with savvy marketing · •recruit social media ambassadors –staff and volunteers •have a plan...

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

creating an experiencewith savvy marketing

Luann Feehan | CEO/Executive Director | Nonprofit Connect

1. Create an experience– A successful event is a memorable, positive… experience

– Creativity develops with small budgets. Dream of ways you can make an impression on the crowd.

– What do you want people to take away about your chamber as a result of this event

– Evoke emotion

2. Use the 5 senses– Our senses create some of our most vivid memories. Create an indelible memory, look for ways to

involve the audience’s five senses (sight, hear, smell, taste and touch)

3. Ensure meaningful use of time

– Ensure that everyone can answer yes to the question – Was this a meaningful use of my time?

4. Exceed expectations– Details matter. Provide the unexpected – added value (pickles)

5. Drive attendance– Don’t wait for people ‘to find your event’.

– Use a multi-touch promotional campaign to attract attendees, sponsors, and all stakeholders

– Direct mail, email, and social media are all common marketing tools

– Make it easy for people to stumble across the event and become compelled to participate.

8 effective event rules

Promote, promote, promote

6. Measure results

– Decide what you want and what will be viewed as a success. Is it for guests to

become smarter, the chamber to become more visible or members to become

better connected.

– How will you measure this success? Revenue, attendance, impressions, likes,

larger mailing list, or bump in membership recruitment/retention.

7. Encourage engagement– Find an active component such as technology (survey, social media postings, celebrity appearance,

contests, giveaways, prizes – others are easier such as golf, run/walk, bowl, exhibit)

– Solicit the human component, invite people to tell their story which helps to endorse the event and

broadens the reach.

8. Leave a positive impression– People remember it, talk about it, and share it. – That’s marketing gold!

effective event rules

Savvy marketing creates and compliments the experience

1. Event Prep

2. Creative Plan

3. Ramp Up

4. Pull It Together

5. Show Time

6. Post Event

7. Final Thoughts

marketing stages

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

event prep

• Tell your chamber story in

1 page

• Fold in event stats

Impact sheet

• Create a timeline, map it out

• Have a strategy: identify and control frequency

• Start with the date of the event and work backwards

• Using stickies: different colors may mean different programs

or form of marketing or in larger organizations may mean

different staff involvement

• Or, use project management software

marketing scope

• Detail the steps

marketing timeline

• Communicate the steps

• Involve staff– Website

– Social media

– Video

– Sponsorship

– Bookkeeping

– Graphic Design

– Newsletter

– Volunteers

staff assignments

Every staffer makes an impression every day – make it a good one!

• Public Relations/Reputation

• Recruitment/Retention

• Sales/Member Development

• Support/Customer Satisfaction

• Event/Education/Experience

• Executive Leadership/Effectiveness

staff

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• Volunteer job description

• Similar to employee job descriptions

• Event Chairs

• Committee members

volunteer expectations

• Board of Directors!

volunteer expectations

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• Expand your marketing potential by engaging an event posse’

• Rally those with event history– Alumni reception

– Founders

– Sponsors

– Committees

• 9 months out

building a posse’

creative plan

• Set the tone

• Introduce look & feel

• Varying design components

• 4 months out

theme & campaigns

•

campaigns

• Social media

• Note cards

• Posters

• Programs

• Invites

• Thank you’s

campaigns

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

ramp up

communication appeal

• Who is your audience

• Identify where they are on social media

• Then do it - Market to your audience in a way that

gets their attention Direct mail

Email

Social Media

• Then drive them to action Website

Database

Call-in

• Keep feeding it in regular doses @NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• The uniting place

• Take time to set the tone

• Make it easy to navigate

• Provide sponsor exposure

• Provide full details

website

Web & Registration page

Home page

• #1 way to communicate with members.• Your first 3 emails captures the most attention so make it

count.• Connect them to the viewers “trigger point”, why they

would want to attend.• Compose it in the “you” – tense. Use less of us and we

and more of you and your.• Visually compelling

– No more than 3 images– No more than 3 links

• Better to send shorter content more often than lots of content less frequently

• Include the call to action – share your story, register, etc.

email

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

1. Make it skimmable (but not necessarily short)

2. Make it accessible without pics

3. Make it relevant and personalized

4. Add automation when possible.

5. Make members a part of the story

6. Grow with permission – no harvesting & no auto opt-ins

7. Segment lists by location. A local feel = a personal feel, every time

7 email marketing tips

• Customized

• Know the audience it’s appealing to

• Well positioned, timing

• Solicit Letters– From Chamber Exec

– From Event Chairs

• Invites

• Program

direct mail

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

social media

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

social media

• Best way to increase capacity and efficiency

• Recruit social media ambassadors– Staff and volunteers

• Have a plan– Review dates, complimentary programs, chamber programs that are

relevant to this event and cross promote.

– Other important dates you can “piggy back on”, concert, opening game, high profile events

• Don’ be afraid to say no or that’s enough.

• Time management– Schedule content in advance

– Block 15 minutes a day to review and respond to engaged supporters

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

facebook

• Where users spend an average of 50 minutes a day• Post quality not quantity• 2 – 3 times a week• Ask Yes/No questions• Post photos from behind the scenes• Connect with other business and nonprofit Facebook pages• Share your history• Create a survey• Share testimonials• Thank volunteers and sponsors• Share impact/results of your work• Expand exposure beyond your chamber• Link to coverage of your event in the press or to involved members• Post event invitation

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

Want to spread the news about your event?

Ask the right people to tweet it out to their network for you.

• Encourage followers to retweet(engagement increases 12 times when asked)

• Share original content

• Demonstrate thought leadership

• Engage influencers

• Increase media relations

• 3 times a day leads to higher engagement

• Use photos in posts

twitter

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• 3.5 billion “likes” daily• Second to Facebook for the most engaged daily users• 90% of users are 35 or younger• Only post great photos• Owned by Facebook so when you do an ad on

Facebook you can also run on Instagram• Balance consistency with quality• Posts should tell a story about your events impact using

captions• Hashtag it

instagram

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• Are like folders that help to sort through the volume of content

• Help create communities with the same interest

• Engage an audience and inform those not attending

• Track an event

• Don’t use more than 2 hashtags per tweet

#hashtags…

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

pull it together

• Save the date

• Use pictures, testimonials

• Tell the story

• Use a call for action: nominate, register

• 6 months out

solicitation begins

InstagramFacebookConstant Contact

• Announcement:letter, email, social media

• Build interest & followers

• Promote sponsorships

• 5 months out

member profile

• Convene stakeholders

• Building raving fans and community

build community

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• Leverage relationships

• Sell sponsorships

• Build clicks

• 90 days

out

promo video

YouTube & Vimeo

• Market in phases

• Sponsorship includes tickets

• Individual ticket sales

– Allows separate hype

– Early bird sales

• Timing is synchronized

ticket sales

• Do some research before your choose it.

• Promote event handle, on social media and post it often

• Increases tweets AND twitter viewers AND engages members

• Make it easy to find. Be sure it’s posted on your event program/handouts, screens

• 1 week out

#hype

• Testimonial quotes

• 1 week out

• Sponsor list

sponsor love

show time

• Teasers

• Photographer

• Social media producers

Day of

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• On site twitter feed

• Facebook live

engagement

Everwall - https://everwall.com/$30 for a one day use.

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• Give-away

– Note cards

– Cookies

– Gift Cards

– Plants

– Inspiration

– Toys

unexpected

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post event

• Email thank you message at the event conclusion (scheduled)

• Embed a video message

• Attach links

• Connect to next event

• Celebrate

• Thank sponsors, speakers, volunteers, attendees, etc.

gratitude

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• Video share

• Facebook

• YouTube Channel

• LinkedIn

• Following day

provide access

• Photo share

• On all Social Media outlets used

• Tag pics

• Following week

post event

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• Start all over again

rinse & repeat

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

final thoughts

• Charging station – make be a sponsor item

• Tag your PDFs and pictures so Google can find it

• Content

– Do not use “Us” and “We”. Instead make it about the member, “Your” and “You”. Your chamber is not doing the action, the member is doing the action.

– Use Plain, Powerful Language and keep it brief

• Twitter: Tweet compliments to reporters to get attention and build rapport.

• Recruit 3-5 social media ambassadors to help spread the word.

tips, tricks and ideas

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• Google grants - Receive Free Money– Google will donate $10,000 per month for AdWords. – Apply today at https://www.google.com/grants/

• Golf tournament – full of opulence– Make it so over the top that it stands outrageous– Valet parking with car detailed– Tailored jacket– Free shoes– Flowers for spouse, partner, friend, themselves– Sunglasses– Massage– Hot Towel Shave– Concierge assigned to them– Prizes: Garmin FitBit; Dinner with Salvy, (Royals player)

• Give 1 table (or extra seats) to each Board of Director to bring guests, friends of theirs, to your event to offer new exposure to your chamber.

• Event tailgating for young professionals• Find unique concepts - such as taking mummy’s to get scanned at hospital (media

coverage!)

tips, tricks and ideas

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

• Mentoring programs gaining interest

• Cast Iron chef using local “celebrity” cooks

• Senior Tour: take seniors to tour senior facilities

• Provide sponsor option for a member to sponsor

the full suite of chamber events – they have their

logo on everything… for a price.

• Event for Boss’ Day or Administrative Assistance Day

tips, tricks and ideas

@NPConnect | @SmartConnectKC

thank you

YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT WHEN OTHERS GET WHAT THEY WANT.

Luann Feehan | CEO/Executive Director lfeehan@npconnect.org | www.npconnect.org | @SmartConnectKC