By Sarah Morrill

Concerts and events offer an incredible opportunity to connect with audiences. They create memorable experiences that will stick with fans, and hopefully, encourage them to come back again and again. As a summer marketing intern for Prescott Park Arts Festival, I learned firsthand how important, and challenging, event marketing is. In today’s competitive entertainment landscape, standing out requires creativity, strategy, and a deep understanding of your target audience. Here’s a breakdown of how to effectively market your events and ensure its success. 

Know Your Audience 

One of the most important parts of marketing your event successfully is understanding your audience. Who are they? What do they care about? Are you targeting loyal fans of a specific genre, young festival-goers, families, or corporate professionals looking for networking opportunities? Working hard to define exactly who you are trying to reach is crucial, as it will influence the promotional materials you create, the platforms you use, and the strategies you use before, during, and after the event has happened. As a family-friendly arts festival, Prescott Park tends to rely heavily on Facebook and Instagram. Facebook is where all their fun events are posted, and we often see lots of people commenting on our posts, expressing their excitement for artists soon to come! 

Tell A Story and Generate FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) 

The power of storytelling in event marketing cannot be overstated. It’s not just about promoting a concert or event – it’s about telling a compelling story that draws your audience in, engages their emotions, and builds anticipation. When you craft a narrative around your event, you create an emotional connection that goes beyond just the logistics of the event itself. 

Storytelling enables you to highlight the unique aspects of your event, whether it’s the headliner performer, the atmosphere of the venue, or the exciting activities that await attendees. As you craft the narrative, make it clear why this event matters and how it’ll make attendees feel. This emotional connection is what generates excitement and, more importantly, drives FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). When people feel like they’ll be missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience, they’re much more likely to make sure they attend. 

Consider sharing sneak peeks of rehearsals, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, or testimonials from past event-goers. You want your audience to envision themselves at the event, making memories with friends, or experiencing something they’ll talk about for years to come. By engaging them with stories that build excitement and anticipation, you’ll encourage them to mark their calendars and show up when it matters!  

Partner with Local Brands and Sponsors 

Partnering with local brands and sponsors is a great way to boost visibility and create a stronger sense of community around your event. When you collaborate with businesses that share your values, you tap into their customer base, resources, and local influence. Whether it’s co-hosting events, cross-promoting on social media, or offering joint discounts, these partnerships create authenticity and foster customer loyalty. Consumers love seeing local brands support each other, which strengthens both your brand, your partner’s, and your community. By choosing the right partners, you can build lasting, mutually beneficial relationships that drive success for everyone involved! 

Additionally, these partnerships can help reduce the financial burden of organizing the event by securing sponsorships, which can cover costs like venue rentals, marketing materials, and performer fees. When done strategically, these collaborations also create authentic connections that resonate with your audience. It’s all about creating a network of supporters who amplify your message and contribute to your event’s success. 

Engage on the Day of the Event 

Engaging with your audience on the day of an event is key to creating a memorable experience and building lasting connections. The energy and excitement that surround the event should be channeled into real-time engagement through social media, live updates, and interactive content. This will not only keep attendees excited, but will also keep those who couldn’t make it engaged and wanting to be a part of future events. Responding to comments, sharing attendee photos, or even going live during key moments makes people feel included, whether they’re there in person or following online.

At Prescott Park, this is something we focused on a lot. Reposting an audience member’s Instagram stories when we were tagged helps fans feel more connected to the festival. We often conducted interviews before shows to use as promotional content on social media. These were super fun and really helped us get to know our audience better! The more you interact and post throughout the day, the deeper the connection you build, as it keeps your audience engaged and invested in the experience. Active engagement shows that you care about your audience’s experience and helps turn one-time attendees into long-term supporters.