Outdoor Events & Advance Ticket Sales

It has never been so easy and inexpensive to interact with your target market. In, “Leading People to Provide Feedback,” I wrote about the importance of collecting feedback from your target market.  Your target market represents the people most likely to attend your event. Today I’d like to take the feedback process one step further. This step involves integrating target market opinion when you’re planning and marketing your event.  Instead of getting into specific techniques for collecting feedback, I’d like to approach the concept from a strategic level. Think of it as food for thought.

Never Assume What They Want
A huge mistake made by several event organizers is assuming their target market’s wants and needs.  This happens frequently. Especially when events that are organized by committee.  Event organizers plan events around their wants and needs, not the wants and needs of their target market.  The problem is what event organizers want from their event and what their patrons want are usually completely different.  One might argue, “I’m organizing my event and paying for it, so I can do whatever I want!” I’m not going to argue with the previous statement.  But I will ask the following question: Would you rather have a very successful event, or have 100% control over your event?  (You can only choose one.) The most successful event organizers let patrons help plan their events via patron feedback.  Feedback can come in many different forms. Feedback includes email, blogs, surveys, and everything in between.   

You Can't Integrate Everything
You’re obviously not going to be able to accommodate every suggestion or request. I understand that patron requests can go beyond the budget and scope of your event. But it's in your own best interest to give patron feedback serious consideration. The cliche of "It's the thought that counts," actually applies in this situation. People are much more likely to get passionate and excited about things where they have input, even if it’s only perceived input. You want to involve your target market throughout your marketing cycle. Make patrons feel like their part of your event before it event begins.

Are you involving your target market enough in the planning and marketing of your event?  It’s not always an easy question to answer, but it’s an important one to ask. If you make an effort to involve your target market, the likelihood of having a successful event goes up dramatically. It can be as simple as sending an email and asking someone, "Hey, what do you think of this?"

> Leave a Comment About This Post

Want to get more great info? Check out the articles below:

• Create a Better Event with Patron Feedback
• Collecting Real Time Feedback on Your Event
• Simple Customer List Building Suggestions
• Start Building Your List Early
• Late Event Promotion - Big List Growth

• The Event Promotion System
  Get Your Free Event Promotion & Marketing Video Training