It’s the holiday season, and for us in Southwest Florida, it’s season in general. As an influx of snowbirds and tourists bring valuable dollars to support our local businesses, we see a notable uptick in events vying for consumer attention. As marketing collateral is often the first interaction potential consumers have with a brand, we’ve outlined a few basic steps towards crafting highly-effective event advertisements.
Event flyers can be pared down into two base elements: imagery and text. A successful and enticing event flyer hinges on how these two elements interact and complement each other. Think of them as a conceptual yin and yang – each part serves a purpose, but the full composition truly comes together when the two are working in concert.
Avoid too much text
Event organizers often feel that the details are the most important part of a flyer; after all, the audience needs to know the what, where, and when. Someone in the office may have suggested a brief blurb about the event be included so people get the full picture. Oh, and sponsors need to be there too. Before you know it, your flyer has become a sea of text with only a small corner left to fit a stock photo. The first rule of thumb: No one wants to read a novel when they’re expecting a post-it note. Pare your information down to the key details and make use of web links to flesh out details further. You’re already looking to drive traffic to an event-specific page on your site or a ticket reservation platform, so save the full scope of information for those places.
Build a vibe
While you’re paring down extraneous copy from your flyer, remember that visual elements create an emotional connection. In the marketing world, the old adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words” is a bit half-baked; the right picture is worth a thousand words. Nail down the atmosphere of your event (theme, attire, etc.) and look to convey that in the imagery you choose. Remember that visuals should excite a potential attendee and drive them to RSVP or purchase a ticket, and the copy can expand on the details and how to do so. It’s also important to make sure the imagery in your flyer is authentic to the actual event – if your collateral hints toward a high-end party and patrons arrive at a casual get-together, this could foster distrust and discourage attendance at future events.
That looks familiar
Stock photography is commonplace and can be one of the greatest conveniences when marketing for a small business. Unfortunately, and often unbeknownst to these businesses, it can also be one of the biggest pitfalls. Imagine this scenario – Bar A and Bar B are both throwing a costume party for Halloween. They’re both creating flyers in-house and need imagery for these projects. One can assume the first step would be to simply run a Google image search for “costume party” and see what pops up. Two similar businesses throwing similar events, searching for similar keywords are likely to come back with similar results – results that could end up on flyers in the same market, targeting the same demographic. This overlap takes us back to the original point – stock photography is commonplace. Your consumer is also aware of this fact and can identify when generic assets are used. Make your event and your business stand out as authentic by using original or highly-customized assets whenever possible. If the budget or circumstances don’t agree, then consider performing a higher-level search with more unique keywords to yield different results from your competitors.
Consider your brand
We always tell our clients that brand-building doesn’t stop once a company’s logo is finished. Brands are built daily, from the smallest consumer interactions to the largest company-led programs and achievements. True to this point, there’s no such thing as a one-off event separate from the organization that throws it. As such, make sure all aspects of your flyer and overall event collateral mesh well with your established brand. Consider the overlap between your event attendees, your core customers or demographic, and the qualities your customers look for in your business. Using what you know is successful about your business’ marketing should inform your decisions about marketing for specific events – what visuals may resonate well, what descriptors or details may entice. This can give you a leg up over competing events and allow you to carve out your own niche.
If your event requires an elevated approach to marketing and design to secure attendance and set it apart from the competition, call CONRIC pr + Marketing at 239-690-9840 ext. 1001, or email us at info@conricpr.com. Schedule your free consultation today and make your next event your best event.
