Promoting a Fair, Festival or EventIf they don't know, they won't come.Organizers of even the most successful events cannot afford to sit back and hope that crowds will continue to show up year after year. The results of inaction could result in no crowd at all. To avoid this disaster, appoint a Publicity/Promotion committee and make certain that its members develop an effective promotional strategy early in the planning process. Remember, you are not selling a product; you are selling the benefi ts of the product. The benefit you are selling is entertainment! A festival is essentially show business. Consider these benefits as part of the entertainment package when creating the image for your festival:
Here are some examples of promotional methods used by event organizers. Most of this promotion can be done at little or no cost. What's required are two things that money can't always buy-creativity and imagination.
If your marketing strategy determines that brochures are an effective way to reach your target audience, then carefully design the best brochure possible. First answer these three questions:
Tips for Preparing a Media Release Only one person from your organization should be in contact with the news media. This avoids conflicting reports and confusion. Your media contact person must be someone who is easily reached by telephone during working hours. The most important rule of journalism is accuracy. Write everything down and double check dates, times, names, and places. Be brief and to the point. Stick to facts. Avoid fancy adjectives and unfamiliar terms. Use active verbs and avoid changing verbs into nouns. Make sure there is some tie-in between the information in the release and the readers, listeners, or viewers. Make it of interest and important to them. Type media releases, double-spaced on 8 1/2" x 11" white paper. Include the contact person's name, address, and telephone number. Also, include the current date and date of release or "For Immediate Release." If your story takes more than one page, write "More" at the bottom. Get your story to the media as soon as possible. Know their deadlines and, whenever possible, let the media know about your event in advance. Write news releases in inverted pyramid style. Indicate the most important news at the top, the lesser in the middle, and the insignifi cant at the bottom. This format allows the news editor to chop the release almost at any point and still retain the essential information. Sample Media Release (printed on your festival's stationery which includes address). American Fudge Festival Fun Run June 15, 2007 For Immediate Release American Fudge Festival Cocoaville: Runners of all ages are invited to participate in the Second Annual Fun Run on June 30. The starting time is 11:30 a.m. at the city park. This event is sponsored by the American Fudge Festival. The race route is a combination of city streets, gravel roads, and grass covered park paths. The route includes moderate hills and crosses two bridges. Medals will be awarded to the top three winners in each of the six divisions for both men and women. There is a $5 entry fee which entitles all entrants to receive a specially designed Fudge Festival T-shirt and a one pound box of fudge. Registration forms are available at the city library, Bob's Sport Shop, and the Chamber booth. |
Planning a Successful Event, 2. Organizing 3. Fundraising 4. Corporate Sponsorship 5. Promotion 6. Buying Media 7. Setting the Image of the Event 8. Operating 9. Buying Music Acts 10. Grounds Attractions 11. Sound, Lighting & Staging 12. Sample Artist Contract and Rider 13. From the Entertainers View 14. Backstage Hospitality 15. Talent Contests 16. Queen Contests 17. Parades 18. Horse Events 19. Rodeo's and Horse Events 20. Farm Youth Program 21. Choosing a Carnival 22. Concessions 23. Legalities and Risk Management 24. Event Insurance 25. Royalties 26. Location/Physical Facilities 27. Grounds and Facilities 28. Office and Staffing 29. Tractor Pulls 30. Estimating Crowd Attendance 31. Festival Evaluation 32. Event Impact Studies 33. Conclusion, Final Word 12 Ways to Kill an Event Bibliography: Sources and Contributors Acknowledgements |
Enter your free listing for your
Festivals & Events, Vendors & Entertainers
Festivals & Events, Vendors & Entertainers
