It just happened again.

We received a beautiful card from one of our regular charities, inviting us to an open house. On the front and inside cover were gorgeous pictures and a story of a client family that had been forever changed by the agency’s work. Hand signed by three top leaders, the mission statement and an explanation of services were notably listed at the bottom of the card.

Most importantly for this mailing was an invitation to an open house. The invitation had a warm greeting, mentioned the food that would be served, then listed the date and time. Sounds fantastic, right?

Except I have no idea where to go. Well, I kind of do – this agency has a few main locations, and the title of the open house is kind of listed for one of them. But from a practicality standpoint, there was no address or location listed. This all-too common mistake could leave a less informed potential donor, someone who doesn’t know where that particular, off-the-beaten-path location is, to stay at home.

CREATE A FOCUSED INVITATION

This is one of those things that seems so simple, yet becomes muddled over and over again. Everyone does it, whether as volunteers, lead professional staff, or communications specialists. I have made the mistake of unclear or incomplete invitations or notices more than I care to admit.

If you want people to know what you want them to do, your call to action must be CRYSTAL CLEAR. Don’t make people hunt for it. Don’t be cute with your design – be bold! Be direct!

When I was involved with the Bemidji Youth Advisory Commission, we held a lot of events. A big part of the work of holding those events was marketing, which is a bit of a steep but scalable mountain for high school students. Many techniques were used to create flyers, radio and newspaper ads, and even video promotions designed to attract youth to their events.

That experience tested a lot of techniques for marketing various types and sizes of events, from all day festivals to small group lunches. It also informed marketing for other community events I’ve helped lead in my career and volunteer life. Combined with a fair bit of professional advice gleaned from friends over the years, I’ve come up with a mental checklist that seems to work for any type of event.

AN EVENT MARKETING CHECKLIST

Here is my checklist, as best as I can explain it in one post.

• What: Make sure the reader or viewer knows what type of activity you are inviting them to. Is it a black tie gala? Neighborhood potluck? A 5k run? You’re asking someone to leave their routine to attend. The “what for” had better be clear, because if they aren’t sure it’s a fit for them, they won’t break their routine.
• Who: There is an adage in marketing that if you’re seeing a message, it is meant for you. Think about that from your standpoint as the sender. Are you tailoring your message (and marketing channels) for the audience you want to receive it? Will it be clear to the receiver that you’re talking to them? For instance, if I’m hosting a workshop for child care providers, I don’t want to make parents/child care consumers think it’s for them. There is a potential for confusion I need to work around.
• Why: This is where the impact story or message comes into play. How is your reader’s attendance at this event going to change some tiny bit of the world, including theirs? This can vary widely. If it’s a benefit dinner for someone’s medical expenses, you’ll likely need some backstory to motivate people to attend. If you’re having a fundraising concert headlined by U2, well, U2 is probably enough of a story!

Be sure to tailor the message for the media. For instance, direct quotes from a beneficiary in a brochure may help it stand out. Written narratives in a video aren’t nearly as effective as someone saying those words on camera, or at least as a voice over with video. Social media invites need to be the right length and style for each platform your sharing it on. This can get complicated. Don’t be shy about asking marketing experts for help.

• When: So obvious, but so easy to mess up. Date. Time – both starting and ending if applicable. If there are specific activities within a larger, longer event, consider including that as well. If you’re holding an open house from 4-6, it can be helpful to know if a key 15 minute program will start at 4:30 or 5:30.
• Where: This can be tougher than you think. The name of the location, obviously. In the age of google maps, an address is critical (make sure google is correct!). But be a little more thoughtful in case the location is an obvious, every day place for you but maybe not for everyone else. If it’s somewhere in a cluster of businesses or buildings, how can people easily distinguish which one? Is there a particular room or entrance?

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

If the entirety of the event is too complicated to explain quickly, make sure you highlight the critical components needed to capture the audience’s attention. Then you can direct them to a website or somewhere they can find out more. Just make it as easy as possible. The more “clicks” or steps, the more people you’re going to lose at every step.

Even better, work on focusing the story of your event more clearly. The simpler an explanation, the easier it is for attendees to “get” it.

Don’t be afraid of over-notifying. Follow a mailed invite with a personal phone call. Hit up Facebook multiple times. Make sure your radio audience hears it every day on their drive home.

What other things do you look for in an invitation? If you dare to share with us, what boo-boos have you infamously made? Share in the comments below!

If you want to catch more articles like this in the future, please follow our social media channels on the upper right of this page, or leave your email in the box!