Event Attendance - How To Make It House Full?

What if you threw a party and no one came? Event planners want to get the best possible event attendance for their investment. Even the most elaborate event will fail to meet its goals if event attendance is not good. Careful, thorough event planning is essential for success, and that includes the guest list and invitations.

The first step in getting good event attendance is giving plenty of notice so that your guests can plan to attend. For large events, sending out your invitations a month before the event is appropriate. Smaller, less formal events do not require as much lead time, but you still want to give your guests plenty of time to arrange for baby sitters, coordinate their own schedules, and plan their transportation.

Here are eight things you can do to maximize event attendance at your next event:


1. Get Their Attention from the Get-Go

Spend the time and money to create attractive, interesting invitations. You want your guests to open the invitation when they receive it. And you want them to want to come to your event. Printing an attractive invitation, including a distinctive envelope, will go a long way toward raising interest and boosting event attendance. Using thematic colors or familiar logos will help them identify your organization before they open the invitation. Simple but attractive artwork and design will create the impression of a well-grounded, capable organization and build expectations for a fun experience they won't want to miss.

2. Back Up the Invitation with Publicity

Your invitation is a personal way to let your guests know you desire their presence. Follow-up advertising will remind them the event's coming up and maintain their interest, assuring maximum event attendance. Depending on the size and budget of your event, you should make sure the date, time, and location are well-known. For local and community events, use flyers and posters in local retail centers. Develop a few short public service announcements and send them to radio and television stations. For big elaborate events, buy advertising space in the local paper or run 30-second ads on radio and TV to keep your event in the front of people's minds to get maximum event attendance.

3. Reinforce the Invitation with Follow-up Communications

Especially if you're having the event to raise funds or sell something, good event attendance can make the difference between failure and success. You'll want to let people know a little more about what you expect of the event. You can send short e-mail updates as the time draws near, explaining how to get there or telling them about special activities or entertainment. If you have a big enough budget, you might hire a telemarketing firm to make follow-up calls asking if people still plan to attend or giving them a bit of information about what to expect.

4. Keep People Talking about your Event

Talk up your event for maximum event attendance. Whenever you get the opportunity, talk about what a great time people are going to have. Drop a few names or hints about entertainment or special announcements. Let people know if there'll be a band or other types of entertainment. The more you talk about your event, the better event attendance is likely to be.

5. Use Word-of-Mouth Advertising for Great Event Attendance

Ask your co-workers, family, and friends to tell their friends about the event. Make sure they know if celebrities (local and national) are onboard. Tell them about the menu and beverage service. Tell them why you're hosting the event and what people will gain from attending. Of course, you'll want to be sure they are on the invitation list. Get them excited about it, and encourage them to share that excitement with others and build event attendance.

6. Use the Community to Build Up Interest

Make sure you post flyers and posters at local churches, libraries, stores, and schools. Prepare a simple, eye-catching flyer with the important information (time, date, location) and at least one reason people should attend. When your invited guests hear others talking about your event, they'll be more likely to come.

7. Make a Splash

If you can afford it, do something outrageous to get their attention. Hire a sky-writer or hot air balloon to carry a message to the community. Use your local Fast Signs store to create banners to hang around the community. If it's appropriate, dress people up in thematic costumes and have them carry signs at intersections. Use lots of color and great big letters that grab the attention and won't let go. The more people are thinking and talking about your event, the better your event attendance will be.