your check options lower in your list of fees.
Alternatively, you could create a group of fees labelled “Pay by Check” and include only check payments in this section. This minimizes confusion between credit card payments and check payments and makes it more likely your registrants will register using online credit card payment.
Smart Planners Avoid Check Payments
If your event accepts check payments, take steps to minimize the number of check payments as much as possible. This minimizes wasted time and effort processing manual payments. It also ensures the majority of your revenue is available within days rather than weeks.
Charging more when accepting check payments provides an incentive to pay by credit card instead. Providing helpful suggestions and recommendations to your registrants about using pre-paid credit cards can further lower the work and risk of dealing with checks. Lastly, make the check options less prominent on your form to encourage more attendees to register using credit card.
These steps go a long way toward minimizing the impact of check payments, freeing you to focus on the bigger more important aspects of your event.
Happy Planning!
ClearEvent provides a great deal of flexibility to manage payments for your event, even check payments. Learn more here.
Interested In Other Topics?
As a conference planner, knowledge is key. Let us know the topics you’d like to hear about to help increase your event planning success, at support@clearevent.com.
In the meantime, Happy Planning!
by ClearEvent Support | Event Management
We had the opportunity to sit down with Jeannie Maidens, Coordinator at the Municipality of Port Hope this week to learn about how she plans her community events. Jeannie runs monthly events throughout the year and has modernized her event planning process using the ClearEvent platform. Join us in understanding what some of her challenges were and how she is handling event planning today.
Tell us a bit about yourself and the events that you plan.
As the Events Coordinator for the Municipality of Port Hope there are three areas of focus within my portfolio. The first area is planning for the Municipality of Port Hope corporate events like our Volunteer Firefighter Appreciation Banquet and the Civic Awards Ceremony. The second planning area is for municipal community events like our Canada Day Celebration or Port Hope Arts Festival. And lastly, I also facilitate 3rd party events on municipal property like Cultivate, a Festival of Food & Drink. For 2 years we’ve been using ClearEvent software for planning some of these events and we plan to expand its use to more events as we go forward.
What were you using before you started using the ClearEvent platform?
Prior to ClearEvent we were using a collection of tools – email, excel spreadsheets, word, and scribbled notes predominantly. We were introduced to the ClearEvent solution through the Festivals & Events Ontario Conference in 2015. I definitely saw the value for its use within our program. The software looked as if it would help us stay more organized.
What has ClearEvent allowed you to do that you couldn’t do with your previous event planning methods?
The biggest improvement for me was the ability to process online registration and payments. Handling this online has allowed me to connect with new participants and engage them in a way that I wasn’t able to before. ClearEvent’s registration software really up’d our game. The process that we were using before was a big barrier. We used to send folks a pdf and ask them to fill it out then mail it back. Very time consuming and challenging to keep track.
Have your customers been able to adapt to the technology easily?
Before we had the online payment and registration option through ClearEvent, we had two camps of customers. One group wanted the registration/payment online option and wondered why we didn’t already have it. At the same time, some vendors were used to the way things were and less comfortable with technology, especially around our Farmers’ Market event. As part of our customer service approach, we have set up things to help them navigate it. We also accept offline payments via check in addition to online for those who were less comfortable with the technology. The ClearEvent system allows for both. And the ClearEvent team has been very helpful providing materials that I can provide my customers to help them along. Overall though, switching to the ClearEvent platform has broadened our reach and we’ve gained more registrants as a result.
What has been ClearEvent’s key benefit to you?
Other than being able to process online registrations and payments, it does offer a new level of organization. It houses everything together and offers a new communication platform through the included Event Portal. I know the information is in the platform and others can access it through a self-serve mode removing me from the pressure of being a single point of communication. I also like that we are evolving and modernizing our events. The support from the ClearEvent team has been so helpful and a big benefit of going with ClearEvent. With our Canada Day Event on the horizon, the countdown clock on the Dashboard is another favorite part of the software.
Time-saving element.
Like any new system, you have to invest some upfront time to get started. You become more efficient as you get used to the system. And unique features like Rollover also are a huge time-saver if you have repeating events because it reduces much of the initial event set up. And the ClearEvent support team did a lot to help me get up to speed- great support.
What advice would you give someone else considering an Event Management Software System?
Think big about how you organize your event plans. Pay attention to all the features that ClearEvent offers and it can be the Mothership for your events. Have a good idea of what the main event planning problem is that you would like to solve. Focus on that to begin with and sort that out on the system first knowing that there’s lots of other ways to use the system that you’ll get to. You don’t have to utilize all the included tools right away. There are lots of features that can be adopted as you go because there is a lot in the platform.
Port Hope Canada Day Parade, 2017
Port Hope Arts Festival, 2017
by ClearEvent Support | Event Management
Event planners are busy and it’s no easy feat to pull off a great event. Think for a moment, which of your suppliers go the extra mile to make sure everything is optimal for you? And even more importantly, which of your suppliers just do the minimum?
It’s especially important to ask “Is my ticketing company a valued partner?”. Sales from tickets is often the main source of revenue for many events. Your ticketing system is often the first point of contact with your event for your attendees, and first impressions matter!
Choose a ticketing company that treats you as a partner!
When it’s time to find a better ticketing company, how can you tell your new ticketing company will be a valued partner contributing to your overall success, and not just another average supplier? The following three factors make all the difference.
Are your Goals Aligned?
Are the goals of your ticketing company aligned with yours? Take a look at how they get paid and their impact on your attendees.
Is payment to your ticket company connected to the number of tickets sold, or to the amount of ticket revenue? Since total revenue is usually more important to most event planners than the number of tickets sold, it is better to work with a ticket company where their payment is tied to maximizing your revenue.
Work with a ticket company where their payment is tied to maximizing your revenue.
What about happy customers?
Does your ticket company care about your ticket buyers’ experience. If not, this means they may be okay with more unhappy attendees than you are! Since your ticket company is selling tickets to your customers, choose a ticket company that goes the extra mile to make sure that every ticket purchase leads to a happy customer.
Is Their Focus on Your Success?
Big companies with thousands of customers often find it difficult to provide great service to all their customers. This happens for many reasons and as a customer you feel it.
So when deciding on a ticket company, always remember, there’s a big difference between a company wanting your business and wanting you to succeed. Seek out a ticket company that truly understands that your success is their success. Choose one that understands what you are trying to do, and helps you get achieve that success.
Choose a ticketing company that helps you to succeed, not one that just wants your business.
Are They Looking For Ways to Help You?
Is your new ticketing company nimble and flexible? When you need something,how do they respond? Quickly and cheerfully or do you get treated like a number, just one of thousands of similar requests? Are they interested in suggestions for new features? Do they add new features requested by customers?
Your ticket company should be very eager to help you and your team and your attendees.
If attendees need technical help during or after purchasing tickets, your ticket company should promptly address any issues. If you or your colleagues have questions about the software, there should be multiple layers of support available to you, from simple tooltips all the way to live one-on-one support.
At ClearEvent, we believe our success should be connected to your success. We’re glad to provide guidance on best practices and we’re always looking for ways to make our event platform even better. On a regular basis, we add new features to help your event make more revenue and to improve the experience for your attendees. ClearEvent has a great track record of releasing new features requested by our customers. We know your feedback is the best way to make our event platform even better for you.
Finding ways to help you should be “just how your ticket company operates”.
Choose a Ticketing Partner, Not Just Another Average Supplier
In the event space, it’s essential your suppliers work with you as a partner, not just another supplier. This is especially true for your ticketing company. Your ticketing company has a big impact on revenue and attendee experience, both are key to great events.
Make sure your ticketing company treats you as a partner:
- Are your goals aligned?
- Is their focus on your success?
- Are they looking for ways to help you?
Quite frankly, why would you want anything less from a supplier? Smart event planners know to keep the suppliers that treat them like partners and replace the others with ones that will!
Happy Planning!
Learn how ClearEvent is the ticketing partner you’ve been looking for!
Interested In Other Topics?
As a conference planner, knowledge is key. Let us know the topics you’d like to hear about to help increase your event planning success, at support@clearevent.com.
In the meantime, Happy Planning!
