In my last article I talked about Creating a Live Event – The Basics to Get Started. Creating the perfect event at a venue where your clients are really going to connect with your message with a valued outcome is only the first step. If you want to fill the room you have to market your event.

Great marketing for an event, whether it is a live event, a product launch, a telesummit, etc. is really about the planning. Here is a timeline to planning your next event.

Start at The End

Start on the date of the event and work backwards to the current date to create a timeline for your marketing touches.

On the day of the event

• You may want to send out some final reminders to your list. There may be people that have wanted to attend but did not take action and now with this last invitation they may join in. This is especially true if you have a recording that can get after the event, but only for those who are signed up.
• Send out a reminder to those that are attending so they will not miss the event they have signed up for.
• If you have a way for people to engage with the event without attending you may want to announce or re-announce that today. For instance, maybe there will be a Tweet-up conversation to follow.

Close to the event

• Final reminders, flyers, networking invitations: Make sure that everyone that you have told about the event hears about it again.
• If an early bird pricing is expiring then let people know about this.
• If there is a change to the event (more speakers, a larger room, sold out) let people know about it.
• Get others talking about the event (online and in-person)
• If you are offering a live feed, a recording or a way to engage without attending then announce it close to the event date.

Coming up to the event

• Do an initial announcement (in the form of a free talk or somehow in person) so that people are energized by your excitement for the event.
• Have a regular way of keeping this information fresh and top-of-mind for those you want to come.

Before you start

• Send out a teaser about your event to let people know that something is going to happen – that you have an announcement that will affect your customers and clients.

Remember there are a lot of ways you can do your marketing, from online, in person, and email to traditional mailing, etc. There may be hundreds of ways to connect with your clients and this plan only gives you the basic milestones, you will also need to schedule the type of touches you will want to create and manage throughout this time.