Once you’ve established the details and date for your event, it’s time to go into high gear with promoting your event.  The traditional postings on your website, e-newsletters and email blasts work great, but today, social media marketing is of critical importance to reach your constituency using platforms they frequent regularly such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

 

It is worthwhile reviewing how your organization is setup on the major social media platforms and a quick lesson on how they work.  You will want to use these platforms all throughout the event life cycle including:  pre-event planning to seek volunteers, promotion of the event for enlisting participants and sponsors, and post-event follow up to keep the excitement of the event and cause going.

 

Photos and video clips really help in spreading the word and going viral.  A good video that captures people’s hearts translates into more participants and sponsors.   So post your best video online using services like Youtube or Vimeo and share that link on your social media pages, in your email blasts and on your event website.

 

Some organizations like to use online surveys to poll selected people associated with organization for feedback about interest level, event preferences and options. This is great tool to get extra buy in from key people that will help promote the event to their friends and family.

You don’t need to wait until the final event details are finalized to start the buzz. Post a “save the date” flyer on your website and social media pages.  Send a “save the date” e-flyer to your organization’s mailing list.  Get the buzz going early. Use your site blog to keep the excitement building by posting personal event planning stories.

 

Social media hashtags, which will be discussed in more details in a near future blog helps you see who is talking about your event.  This information can be useful during different stages of promotion of the event.

On a more personal level, you can schedule a small intimate meeting with your most committed supporters and volunteers at a local coffee shop.  Let them know that you are looking for suggestions for recruiting others, as well as, ideas for recruiting team captains to help sign up teams (personal or corporate teams). 

 

Once personal and team fundraising pages are setup, the Wizathon platform has built in social media tools for fundraisers to spread the word to their colleagues, friends and family to sponsor their efforts for a cause they care about.

 

Remember to use all of the resources at your disposal to promote your event in order to raise the most money for your cause.

Involve Your Community In Your Online Fundraising.