How social media marketing can help you get the word out about your festivals and special events. For the Texas Coastal Bend Regional Tourism Council, presented in October 2012 in Port Aransas, Texas. Their website: http://www.txcoastalbend.org/
My team and I do online and in-person training in social media for tourism and hospitality at Tourism Currents - http://www.tourismcurrents.com
4. What To
Do First:
STOP!
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
5. 3 Basic Questions
(yep, they still apply)
● What are your overall
event marketing goals?
● Who is your market?
● Where are they online?
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
7. Overall Event Goals
● Before: awareness, registration,
anticipation of value …. “Can't wait”
● During: sharing (onsite & off,)
excitement …. “So glad I came”
● After: sharing, excitement for next
year …. “I was there, so glad I went”
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
8. HOLY COW, let me at 'em!
Is it social
media time
yet?
Patience,
grasshopper....
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
9. Avoid Drowning
● Do your homework
● Know where to find
your market
● Get in front of them
by listening first....
● ….and have a plan
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
10. OK, it's time now....Boo-Yah!
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
12. Social Media - Before
Possible goals before the event?
Raise awareness
Word-of-Mouth excitement
Encourage sharing
Connect attendees
Support sponsors & Expo exhibitors
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
15. Social Media – Before
● Facebook Event pages
● Facebook status updates
● On Facebook Pages
● On people's personal profiles
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
22. Social Media – Before
● Blog posts
●
Your blog and others
● Speaker preview videos
● Photos and video from
previous events
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
27. Social Media - During
Possible goals during the event?
Share content value among attendees
Connect attendees
Share with those not there
Support sponsors & Expo exhibitors
Share fun social moments
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
29. Social Media – During
● LinkedIn updates continue
● Facebook updates continue
● Live radio show on Blog Talk Radio
● Ustream live video stream
● Tweets with hashtag
● Photos, photos, photos
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
33. Social Media - After
Possible goals after the event?
Share among attendees
Share with those who missed it
Help your industry knowledge base
Support sponsors
Build more connections!
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
34. Share
The
Afterglow!
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
36. Social Media – After
● Summary blog posts & link posts
● Facebook Pages & profiles
● Tweets – save on Chirpstory/Storify
● LinkedIn status updates, Group
discussions, in Answers
● SlideShare for presentations
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
48. Takeaways
● It's networking & human relationships
● Time + persistence = payoff
● Social media is social communications
● Meet your market where they are
● Help attendees to share & grow
● Be more than a one-off event
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
49. Photo Credits
● Deb Brown & Colton: ● SoMeT tattoo: Anne
BJMcCray Flickr Hornyak on her blog
● Stop sign w/rabbits: ● People mover: KS State Fair
Nationaal Archief on Flickr
Commons
● Cat + beer: pinguino on
Flickr
● Rules: Gord McKenna on
Flickr
● Build a barn: BJMcCray on
Flickr
● Mr. Miyagi: ampedAsia ● Hutchinson KS blogger fam
● Don't drown SAR swimmer: tour: BJMcCray on Flickr
DVIDSHUB on Flickr
● Yell practice: TX A&M
Cushing Library on Flickr
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
50. Thanks for your time!
Sheila
Scarborough
TourismCurrents.com
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents