I have a big show next month – an album release show! And as I’ve been fairly preoccupied thinking about all the ways I need to promote it to make sure I have a robust audience, I decided this would make a perfect Short & Sweet blog post.
If ever you have an important event (whether in person or online) the following guide to promoting it will not fail you. Have fun!
Social Media Posts
What matters is not how many platforms you’re on (don’t burn yourself out!) but how consistent you are on the platforms you use. The reality is, people need to see a thing more than once to remember it or take action. Here’s my plan for posting to social media about my show:
- One month before the show
- Three weeks before the show
- Two weeks before the show
- One week before the show
- 3-4 days before the show
- Day before the show
- Day of the show
Each post will feature a different photo and tell readers about different aspects of the show, for example, I might talk about one of the songs on the new album, tell people what’s cool or unique about the concert venue, or let them know about the Jazz Afterparty (yup, there’s a Jazz Afterparty). The idea is that even though all posts will convey basically the same message (Please come! Buy tickets!), they’ll each be unique, so nobody gets bored.
Social Media Profiles + Banner Photos
Don’t forget that your profiles and banner/cover photos on social media are another fantastic place to publicize your event. On Instagram, your profile bio is a great place to announce your upcoming event with a link to learn more. Facebook pages have featured text you can edit as well. Use Canva or another design program to make a new banner/cover photo that includes key details of your event (name, date, time).
Email Marketing
If you don’t have an email list, this is not the time to start. But if you have one (and remember, even 20 subscribers counts!), take advantage! Here’s my plan for emailing my list about my show (note that the cadence of sending emails and posting to social media is quite different).
- One month before the show
- Two weeks before the show
- One week before the show
- Day before the show
My emails won’t include a lot of content – they’ll each simply feature a different photo and a reminder about the show details (date/time/location) along with a ticket link.
Postcards or Other Print Collateral
Depending on your location, community, and audience, print materials may be a great way to get the word out about your event. I’ve designed and printed small (4.25″ x 5.5″) postcards with fun photos, all the show details, and MOST importantly, a QR code on each side that will take people to the landing page for the event where they can get tickets. With postcards, keep things simple. Give people just the details they need and avoid cramming it full of text. You want it to be attention-getting and easy for them to take action. Postcards are fun because you can keep them in your purse/bag and hand them out everywhere you go. Posters can be put up in local cafes, bars, etc.
Update Your Website
And last but certainly not least, don’t forget to update your website! If you get any website traffic at all (and you probably get more than you think), put a feature about your event at the top of your homepage so it’s the very first thing people see. Make sure it has all the pertinent details, and of course, a big, delicious button that takes people to sign up / get tickets.
In Closing
Promoting an important event can feel daunting (trust me, I get it), but once you put together a step-by-step plan like the one above and either schedule all your emails/posts or put reminders in your calendar to send out each one, you’ll feel much more in control and on top of things. Once you have the plan in place, all you have to do is implement and then sit back and wait for your big day to arrive!
PS: Interested in my album release show? You can get all the details here 😉
