Day 5: Promote Your Workshop

You should feel proud! You’re now on the fifth day of your quest to launch a community using Social Workshops.

If you’re here, it means you have:

1. Identified the common goal driving your community and developed personas to embody your members.
2. Set up your email database and online forms to capture the desired information from your community members.
3. Selected a topic for your first Social Workshop and set it up in Remo.
4. Recorded a Listicle Interview with a guest expert.

Now that you have everything we need for your workshop, it’s time to invite people to attend. 

As a rule of thumb, expect about half of the people who register for your workshop to actually show up. A big part of the value of your workshop comes from networking with other people. Unlike a traditional webinar where the number of attendees is unknown, it is crucial to gather a minimum number of participants for your event. To ensure your event is valuable to attendees, aim for at least 20 registrants and 10 attendees.

Here are effective ways to promote your workshop:

2. Use Your Email Database

If you already have a robust email database, it's likely to be the most powerful channel for attracting attendees. Leverage it to its full potential by sending out multiple emails to encourage attendance. Don't be afraid to be persistent with your outreach; sometimes it takes a few reminders or nudges to get people to take action. Email is great because it can be personalized and targeted, which makes it more effective than traditional advertising methods.

3. Leverage Social Media

Social media is another powerful tool for promoting your workshop. Use social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to promote your event and encourage people to sign up. You can also contact potential attendees directly on these platforms by sending direct messages or mentioning them in posts about your workshop. Personalized outreach through social media can be just as effective as email marketing, so don't overlook this valuable resource.

4. Promote Through Partners

If you lack a large email database or a significant social media following, your best option is to collaborate with an organization that has them. Look for an organization with a similar customer or fan base as yours. Make sure they are not in direct competition with you. Reach out and see if they would be interested in promoting your workshop to their audience. This can help you tap into a larger network of potential attendees that you may not have been able to reach on your own.

Additionally, partnering with another business or organization can lend credibility to your event and attract more interest from potential attendees. Just make sure that the partnership is mutually beneficial and aligns with your workshop's goals and values. By allowing the partner to introduce or sponsor the workshop, they are able to provide value to their audience.

5. Activate Foot Traffic

If your organization has a physical location which attracts a lot of foot traffic, take advantage of this, Use signage to drive people to register for your Social Workshop. A QR code on the sign is a great way to direct people to the registration page. You can also create flyers or pamphlets with information about the workshop for people to take home and register later. Additionally, you could set up an interactive station at your location, such as a tablet where potential participants can learn more about and register for your Social Workshop.

Up Next: Host The Event

We’re almost at the big day! Next, I’ll give you some tips to make sure your event runs smoothly.