Have you ever promoted an event that no one attended? Or advertised a product that no one bought?
Don’t worry – it’s not you!
It’s probably your promotional material.
More often than not, businesses and organizations assume that, as long as the public knows about an event, people will come. Hardly. You need to capture their attention, and their hearts. You can do that with three quick fixes to optimize your promotional material.
Make it pretty. You were expecting me to say something about writing, weren’t you? I’ll get there, but let’s start with what most people notice first – the colors and pictures. If they don’t like the look of a flier or postcard, they won’t read it, so make sure you hire a designer who can translate your vision into an easy-to-read mailer, poster, or document. (If you have some design ability and skill, you can probably do this yourself, but if your promo looks like something you might have created in high school, consult an expert.)
Make it about the customer. This event/product isn’t about you – it’s about how you can meet your customers’ needs. Telling people that something is available isn’t enough. You need to show them how it will make their lives better, easier, or more fulfilling. It’s about what you can do for them, not about what they should attend or buy.
Don’t get ahead of yourself. Yes, you want people to know when your event is, but don’t lead with the date and time. When you do that, people won’t look past the date, and if they have a conflict they won’t consider attending. If you sell them on your event first, however, they may be intrigued enough to change or postpone their plans so they can attend your special event.
That’s it. Keep it simple. Keep it direct. And make sure you put your contact information on it so people can contact you with questions.
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What’s worked the best on your promotional materials?
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