Event Guides

Clickable Ads – Tips for designing and getting more clicks

Articles, Event Guides

Design tips

  • Include your logo
  • Include a nice photo of your product (make sure it’s good quality)
  • Keep it simple – don’t try to cram too much in.
  • Make sure your main message is large so that people just glancing won’t miss it.
  • Don’t use tiny type. Use a clean, readable font. Avoid cursive or too much italics.
  • Use bright colors
  • Include your website url spelled out (www.yourdomain.com)
  • Include your phone number and other contact info. This can be small, but readable.

Tips to get more clicks

  • Tell them to click – include “Click here” in the text.
  • Buttons also help guide people to click.
  • Include a call to action: “Learn More”, “Register Now”
  • Include a limited time offer. “Everything 50% off until Nov. 31” “Use Coupon Code XYZ for exclusive offer (expires Nov. 31)”
  • Offer something FREE if they sign up or buy before a deadline

Landing Pages

Use a landing page for your URL to provide more targeted info when they do click.

Make the URL something specific to the event: www.yourdomain.com/eventname

Important: be sure your website is responsive and will look good on a phone!

Include

  • quick links to other pages in your site
  • email sign up
  • more images of your products
  • offer a reward for clicking. At least say thank you.
  • repeat the original offer / coupon code
  • more information about your sale or how to use the coupon code
  • social media links

 

Cutting Edge Music Business Conference Digital Event Guide

Digital, Event Guides, Featured

The conference is coming up in a few days, and I just finished the printed and digital schedule guides.

Online Live Preview 2018 Mobile Guide:

Click to download the 2018 PDF

For the 2019 guide, I just started with last year’s files for continuity.

Click here to download the 2019 PDF

The printed pocket guide is a 16-panel poster fold. At 4×6, it will fit in your pocket. Unfortunately, a few things may be out of date because some speakers changed after we went to print. But that’s the limitation of print, which is why the mobile guide is so critical.

The two guides go hand in hand (literally), and bring  digital and print together seamlessly for a complete matching experience. The conference website has a link to download the Mobile Guide on their website and will be sending emails with the PDF as an attachment (it is only 7 MB). There will also be a sign at the registration table with the url to download the mobile guide, and the printed pocket guide also has a reminder to get the mobile guide.

The colorful interactive MOBILE GUIDE is optimized for smart phone viewing – 81 pages with many clickable internal links as well as to external websites. It looks just as nice on computer and tablet.

The home page provides a central menu to easily jump to all the key sections:

Like an app, there is also a menu on the top of each page to jump to the most important sections so you don’t have to go back to the home page. But it also places a home button on every page to allow users to go back to the main menu from wherever they are.

The At A Glance Schedule is a handy easy-to-read grid with an overview of each day’s sessions on a single page. The top menu in each section is customized to navigate to specific days within that section.

  

There are numerous ways the mobile guide makes paying sponsors happy. First, there is a sponsor logo page with each logo hot linked to the sponsor’s website.

Plus there are full-page clickable ads strategically placed throughout the guide for various sponsors, artists, and outside vendors wanting to connect with this market. This is a fantastic revenue generator for the conference, provides quality, focused exposure for the advertisers, and makes it easy for attendees to learn more about these valuable resources.

Because the mobile guide is not limited by page count, there are numerous bonus pages devoted to describing the conference and organization, bios and high res photos. In the past we couldn’t include everything we wanted in the print guide because it increased the cost of printing too much. Next year we may even include sound clips. With the mobile guide, the sky’s the limit.

And because the speakers and artists can change at the last minute, it is also easily updatable. I just make the change in the source file and the conference emails and posts the new file.

This mobile guide format is universally compatible with all platforms, searchable, printable, archivable, password protectable, easily distributed, and familiar to most users. It works great in iPhone’s iBooks app. Adobe Reader and Dropbox’s PDF reader work well on any platform. The same file is compatible with and looks the same on iOS, Android, Mac or PC . It just works.

Call today to get my exclusive mobile guide and event design package for your next conference or festival. 504-312-2354 www.dianathornton.com

P.S. This format is also great for e-brochures, e-catalogs, e-books, and more.

 

Digital Magazines – A secret tool to market your event

Digital, Event Guides
  • Promote your event
  • Grow your email list
  • Strengthen your influence and reputation as an industry resource
  • Attract vendors and sponsors
  • Extend your marketing budget
  • Generate pre-event income

Marketing an event takes more than posts and ads a few months before your event. You know you need to develop multiple channels throughout the year and keep your name in front of people. A Digital Magazine is a great tool to promote your event without the appearance of advertising.

 “A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself,” David Ogilvy.

A Digital Magazine is a valuable component to increasing event attendance and sponsorship. When integrated into your marketing as a long-term brand building strategy, it will introduce your event to new markets and expand your attendee base. And it can even pay for itself through ad revenue.

Businesses are always seeking new, targeted ways to reach customers. Events are one of the most effective methods of marketing. Competition for attendees and sponsors is fierce. It’s a constant battle to appeal to the limited budgets of ticket buyers and sponsors. What you do during the year leading up to your event is as important as the event itself, and a free Digital Magazine will establish your event as a legitimate and valuable experience well worth the investment.

  • Your magazine doesn’t have to be huge. In fact, a smaller publication is preferred. It’s not about scale, it’s about value. People don’t have time to read much anymore. But they love free content, and will subscribe to receive info about something they are interested in.
  • It doesn’t have to be every month – a quarterly publication is a great interval to start with. That gives you time to gather quality material and thoroughly promote each issue.
  • Your Digital Magazine itself can be a new revenue source with paid advertising spots for exhibitors and vendors. Because it costs very little to publish and distribute your publication, those advertising revenues are free money. Exhibitors will jump at the chance to start marketing before your event. Include advertising and feature articles in your Digital Magazine as sponsorship package incentives. I recommend keeping ads to a minimum to enhance the sponsor visibility, and not overwhelm or irritate your audience.
  • Your Digital Magazine allows you to communicate directly with your market. For example, a “letter from the editor” or a behind-the-scenes look at your organization can create a personal connection.
  • Your digital subscribers are a valuable highly targeted prospect list for your event. Offer them a special discount to your event or extra perks.
  • Your Digital Magazine can attract advertisers who might not want to or be able to attend the event as an exhibitor.
  • The more subscribers you have the more attractive your event is to exhibitors and vendors and the more you can charge them to participate.

 

Finding Content to engage and interact with your market

The secret to a successful publication is to offer fresh, interesting, relevant and informative articles that connect to your event without directly promoting your event. Maintain an editorial standard and minimize direct selling to keep subscribers wanting the next issue and not make them feel like they’re reading an infomercial.

Here are some ideas:

  • Articles about and by speakers your attendees will want to see in person. Chances are your event speakers are also industry movers and shakers.
  • Articles about exhibitors your attendees will be interested in learning about (hint – offer a premium “featured exhibitor” level that includes a feature article).
  • Product reviews are always a hit.
  • How-to articles to help your attendees succeed (marketing tips, inspiration, etc.)
  • Political issues (bills, laws, etc.)
  • Opportunities, grants, jobs, other educational opportunities
  • Case studies and success articles about past attendees.
  • Recycle articles and posts already on your website
  • Publish an Event Preview issue with inside info about speakers, pre-event promotions, and teasers about the upcoming event. Include sightseeing recommendations for out of towners who might arrive a day early. Great for snagging last-minute attendees and exhibitors.
  • Publish a Post Event issue with photos of attendees and exhibitors and articles that highlight some of the most popular and important moments. People love to see themselves “in print” and your exhibitors will appreciate the extra exposure.
  • Ask for articles from your exhibitors and industry experts. Invite them to discuss trends, technology, and other news. Don’t use these to talk about how great you or they are, rather to provide useful information. New sponsors and exhibitors will line up to participate.
  • Ask your readers for feedback on what they’d like to see at the next event, or their experiences and photos from the last event, and then publish some of their comments or post on your website as testimonials.

 

Digital Magazines vs. Your Website

You might ask – Why don’t I just post new articles on my website instead of formatting them into a magazine?

A magazine has a very different presentation, focus, reach and effect than a website. You should definitely post all articles on your website. It is an important place to collect and host your content, and provides a stable central location for an established presence. But the magazine format excels at drawing attention to specific content.

  • A Digital Magazine is a finite, predictable, familiar format that allows you to put exactly what you want in front of your audience when you want.
  • A Digital Magazine has a linear structure that presents your content from start to finish and minimizes distractions. You never know what web page people will land on in your website from Google, and you can’t easily control what content they will see or even if they will find what they’re looking for.
  • A magazine’s Table of Contents lets your readers quickly know exactly what they will find inside at a glance without searching.
  • Part of the appeal of a magazine is that it contains your most interesting and most relevant content. People don’t have to click through dozens of pages on your site to find something of interest to them.
  • A regular magazine provides consistent exposure. Regular, repeated contact keeps readers engaged, improves subscriber retention and is a proven marketing technique.
  • Digital Magazines are collectible and easily saved locally to refer to later. Back issues can be posted on your website for easy download by new subscribers.
  • A Digital Magazine PDF file is easily shareable to expand your subscriber list, unlike “email newsletters.”

 

Call Diana today to discuss developing and designing your Digital Magazine to promote your event or organization, generate untapped revenue and grow your email list. 504-312-2354   www.dianathornton.com/event-guides

 

 

 

Your Event Guide is a Goldmine

Articles, Digital, Event Guides

Create new revenue streams and sponsorship opportunities with your Digital Event Guide! Sponsors will jump at the chance to pay to gain exposure in your guide.

Raise the value of your event for your sponsors and exhibitors and energize your existing sponsorship package with innovative digital offerings that cost you nothing.

Get more sponsors and exhibitors by providing extra value and more ways to be seen by your attendees and encouraging response.

Sponsorships and ads can easily pay for or exceed design and development costs and maximize your ROI (return on investment)!

 

Multiple sponsors = lots of revenue

A well-designed digital event guide can easily present multiple sponsors with click-through ads on various pages that ensure your sponsors will each get their time in the spotlight. Full-page ads offer maximum effect. Banner ads can draw multiple sponsors and offer budget friendly marketing ops as well as key placement within the content without interrupting the flow.

Local sponsorships and advertisers are a goldmine

Look beyond your event exhibitors for sponsorships and ads. Reach out to local businesses that might be of interest to your attendees:

  • Restaurants, bars and clubs in the neighborhood: attendees are always looking for a place to grab a quick bite in the area (suggest they include their menu in the ad).
  • Local foods such as a local brewery or specialty candy shop or bakery and entertainment such as concerts, comedy clubs, and gigs will also be of interest for nighttime activities.
  • If you have a lot of out of towners attend your event, be sure to include ads and information about local tourism spots and activities. Check with your local tourism department for connections and assistance.

It’s a win win win for your attendees, your advertisers and you!

Enhanced exhibitor listings and packages

Offer exhibitor packages that include their click-through ad, logo and social media links, coupons and discount codes in the digital event guide as well as traditional physical goodies.

Dynamic listings can hotlink to the sponsor’s internal ad page or external webpage (if they use a landing page, response rate can easily be tracked).

Present sponsor tiers such as Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze and combine each tier with other event sponsorship opportunities to maximize their impact.

Offer a premium ‘Featured Exhibitors’ section at the top of the list or on a separate page, and limit to a few select exhibitors to let them stand out from the crowd.

 

Call Diana today to discuss how you can start using your event guide to make money, enhance your attendee experience, and energize your sponsor packages. 504-312-2354   www.dianathornton.com/event-guides

Wedding Flea Market general brochure

Digital, Event Guides

This company has been growing faster than they can keep up with their marketing, so I have been working with them to develop a new promotional plan that includes brochures and event guides. We have 3 more digital publications in the works, including an Event Guide for the April event and sponsorship and advertising opportunities to further monetize their events.

PDF download:

Piney Woods Heritage Festival

Event Guides, Featured

A digital event guide for their recent event. Includes lots of content about the Crosby Arboretum.

click on image to download PDF

Diana worked with us to develop a digital event guide design to help us to market our annual Piney Woods Heritage Festival. She created a professional document that is smart phone compatible. We posted the guide on our website, where it could be quickly downloaded by persons considering attending the event and by those arriving at the festival.

Diana made the entire design process so easy.  She blended together information about the festival, the schedule of activities, and background on our exhibitors, and included information from our website. The beauty of this event guide is that once the template is created, it can be easily amended for future events.

The guide is easy to connect to. We just post the link to download in our marketing and social media.  And it is so simple to share!

The document is highly versatile.  Having a digital event guide allows us to include so much more information than we normally would be able to have in a paper brochure. We can also use many more photographs and images such as maps than we would include in a regular brochure.  It also cuts down on the amount of paper handouts that would normally be produced.  But, people also have the ability to selectively print from the digital brochure if they wish.

This kind of guide is useful to a range of audiences, from those who are just looking for a schedule of activities, to those who want detailed information. No matter their needs, users can access information quickly. One of the many benefits of the guide is that people can continue exploring the different levels of information, and potentially learning much more about our facility than just the current event.

Pat Drackett, Director, Crosby Arboretum

Ladyfest

Event Guides

For 6 years I designed all the event materials for this grassroots music festival. I also designed the logo and produced a compilation CD highlighting some of the performers. The basic design remained the same every year, just changing the color scheme.

 

LMNOP Music Conference

Event Guides

Founded by SXSW cofounder Louis Meyers and New Orleans’ own Scott Aiges, the LMNOP music festival and conference spent 3 amazing years in New Orleans. I designed the logo and all event materials. “Capitalizing on the rich musical heritage of New Orleans, LMNOP was born. All along, its focus has been on showcasing indie musicians and offering educational resources to the local music community.”