Go where your competition is NOT
Every Wednesday is dedicated to client "status calls." If I don't drone on too long, these status calls usually last about 10-20 minutes. In short, the agenda goes like this: what have we done and the results, what are we working on now, and what's next?
If you're not doing something like a status call, I strongly recommend them. Provided you have an action based agenda, it really helps with team efficiency. Especially if you want to avoid atrociously long (accomplished nothing!) meetings.
I digress ...
During one of the status calls yesterday, the topic of mailboxes came up again. I asked my client, "how much mail do you get daily?" Her reply, "my inbox is always full!" To which I had to clarify, "... your postal mailbox." And she replied with, "I get very little postal mail these days."
This week, I found two pieces of mail in my postal mailbox. Three weeks ago, I almost went to the post office, because I hadn't received any postal mail for four days! Most people I ask say, "I'm receiving far less postal mail these days!" And that lack of postal mail is a potential opportunity for your event. And a place your competition is probably not leveraging!
Ask yourself, "While everyone is going online (including your competition), is there an opportunity to market your event via the postal service?" After years of talking about it, clients are finally ready to give direct (postal) mail another chance.
Here's a tiny excerpt from May's Event Profit Report to drive home the point:
"A local Greek parish uses direct mail postcards with great success to promote their four-day ethnic festival. The outdoor festival makes over $250,000 USD in food and beverage sales. In a recent discussion with one of the Greek festival's organizers, it was revealed that their postcards are the most effective form of event marketing."
Some of the most highly successful marketers I know use traditional postal mail very effectively. They collect a lead or a customer online and follow up with postal mail. You might want to consider the same approach.
Here are some additional articles that will help you create super-effective billboards:
- The Billboard Test and Beyond
- Horrid Event Marketing Mistake: Confusing Art with Results
- Event Marketing from the Magazine Rack
- Get Them to Your Event with Great Invitations
- “Where Should I Advertise My Event?”
- Great Example of How to Promote Your Event on a Billboard