Sharon Felts
Marketing encompasses everything from planning to evaluating an event. It requires consistency in your message through every phase of the process.
Have you ever wondered what this looks like? Following is an illustration of a successful marketing strategy, from start to finish.
August was quickly approaching—typically the month when the Amarillo Texas Christian Women’s Connection had the lowest attendance for its monthly outreach meeting. What could they do differently this year? They pondered the problem at their May planning team meeting. After prayerful consideration, the team decided to implement all the marketing strategies they had learned for the August outreach luncheon.
THE TARGET
The Planning Team decided to target women who owned their own businesses. The event would be called, “Mind Your Own Business” Women’s Business Expo. They would contact Amarillo businesswomen about participating in the expo.
The speaker: a businesswoman
The Planning Team brainstormed a list of women-owned businesses and services, making sure the list had variety and would appeal to women of all ages and interests. They divided the list up to contact the different businesses. This job would be too big for one woman! The businesswomen were invited to have an exhibit.
THE POINT
What would the businesswomen gain from hosting an exhibit table at this event? An opportunity to get their business showcased in front of 100+ potential new customers for the minimal investment of the cost of the luncheon and a door prize.
For the Amarillo Christian Women’s Connection, it meant a new way to fulfill the vision of impacting their community with the Gospel and to be leaders in reaching women for Christ.
THE PARTICULARS
They scheduled the outreach meeting for a Friday (not their usual day to meet) and encouraged everyone to “dress down” in “Casual Friday” attire: khakis, denim, and polo shirts.
THE PRICE
A lower price was negotiated as they worked with the restaurant to change the menu to a more casual offering; for example: sandwiches with all the trimmings.
THE PROMOTION
One goal of the meeting was to ensure that it would be the best experience possible for the businesswomen. The Planning Team was careful to let them know it was more than a business expo—there would also be an inspirational speaker who would share his/her story.
As part of reaching the goal, they needed to clearly communicate with the businesswomen. They asked each one to:
- Bring a display that fit in the center of a table where 8-10 women would be seated for lunch.
- Provide a door prize that could be given away during the outreach event.
- Come with plenty of business cards and possibly small favors for the women at their tables.
- Provide a short description of their business that could be shared with attendees.
They also provided each business with event invitations and 8x10 posters a month before the expo to help them publicize their participation. They assured the businesswomen that the expo would be promoted at all previous outreach events.
THE PRACTICAL MARKETING TOOLS
At least three months before the event, the group…
- Began promoting the event at outreach meetings. They shared the names of confirmed businesses participating in the expo. Everyone was encouraged to bring friends. The fact that the ticket price was lower helped to make it easier to pay for a friend’s ticket. The Planning Team dressed up in “Casual Friday” attire to promote the upcoming event and asked someone to model how to dress for it. They put the event information on the Group Locator page of Stonecroft’s website as soon as possible. They also scheduled the event 30 minutes earlier than usual to allow attendees enough time to visit displays.
During the month prior to the event, the group…
- Delivered invitations and posters to participating businesses. They used this as an opportunity to confirm all arrangements and collect the information to be shared about the businesses at the expo.
- Sent press releases to local media.
- Kept an accurate count of participating businesses and of reservations to ensure accurate number and spacing of tables. Note: They planned for 8-10 guests at each table display, setting up six-foot tables along the perimeter of the room for additional businesses.
- Asked a computer-savvy volunteer to print attractive table signs for stands at each table for the exhibiting business.
- Gave a minimum of 10 invitations to each Planning Team member to hand out to prospective attendees, reminding everyone to focus on inviting those who need a relationship with Jesus.
At the event, the group…
- Had volunteers arrive early to offer assistance to participating businesswomen.
- Gave each attendee, as she arrived, three small tickets with space for them to write their names. They were encouraged to visit each display and use their tickets to “vote” for their favorite businesses by placing tickets in baskets at each business display. Their “votes” also made them eligible for a drawing for the door prizes, provided by the different businesses. Several volunteers encouraged women to visit the displays that were placed along the perimeter of the room.
- Began the program on time! The chair or program coordinator shared about each business from the podium, using the information provided by the business. The business owner was asked to stand. She then drew a ticket from the basket at the table and announced the winner of the door prize (the winners collected their prizes at the end of the meeting). This took a minute or so for each business.
- Note: Later in the program, or at the next outreach meeting, you could announce the “favorite” business. If the announcement is made at a later meeting, invite the businesswoman to attend as the guest of your outreach group.
After the event, the group…
- Sent thank-you notes to all the businesses that participated, offering them the opportunity to participate the following year.
- Celebrated God’s goodness with the hard-working Planning Team at the next Planning Team meeting. They even handed out Crunch bars to the team, thanking them for “coming through in a crunch.”
- Brainstormed a “hits and misses” list and discussed what went well and what could be done differently. They discussed lessons learned and how to apply them to every monthly event planned in the future!
THE RESULTS
The results were amazing, especially when compared to the previous month’s outreach event. Take a look:
Category |
August |
July |
Indicated decisions |
5 |
0 |
Attendance |
124 |
63 |
First time attendees |
41 |
5 |
Indicated interest in Bible study groups |
10 |
4 |
Offers to help |
8 |
3 |
Offerings |
$469 |
$136 |
Some other results: two Stonecroft Bible Studies began the same month; most of the businesswomen who attended were under the age of 45 and brought friends and co-workers to the expo; several businesses donated items to auction for the upcoming Country Fair (which had its best year ever) and several of the businesswomen went on to become active volunteers of the local outreach group. Businesses are already calling to ensure their names are ‘on the list’ for the second annual “Mind Your Own Business” Women’s Business Expo!
How can your outreach group’s Planning Team “market to the max” and plan a similar outreach event? Put the ideas illustrated above to the test, as your group fulfills its mission of reaching your community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!