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TTBEPS; Event Management Level 3; Module 16: Promote an Event
MODULE 16: PROMOTE AN EVENT
Unit BS00536
Unit Descriptor: This unit deals with the skills and knowledge required to design an event to catch
the interest of the potential clients.
Unit Elements:
1. Develop an advertising plan
2. Develop promotional events
3. Develop cross-promotional activities
4. Develop contest
5. Coordinate sales and promotion
Why Essential?
It’s more important to reach the people that count . . .
than to count the people you reach.
Event Planners are often disappointed when the result of their promotional efforts is less than
desired. One key concept to consider is that decisions to "purchase" a good or a service are
usually the result of repeated exposure to promotional messages.
Choosing to participate or spectate in an event is a form of deciding to purchase. Potential
purchasers need repeated exposure to information and promotional messages about the event.
With each exposure, the potential customer's attitudes and intentions to purchase may change.
The following diagram serves to illustrate how this works in theory (Isaac, 2017).
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TTBEPS; Event Management Level 3; Module 16: Promote an Event
Therefore, it is vital that Event Planners plan multiple promotional strategies and employ these
strategies in an orchestrated campaign (Isaac, 2017).
Event Promotion
Regardless of the nature of your event, its success will largely depend on promotion. Promotion
is vital in creating awareness of the event, a desire to participate, and a feeling by the potential
participant that the investment of time and money validates the benefits the event offers
(Leonard H. Hoyle, 2002).
The main purpose that promotion serves is to attract participants, spectators or both to the
event. A football match without a crowd is always disappointing and so is a product launch
without key stakeholders and potential buyers. It is, therefore, essential for an event team to
ensure proper planning and execution of promotion of the event is undertaken.
Promotion is also important to the sponsor – If one exists. The objective of the sponsor is to
achieve as much exposure of their name, logo and other properties as possible. Sponsors
therefore have a keen interest in the pre-event promotion and in the promotion that can be
achieved on the day through erecting signage and product displays in view of all participants
(Isaac, 2017).
Promotion is also important to the organization for reasons other than attracting a crowd on the
day. A well-promoted event increases public awareness of the organization. This is a chief reason
why special events are important (Isaac, 2017).
Promotion is also critical for profit making events. Event organizers require income earned from
spectator attendance or participants’ fees to pay for costs of the event. Any shortfall in expected
revenues can have a disastrous effect on organizations that stage special events (Isaac, 2017).
Regardless of the nature of your promotion, whether it includes advertising, press releases,
speeches, stunts, or brochures, the critical elements of “why, who, when, where, and what” must
be emphasized up front—in the first paragraph of your press release, on the cover of the
brochure, or in whatever medium of promotion you are using. It is the first axiom of journalism
and promotion (Leonard H. Hoyle, 2002).
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TTBEPS; Event Management Level 3; Module 16: Promote an Event
You may have the best-quality event product, but unless you have a strategic plan for promoting
this product, it will remain the best-kept secret in the world. The promotion strategy you identify
for your event requires a careful study of past or comparable efforts, expert guidance from
people who have specific expertise in this field, and most important, setting benchmarks for
specific measurement of your individual promotion activities. The promotional campaign may
include a wide range of marketing tools, or as few as one, depending on your products and your
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TTBEPS; Event Management Level 3; Module 16: Promote an Event
needs. There are many tools to be considered for use in a promotional campaign, among them
(Leonard H. Hoyle, 2002):
▪ Advertising
▪ Flyers
▪ Brochures
▪ Cross promotional activities
▪ Posters
▪ Speeches
▪ Postcards
▪ Street demonstrations
▪ Radio and television commercials in host venue
▪ Public service announcements
▪ E-mail, list serves, and e-commerce
▪ Bus and subway signage (inside and outside)
▪ Press kits
These and other types of promotions should be selected based on how you define your market
or event. In addition, the amount budgeted to fund the effort will assist you in making that
decision. It is essential for the Event Planner and team to conduct market research to determine
which of these tools will be most cost effective and generate the greatest return on investment
(Isaac, 2017). The market research should entail
▪ Pros and cons of the different promotional activities
▪ Liabilities and legalities of promotional activities
Advertising
The definition of “advertising”, according to the (British) Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
(IPA) is as follows:
‘Advertising presents the most persuasive possible selling message to the right prospects for the
product or service at the lowest possible cost.’
One of the most predominant and traditional event promotion techniques is advertising.
Advertising includes print and electronic media, transportation media (such as bus and rail),
advertising specialties (calendars, key rings, coffee mugs, and other products), and outdoor
media (billboards).
The Event Planner or designate should develop an Advertising Plan in accordance with the needs
of the events. Key components of the Advertising Plan include:
a. Situational analysis
b. Advertising Strategy
c. Implementation
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TTBEPS; Event Management Level 3; Module 16: Promote an Event
Based on the Advertising Plan that is designed for your event, the Event Planner must then
identify suitable media outlets through which to advertise. Then, as discussed in previous
Modules, the Event Planner will then source suppliers for those media outlets, negotiate and
purchase the services or products accordingly.
Cross Promotional Activities
To allocate market resources in the most efficient manner, you must identify and incorporate
marketing partners into your campaign. These organizations may contribute marketing dollars or
may provide in-kind services, such as providing celebrities, tagging their ads with your event date
and time, or contributing other valuable components to your campaign. When seeking marketing
partners to develop a cross-promotional strategy, the following steps should be undertaken:
1. Study the advertising and marketing activities of compatible businesses in your area.
Determine which of these activities will benefit your event.
2. Develop a proposal that clearly describes the resources that you can bring to the event.
3. Finally, present the proposal to your prospective marketing partners and answer any
questions they may pose. (Goldbalt, 2002)
Another key concept and practice in cross-promotion is called Tagging Advertising. This involves
your marketing partner adding a line of copy to his or her regular advertising placements that
promotes your event. It may read: “Official supporter of XYZ event” or “Meet us at XYZ event,
date and time.” Tag lines may appear in both print and electronic advertising. Make certain that
you chronicle all marketing activities so that you can report to your partners after the event and
describe in intricate detail those placements that were successful. Cross promotions and tie-in
activities are sensational ways to reach a much larger market in a cost-effective manner
(Goldbalt, 2002).
The following must be taken into consideration before an event team/organization conducts
cross-promotional activities:
a. An assessment of potential partnership opportunities with sponsors, donors, suppliers
and other compatible organization; and
b. An assessment of opportunities and costs to promote the event at venues of non-
competing events with similar target market segments
Public Relations
“Public Relations” is the promotional discipline of forming what your audience thinks or feels
about the value of your enterprise and, even more important, about your organization. It is a
broader, more time-consuming approach to building continuing allegiance to your cause and
participation in your events. The goals of a public relations campaign may vary significantly,
ranging from creating awareness of your event in its early stages of development to continuing
such awareness over a period to offsetting negative publicity or controversies about the company
or association that sponsors your event (Leonard H. Hoyle, 2002). Regardless, there are certain
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TTBEPS; Event Management Level 3; Module 16: Promote an Event
principles of public relations that will be employed. This discourse is further discussed in a
subsequent Unit.
Contests
Contests are common promotional tools used by companies to attract customers to their
company or product. A contest requires participants to complete some sort of challenge, such
as a trivia question, or demonstrate talent or skill. This promotional tool has some strengths as
a marketing tool, but potential flaws as well (Kokemuller, 2017).
A primary purpose of a contest is to attract interest to your event or brand and create a buzz.
Online contest promotions have also been used to generate web-business fans in the form of
Facebook friends, Twitter followers, email or feed subscribers.
In developing a contest the Event Planner should:
a. Determine the type of contest to hold
b. Assess the liabilities and legalities
c. Develop rules, regulations, selection criteria and entry procedures and define prize
system
d. Determine resources required
e. Coordinate presentation logistics
Street Promotions
This marketing activity requires that you literally take your message to the street. Street
promotions may include the handing out of flyers by a clown in a high-traffic area, the
appearance of a celebrity at a local mall, contests, or other promotional activities designed to
draw high visibility to your event. A celebrity appearance can help generate significant publicity
if it is handled properly (Goldbalt, 2002).
Social Media
The use of social media platforms is now regarded as a "must do" strategy for promoting any
event. Social media promotions require thorough research and knowledge to make good use of
its potential. Popular social media platforms used for promotions are:
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
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TTBEPS; Event Management Level 3; Module 16: Promote an Event
Social media promotion consists of the attempt to use social media to persuade those that one's
organization, items and/or solutions are worthwhile. Community online marketing is promotion
using social systems, social systems, weblog promotion and more. Social media promotion is not
merely about hitting the front page or any other social information web page. It is a strategic and
methodical process to establish the company’s impact, reputation and item within areas of
potential clients, visitors or supporters (SI, 2016).