Suppose someone told you that it was your job to host an online
event... and you were starting tomorrow. Think you'd feel
comfortable just taking the plunge? If you've never "done" mass
web promotion, then you're justified in feeling skittish about
saying yes to such a project. Even so: some of the best
professional relationships have come of group projects like
online career fairs, info-go-rounds, "invented holidays," and
group creations and celebrations. Don't miss your chance to be
noticed in your niche. :)
What might be a good online promotion to rally team spirit with
your colleagues and snag some new buying prospects? An Online
Marketers' Virtual Breakfast... a pet network "dog show" with
prizes for the winners... a Family Day on your forum...
basically anything that's worth celebrating in real-life is
worth creating a fun-filled website that you can drive traffic
to. Be creative! That was why you became an entrepreneur, right?
To tap that marketing brain of yours.
(And while I'm talking about it, have I mentioned that my Ryze
Network colleagues and I are getting ready to launch the First
Annual
Web Content Awareness Day on February 9, 2006?
Well, we are and it's going to be a fun-filled day chock full of
tips and advice that the new marketer can use to build an online
biz. Visit
http://WebContentAwarenessDay.com for more info.)
So, the idea of event marketing seems rather titillating... but
you're not so sure you can hack it. Before you put your skills
to the real-world test, run through this list to figure out
whether you qualify as someone who can make an online promotion
fly.
Essential Skills Needed Before Diving Headfirst into Online
Event Promotions
Skill 1. Killer copywriting ability. You have experience
writing web copy (and your copy provokes REACTIONS). Other
alternative: your staff or freelance copywriter is going to
manage the online event for you. Why do you need a copywriter?
Because if you can't persuade people that this event will be the
hit of the century, then you may as well cancel the plan,
man...
Skill 2. Refined web design skills. Of course, you'll
want your online event to generate profit. For that reason, the
person who designs your website should not only be graphically
advanced, but adept at setting up a shopping-cart type system
where goods can be purchased. (Hey, what's a county fair without
funnel cake sales, right?) You'll also need a subscriber box to
collect email addresses... maybe a forum or guestbook...
basically, a *real* designer will know how to add that fancy
stuff that will make your Big Day interactive and fun.
Skill 3: People skills. Do you refer to yourself as the
Hobbit, and live in a hole underground for most of the year? If
you dread human contact, then you're going to be unpleasantly
surprised when the tidal wave of emails and phone calls come
flying in once your event "takes off." If this idea has you
cowering in a corner gnawing your fingernails off, consider
hiring a professional people person or opting for more
low-profile activity on the web!
Skill 4: Integrated content assimilation. Internet
marketers are fast on their feet. The best ones know that just
ONE article can be leveraged for maximum content efficiency
across multiple marketing venues and "refreshed" for instant
reuse. The best marketers know how to take a few paragraphs and
a couple of links and with a few tweaks give that tired old copy
a new home and a new life on the web.
Skill 5: Networking Skills. This is the most fundamental
requirement of online event launch. If you don't have a network
within your niche that full of people who are receptive to this
crazy scheme of yours, the event simply will not take off. Or
maybe, it'll launch okay but you'll make a little ripple when
you could have made a bowling-ball-in-a-lake kinda splash. If
your network members are close comrades, you can work out barter
arrangements or alternative payment options (example, a
percentage of the profits).
That covers it- the five essential must-haves for an online
event promoter. If you've got it, go for it. If not... well,
there's always next year. Just keep honing those skills and
you'll get where you need to be for sure. :)
Want to witness event planning live in action? Please join me
and my marketing friends for the
First Annual Web Content
Awareness Day, scheduled to launch on February 9, 2006 at
http://WebContentAwarenessDay.com.
Sneak Peek: Visit the
Countdown to Web Content Awareness Day
Blog and learn how you can ride our wave of high web
traffic!
Paste in this link:
http://wordfeeder.typepad.com/web_content_awareness_day/
Copyright 2006 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.
About the author:
You want killer content and you want it now. Dina at
Wordfeeder.com is driving mass traffic to the first annual
Web Content Awareness Day and she'll drive it to your
website next. Count on Dina to deliver laser-focused copy that
will emotionally snare your readers. Convert visitors to
subscribers... and subscribers to paying customers. Visit
http://Wordfeeder.com for lip-smacking web copy served up
quick.
