The Marketing team are always busy, planning content for associations and creating material for events. As the events ramp up so does the marketing and this is where we often see questions flow through from clients.

With associations looking to grow their memberships and clients looking to attract the relevant people to their events, marketing covers a lot of bases and our Marketing team at Fitwise have collated some of the most frequently asked questions they see.

Which social media platforms should I be on?

It is important to select the platforms you use based on a couple of criteria

• What do I want to use the platform for?
• Where are my audience? You know your members best, go to where they spend their time!

Pick a couple of platforms to do well, make the most of the features of each platform and curate your content for each audience. Analyze which posts perform well, and replicate!

Here is a very quick overview of the main social media platforms:

Facebook: is a versatile platform, which suits all forms of content.  With the option to have a closed group it can be a good alternative to hosting a forum on your website.

Twitter: is fast moving, and great for bringing large groups together on a common theme or hashtag.  This is especially true at Conferences.

LinkedIn: is a predominantly professional platform and can be a great way to connect with corporate colleagues and other professionals.

Instagram: If your content is very visual / lifestyle based this is a good platform to use.

YouTube: is great for sharing videos of any length, and of course educational content. TikTok has now emerged as the platform for short snappy fun videos, which appeals to a younger demographic.

How can we market our association event to the relevant audience?

It’s crucial that as part of a marketing plan for an event, the word is spread to as many of the right people as possible. This can be done through a variety of avenues in marketing. Here are some activities you can do to make sure you are speaking to the right audience for your association event.

Contact potential delegates directly.

• Email your existing members – Contact key interested parties to inform them of the event.
• Email a wider mailing list – Chose an audience interested in events in your field and reach out to them about your event. As a Professional Conference Organiser (PCO), Fitwise, have contact lists for the different categories of association events which we can use.
• Share on your social media – Create a content schedule for the run up to your event.
• Deliver Flyers – Send promotional flyers to relevant contacts and take to other events to spread the word.

Contact potential delegates indirectly

• Send out a Press Release – You can ask Industry contacts to share your event amongst their clients/contacts.
• Create contra agreements with other companies/charities/associations – You can arrange for them to share your event details with their clients/contacts in return for you sharing information about them or their events to your members.

There are many other ways you can make sure you are marketing your association event to the relevant audience, from contacting previous event contact lists to attending other related events, and things are always changing so there is room to improve year on year.

What tools can I use for making content?

There is a wealth of free tools that anyone can use to make stunning content for your website, social media platforms, or any other online (or even print) outlet. Each item listed below is browser-based, meaning that they are accessible for a wide range of devices.

• Canva – This is one that everyone should know about. A fantastic graphic design tool which also has the capability to create videos and GIFs, the range of stock assets on the Canva database leaves huge scope for creative expression. Canva’s user interface is beginner-friendly and intuitive yet has a high ceiling for the quality of content that you can create.
• Photopea – For the more intrepid fledgling content designer, check out Photopea. This is an online graphic design tool which is essentially a free version of Photoshop. While it lacks some of Photoshop’s more sophisticated features and Adobe Bridge cloud asset management support, it is still a fantastic tool for graphic design with plenty to sink your teeth into. Most of the functions, language, and even layout are the same as Photoshop, so if you decide to start using the Adobe Suite you will find that the skills you have developed are transferrable.
• Wevideo – A video editing tool with a slick interface that allows you to export up to five minutes worth of footage per month. Upload your own clips and assets to begin editing your video. You can add text overlays, sound effects, and music all in this web-based platform. There are a range of stock assets available for free when using the platform and upgrading your membership grants access to a much larger library of resources. It is in a similar vein to Photopea in that many of its functions are analogous to those found in the comparable Adobe Suite product, in this case Premiere Pro.

These are all free tools; take some time to get to know their features and familarise yourself with them. Popular as they are, online learning platforms like Business Gateway routinely hold webinars which cover the basics of these tools as well as more advanced techniques.

Want to know more about association marketing or marketing for events, speak to the Fitwise Marketing Team today.