If you’re looking to promote local events in Virginia Beach, this will be the guide that you’ll want to use. Promoting local events takes creativity, strategic planning, and understanding your community.
There’s no denying that Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads region have a vibrant atmosphere and a diverse audience. There are plenty of opportunities for event organizers to pull in crowds, such as locals and tourists.
In this guide, we’ll examine nine essential tips that will help your event attract the attention it needs. The more attention it gets, the more people might show up. Let’s get started with this guide right now.
Create Eye-Catching Flyers
First, it’s always a good idea to create flyers since they are not only traditional but are still effective for event promotion even to this day. Just because we’re in the digital age doesn’t mean that flyers are going out of style.
You can create visually appealing flyers that capture passersby’s attention and encourage them to attend what you’re organizing. Using tools like Adobe Express, you can design and distribute your flyers in high-traffic areas.
You can play around with different styles, such as colors, designs, and more. The more visually appealing it is, the better. A pro tip is to include an image that shows irrefutable visual evidence to create that vision that it can be an event that no one should miss out on.
Leverage Social Media Platforms
In the digital age, social media can still prove its worth as a powerful tool for promoting local events. Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to reach a broad audience quickly and efficiently.
You can create event pages, share regular updates, and, yes, use local-based hashtags such as #VirginiaBeachEvents. In addition, you can use targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram to reach out to specific demographics who may be interested in your event.
Please note that ads on Facebook won’t come cheap, so you need to determine your ad budget and the number of ads you need to run. That’s where planning a budget and strategically spending on ads will come into play.
Collaborate with Local Businesses
When partnering with local businesses can amplify your event promotion efforts. A company can spread the word through their networks and might even sponsor the event if they’d like to. They can also do giveaways to attract more attendees. You’re off to a good start if you have a network of business owners in the Virginia Beach area. From there, you can leverage that to build collaborative partnerships.
Utilize Email Marketing
Even today, email marketing is still quite effective when promoting your local events. You want to build an email list of potential attendees and give them exclusive offers such as early bird discounts or content. When they’re on the email list, they get things no one else is getting. So be sure to send out newsletters with event details, reminders, and special offers to inform and excite your audience.
Suppose you only have a little cash to throw around. In that case, you can use email marketing service providers such as MailChimp to help create visually appealing email campaigns featuring clear calls to action and encouraging recipients to register or buy tickets.
Engage with Local Influencers
There could be influencers in your local area who have a strong social media presence. If you can collaborate with them, you can promote your event to a broader audience. Partner with any local influencers you find in Virginia Beach, especially those aligned with your event’s theme and values.
You can offer them free tickets or exclusive access in exchange for them promoting your event on their social media channels. It can be a win-win for you both, and if it’s a success, they might be able to help you out with future events.
Host Contests and Giveaways
If you want to generate excitement and draw in people, contests, and giveaways could be what you want to hold. This can boost the event’s visibility and encourage participants to share your event details on social media. You can run a giveaway campaign where participants can tag friends, share the post, or even follow your page for prizes such as free tickets or merchandise.
Leverage Community Calendars and Event Listings
Community calendars and event listings are still going strong in Virginia Beach and across the country. You can list your event for free on these calendars and listings and even local websites and newspapers. The listings are often reviewed by residents, especially those who are looking for something to do on a weekday or a weekend.
Use Video Marketing
If you’re looking for a great way to build excitement and get people engaged, video marketing just might be the answer. Be sure to create short and compelling videos (even travel videos for tourists) that showcase what attendees can expect at the event. You can share these videos on your event page, email campaigns, or social media accounts.
It never hurts to use your smartphone and basic video editing tools to create excellent teaser videos to build excitement. You can also create videos that highlight the key aspects of your event, such as the activities, special guests, and more.
Engage with the Community Offline
This is your chance to engage with your community offline. Even though digital marketing has its place, it’s always a good idea to interact with the community face-to-face and sharpen your word of mouth chops. Be sure to check out any local meetups, community gatherings, and other events in the area so you can promote your own event directly to potential attendees who may be around.
Final Thoughts
Whether in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, or anywhere else on the Road, promoting your local events with online and offline strategies will undoubtedly be effective. Be sure to leverage social media, collaborate with local businesses and influencers, and create eye-catching marketing materials.
Events
