by Sandy Allnock
You’ve decided to host a specialty club meeting – an Open House or educational workshop of some sort. Someone said you need to market it – what on earth does that mean? Doesn’t marketing have to have big budgets and college degrees?
Not at all – though there’s certainly value in having an education on the topic, and a budget if your marketing ideas are “big” – but let’s break down the basics of marketing into three key concepts:
- Understand your audience.
- Understand your “why.”
- Understand the audience’s lingo.
That sounds pretty easy, right? Let’s unpack them just a little:
Understand your audience. Who are you hoping to interest in your event? Are there local businesses, schools, or organizations whose members could benefit from what your club offers? Are there specific qualities about the audience that you might take into account – gender, nationality/language, or level of expertise? What question or problem do they have in their lives or their jobs that your club or your event can answer?If you’re not part of this audience, interviewing those who are can be a very helpful part of your research and preparation for the event.
Understand your why. For what reason are you inviting the aforementioned audience? Are they a good fit for your club long-term, or just for one event? In marketing lingo, this is called your “Unique Selling Proposition” – identifying what you do that’s different from others. If your event meets their needs, you’re one step closer to a perfect match!
Understand the audience’s lingo. Choose terminology in your materials that will be easily understood by your intended audience is important; using Toastmasters lingo or abbreviations might be off-putting. Consider running your materials past someone who’s in the target group and ask if the language speaks to them. What are the modes of communication most likely to reach them (email, personal call, flyers)?
When utilizing these key points of marketing while creating your materials – flyers, online registration pages, emails, and Facebook event pages – they’ll get your audience excited to learn more. And you can celebrate because you’ll be marketing!
Interested in learning more about marketing your club event? Attend the online meeting of Sound Advice on Thursday, July 16th from 6:30 – 8:30 pm on Zoom! Sandy Allnock (PM5 EH3) will be presenting more about marketing club events and crafting content to promote them, and leading small group breakout sessions for hands-on practice. If your club has an open house scheduled, bring a few team members to brainstorm together! REGISTER HERE to get the zoom link!
