Marketing Mix: What makes people attend events?

Alongside effective positioning, the combination of Product, Price, Convenience and Promotions are the principal factors that are most likely to influence attendance and therefore your marketing strategy:

Product – what the event offers

Can you develop the product any further? Things to consider:

·         Are there any adjustments that should be made to the overall event to make it more appropriate or attractive to your target audiences?

·          Does the programme/content need to be further developed?

·          Does the venue need to be adapted or improved?

·          What is the total experience? Are you offering event ‘packages’ in association with transport providers, hotels, restaurants, etc that could make the event experience more attractive and enjoyable?

Price – the cost of attending

How does the cost of attending the event add up? If appropriate, consider:

·         Is the ticket price/entry fee at the right level for target groups?

·          Does the price offer value for money?

·         Is there an appropriate range of ticket/entry options? Do you need to introduce family tickets or special offers for example?

·         Do you need to offer any price differentials to encourage attendance at particular performances?

·          Are there any additional costs (booking fees, travel, meals, accommodation, parking) that will affect decisions to attend?

Convenience – making it easy to attend

·         For ticketed events – Have you put in place the appropriate advance ticket distribution network? For example, are you using a ticket hotline, web sales, walk-up box office, ticket agencies, postal bookings, sales through local shop or library, etc?

·         Do you offer various/appropriate methods of payment (e.g. credit card, cheque, cash)?

·          Is the event programme appropriately timed to appeal to your targets?

·          Is the event easy to get to?

·    Make sure you provide the appropriate travel, accommodation and location information necessary to encourage visitors who do not know the area well.

Promotion – saying the right things to the right people

·         Communicate the positioning of the event through key messages: Who the event is aimed at; What is special about it; Why it’s a good idea to attend; When will it take place; Where will it take place; How easy it is to engage with the event?

·         Develop the right combination of marketing tools to reach your audience.