It’s best to follow a strategic procedure or template for a marketing communications plan in addition to incorporating the tips below.
1. REVIEW YOUR ENTIRE FESTIVAL BUDGET
Allocate up to 10% of your entire festival budget on 'marketing’ communication initiatives.
2. FOLLOW A SET GUIDELINE
Create a template for a full marketing plan and follow the steps to completing it.
3. IDENTIFY WHO YOU WANT TO ATTRACT
Describe the people who attend your festival now. Who do you want to have attend in the future?
4. COMPILE A SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
Take a step back and assess how your festival ‘brand’ is perceived by others. It is a ‘snapshot’ photo of your pricing policy, your event branding, who is your audience and how you have promoted the event in the past. Brainstorm your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Also review competing festivals or attractions in your area. Is there potential for joint promotions?
5. SET “MEASURABLE" GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Be sure to include social media and assign people who will be responsible for each goal/objective. Disbursing tasks make a large project much easier. Assign one or two people to monitor the program prior to the event.
6. DETERMINE A 'THEME' FOR THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL
Create a concept and buzz that will make people want to attend or get involved. What is the message you want to relay?
7. IDENTIFY WHICH MARKETING ACTIVITY IS BEST FOR YOUR FESTIVAL.
a. Paid advertising should be targeted. Be specific and selective in your media buys. Determine the message you want to relay in each communication.
b. Consider flyers, posters, print advertising, on-line banner advertising, co-operative advertising, social media such as Twitter or Facebook, develop a website, e-newsletters, blogs, press releases and free publicity PSAs. Also create mutual beneficial partnerships with community businesses that will help promote your event.
c. Plan out media buy placements in advance. Some publications require an extended lead time, sometimes up to 6 months!
8. CREATE A SCHEDULE AND PLAN EARLY!
A schedule will show what publications you are in, how often, and it also summarizes your costs. This will prevent you from going over budget.
9. BE SURE TO MAXIMIZE YOUR FREE PUBLICITY.
Press releases are not only for the media in television and radio. Be sure to send out a press release to local clubs and private groups, companies that may be interested in sponsorship, local government officials, free tourism publications, your local tourism office, and community papers. Free advertising needs to be planned in advance. Do follow up calls with the media to schedule interviews on local television or local radio stations.
10. MEASURE YOUR RESULTS!
Take surveys at your festival, count the number of people at the event, use draw ballots to collect demographics (ex: where they are from), create an email database for e-newsletters, create on-line draws and contests to capture on-line demographics, and install Google Analytics on your website to track traffic sources as a result of any advertising. Collecting measureable data lends credibility to your event when writing grants!
Monday, October 26, 2009
What is a Festival Marketing Plan and Do You Need One?
What is a Festival Marketing Plan?
A festival marketing plan is your roadmap to inspire, excite and attract people to your event.
These are items you should include in your roadmap:
a) WHO is your target audience that you want to attend the event?
b) WHAT is your message (depending on your target audience?
You may have more than one message to reach different groups.
c) HOW do you tell them about your event and which communication tools are
suited for your festival? Will it be print, broadcast or on-line?
d) WHERE and which publications and communication tools will you use?
e) WHEN and what frequency of advertising/publications are needed?
A Marketing Plan Is Critical to the Life and Growth of Your Festival
You should treat your festival like a small business – you need a marketing campaign to engage people. Your marketing campaign can last weeks, months or even years. One key element that all long term successful festivals have in common is a solid marketing plan.....
1- To continually communicate with festival attendees
2- To attract new festival attendees
3- To introduce new attractions to your festival, changes or additions
4- To enlist volunteers
5- To remind people and the community that your event still exists!
6- To heighten the image of the festival
7- To change how people think and view your festival
8- Solicit donations or corporate sponsors
Watch for the next blog about the 10 Tips to Effective Festival Marketing.
A festival marketing plan is your roadmap to inspire, excite and attract people to your event.
These are items you should include in your roadmap:
a) WHO is your target audience that you want to attend the event?
b) WHAT is your message (depending on your target audience?
You may have more than one message to reach different groups.
c) HOW do you tell them about your event and which communication tools are
suited for your festival? Will it be print, broadcast or on-line?
d) WHERE and which publications and communication tools will you use?
e) WHEN and what frequency of advertising/publications are needed?
A Marketing Plan Is Critical to the Life and Growth of Your Festival
You should treat your festival like a small business – you need a marketing campaign to engage people. Your marketing campaign can last weeks, months or even years. One key element that all long term successful festivals have in common is a solid marketing plan.....
1- To continually communicate with festival attendees
2- To attract new festival attendees
3- To introduce new attractions to your festival, changes or additions
4- To enlist volunteers
5- To remind people and the community that your event still exists!
6- To heighten the image of the festival
7- To change how people think and view your festival
8- Solicit donations or corporate sponsors
Watch for the next blog about the 10 Tips to Effective Festival Marketing.
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