Promoting Your Event With Social Media

Social Media has become an intricate part  that is woven into the fabric of  marketing and advertising. If you have a business, event, or ministry it is almost a faux pas if you don't have social media connected to it.

Social media is the marketing snapshot of the technological world we live in, and it is very important that you have it, not only to just have it, but to use it and use it wisely.

I want to share some tips on how to get the most out of social media for your events. First, if you are on Facebook, start an event page. This is an electronic invitation that you can use to reach many by saving dollars and time. The response measurement is also great. Once people accept your invitation, you can gauge how many you will have in attendance and feedback after your event has ended.

With an Facebook event page, you can customize your banner with your brand also, which makes it easier for invitees to recognize it and also share it with others. You can post reminders and also other things such as promo videos to bring awareness and encourage attendance to your event.

Another way you can use social media is with Pinterest. It is also good for promoting your event by designing a Pinterest pin where you can add solutions on how your event will solve problems for your attendees. You already know that pictures are worth a 1,000 words, and Pinterest pins can give wonderful snapshots of your brand to be used to attract people to your event.

And also Instagram is great for picture-perfect promotions of your event. If you aren't a graphic designer, hire one to design awesome pictures and ads to post to your Instagram page that can serve as your personal marketing coordinator to attendees and potential attendees.

Video media platforms such as Periscope and Blab are new to the social media scene that are the next "happening" for TV advertising and marketing. Use them to do one-on-one interviews and promos. These videos can also provide more information about who you are, why you're hosting the event, and what attendees can expect to gain from the event. Your attendees can receive a personal hello and invitation from you via video.

Using social media can do wonders for your event. Just posting the event on social media is not enough to garner a great attendance. You have to "market" the marketing tool. Use social media the same way you would use any other marketing platform. Purchasing ads or promoting your event page or Instagram ads are other ways to build attention to your event. But the whole "skinny" on this is your content. It is key to designing the best-seen pins and posts. Also target market research is necessary to ensure you are producing social media marketing ads that will be successful. You want to attract the right audience with the right content and the right graphics.

Another tip I want to give about using social media, is that posting once is not enough. You have encourage your audience with multiple "reminder" ads and posts. Start your marketing at least four weeks in advance and post "reminders" weekly to keep your brand and event before your audience.

I also suggest to use vibrant and eye-catching colors and legible fonts that will speak volumes to what your event is about and who you want to attend. Social media can help build great attendance by leaps and bounds if used properly. Social media can help you gain better relationships and networking opportunities from it as well. Don't count social media out if you are not a really tech-savvy person, yet you have a great event that you want to share with the world. Select platforms you are most comfortable with and utilize them to draw great attendees to your events, as well as use it to keep great records for your research and recap of your events. Social media can be your event's best friend!

Food to Love

Okay, so I know I said in my last blog post that I was going to do a video cooking something. Welllll, this week has already kicked into high gear, and I haven't had time to do much of anything, much less cook and then video tape it.

So, for those anticipating readers, I'm going to post a Valentine's Day dish that is pretty easy to prepare. Valentine's Day is the day set aside to honor love and all that it encompasses, so you want to show your love something special, even if your budget isn't as special.

Here is a nice recipe that I've dreamed up in my head, and is pretty tasty. Hope you enjoy! Comment on the blog if you try it, and let me know what you think.


Hearty Brunch Pizza

1 can of pizza dough
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup provolone cheese, shredded
4 eggs
1 cup spinach
1 cup Roma stewed or roasted tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup of red onion, diced
1/4 cup of green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup of red bell pepper, diced
1 cup meat choice (I like turkey sausage crumbles)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley (optional)

How to cook it:

Roll out your dough into a 9x9 pan with the edges slightly up on the sides of the pan. Saute your onions, peppers, and meat in a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle evenly on top of dough. Whisk your eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper and pour carefully over your mixture (You can add a little milk if you want to stretch your eggs more). Mix your cheeses together (that's how I like it) and sprinkle 1/3 of it over the mixture.Next, add your tomatoes and spinach and top with the remainder of your cheese. Next, bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Once you've got the cheese all brown and bubbly, Let it cool for about 5 minutes and cut a V at the top and triangles on each corners to form the shape of a heart, sprinkle parsley and serve!

Nice brunch sides: Hashbrowns, fruit, or orange juice.

Gifts From the Heart

Our second holiday of 2016 is right around the corner, and the bottles of wine, champagne and sparkling juice are walking off the store shelves at a quick pace. Hearts, red candy bags, cupids, chocolates and perfume sales are not far behind in the race.

These are the norm in gift choices, but what about setting aside the "choice" gifts and giving a gift from the heart? One of my loves is cooking. A nice dinner and good conversation beats a box of chocolates for me any day. Cooking doesn't require a finesse of a chef when it is from the heart. I remember when I was growing up as a little girl, how those dishes that Mama called "thrown together" were some of the best meals to me. Why? Because of the love put into it. It was not just about getting kudos on her culinary skills, but it was about the point of her cooking - that she would do whatever she had to do to make sure we were fed, full, and nourished.

These types of meals are the ones that win hearts even on a holiday like Valentine's Day. Cook something that shows your significant other that you love them enough to give them your best. Put in a dash of understanding, a sprinkle of patience, a cup of hugs, fourth-cup of thank yous, a half cup of chivalry, a cup of laughter, and a cup of love. You will be surprised at how your meal turns out when you think on these things while you're cooking that special Valentine's Day meal.

So, don't stress about having the "perfect" meal of steak, potato, salad and fancy-schmancy dessert. Just put some plain ole love in what you cook, for it's the best gift that comes from the best place - your heart.

(Look out for next week's blog post on an easy-peasy Valentine's Day recipe)

The Power of Words

New Year's resolutions have been somewhat replaced by New Year affirmations. I tend to like affirmations better, because I've realized that words have power. There is something about speaking positive things over yourself, your business, your ventures, your family and your network.

I remember when I was in school, they used to say: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. And for a long time, I believed that. But the older I got, and the more experiences I encountered in life, I found that saying not to be so true after all. Words have a power that is like no other.

I know you're probably wondering what does this have to do with event planning. Well, as you plan your calendar year of great programs, initiatives, and events, set the tone from number one by declaring a positive outcome. And know this, positive outcomes are not always measured in great attendance, large amounts of money, or world-wide recognition. The positive outcome is what you learned from the event experience as a planner and how it will prepare you for the next one. Each experience is a stepping stone that matures you in your niche, and matures your relationship with your target audience.

Affirmations motivate you and can put things into perspective for you. As an event consultant, that is one of my gifts that I offer my clients. When they've had enough and feel they can do no more, it is my responsibility to provide them encouraging words and motivation to see it all to the end. Words are so powerful, and can change the atmosphere from chaotic to order. Seek to find your power in the words you speak.

I'd like to challenge you to start this year off with speaking positively. Find an affirmation word that will describe your year and describe your motivation as you plan, prepare, and promote great events and programs for 2016. My affirmation word this year is: PRESS. And I chose this word, because this will the second year that I will have been in business for myself, and I realize that the closer I get to my "prize," the more tests and lessons I'm going to encounter and learn. So, I'm speaking over my business now that I'm going to press on regardless of what comes ahead, and I'm going to press through for my clients when they feel like they're ready to throw in the towel and give up. What about you? What words are important to you and your success for 2016?