PROMOTION
“I don’t care what they call me as long as they mention my
name. ” – George Cohan
There are many aspects
of a program that can make or break its effectiveness. If you hold a
dance without first listening to the band’s demo tape, your attendees
may leave after the first song because they cannot figure out how to
dance to the accordion/kazoo mix. If you sponsor a well-known speaker
and sell 150 tickets for a room that holds 25 people, you are going
to have some disgruntled guests.
Regardless of other
aspects of program planning, chances are it will not succeed if one
element is not addressed: Promotion. Effective promotion is critical
to the success of any event. There are some basic concepts to consider
when you are brainstorming ways to publicize your event. Reflecting
on the following questions is a good place to start:
-
What
type of audience do you expect? Increase the effectiveness of your
promotion by gearing it towards the audience you expect. Consider
the different approaches you would use to sponsor a carnival for children
as opposed to a formal wine and cheese party for distinguished alumni.
-
How
much time do you have? Whenever possible, plan in advance. A month
of promotional activity will lead to more positive effects than one
week.
-
What
is your budget? Costs associated with promotion should always be included
in the initial budget figures, never “whatever is left over. ”
-
Where
can you reach your target audience? Decide how many people you would
like to attend and organize your promotion to reflect that goal. You
might hand out flyers on the Quad or send personal invitations to
a select group, depending upon your goal.
Once you have settled
on the basics, it is time to focus on strategy. When brainstorming with
your committee, do not take budgetary limits into account. Allow a free
flow of ideas and if you decide on one that is out of your budget, consider
ways to alter the idea to work within your boundaries. Following are
a few ideas to get your brainstorming process rolling:
-
Posters-When
you have a month to promote your event, keep in mind the following
general rule: 15% of your posters should be distributed the first
week, 25% during the second week, and 60% the final two weeks. Avoid
nailing your posters to trees or hanging them in places that are not
very visible.
-
Flyers-Distribute
your flyers during prime traffic times on campus, such as over the
lunch hour or between classes. The number of people passing by the
Quad at this time can be phenomenal!
-
Banners-It
is difficult to pass by a decorative banner without taking a moment
to see what it is advertising. When designed appropriately and placed
strategically, a small number of banners can attract a large number
of people.
-
Professors-Send
memos to departments that are related to your program and ask professors
to mention it during class. Write notes on the chalkboards in these
classrooms.
-
Public
events-Informing 10,000 people about your event may sound like a dream.
Turn it into a reality: Ask the athletic department to make an announcement
during a time-out of a sporting event.
-
Buttons,
t-shirts, hats…On what other wearable items can you place your
ad? Think of all the people with whom you come in contact during
an average week. If you wear a button promoting your event during
that week, most likely everyone with whom you communicate will notice
it, which will increase their chances of attending.
-
Press
releases-If you want to involve the off-campus community, be sure
to include them in your promotional approach. Notify radio and television
stations, newspapers and other mass media to advertise your program.
-
Go
big time-Hire a skywriter. Have someone attach a banner to his hot
air balloon. Get a loudspeaker and drive around making your advertisement
heard. If you think some of these are too expensive, check them out
– you might be surprised. Maybe someone in your group has connections
or a skywriter will give you a discount since she has been hired to
do another announcement later that afternoon anyway.
Last hint: Be creative!
We’ve all seen the popular places to hang posters – certain
bulletin boards and poles are so cluttered with posters that we cannot
distinguish one from the other. Hang yours where they are visible but
not crowded out by other advertisements. Consider parking lots, bus
shelters and other high-traffic locations. Also consider places where
people are often located but have nothing to do but read your poster:
Inside buses, bathroom stalls, waiting rooms. Let your imagination go!
Reference:
Maki,
R. M. How students can publicize a campus program. Campus Activities
Programming, p. 36.
Leader Readers | Illini Union
|