Business, General Tips, Your Event Career
5 Ways Event Planning Pros Should Leverage Social Media During COVID-19
I think we can all agree that COVID-19 has taken its toll on many businesses around the world. Unfortunately, the event planning industry has been of no exception.
However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t still plenty of ways for you to keep your business relevant throughout all this! In the past, we’ve examined ways in which you can work remotely and offer virtual event planning services.
But another key thing worth looking at is social media.
You may not realize it, but now is the prime opportunity for you to use social media to your advantage. After all, the majority of us are spending an abundant amount of time cooped up indoors. All across the globe, digital content consumption has seen a major spike since social distancing started.
Basically: most people are browsing the internet these days as a way to pass the time. With the right marketing strategies, this means you have the chance to increase your online visibility!
Here are 5 handy tips to get you started!
1. Post more frequently
Hopefully, you’ve already been dedicating time towards your social media game long before the pandemic started. But maybe there was room for you to focus a little more on it. Perhaps, amidst your busy schedule, you didn’t always have the chance to post as much as you wanted.
Well, this can all change now!
Since you have more time on your hands, you can redirect a lot of your energy towards your social media efforts. Likewise, since your audience is in a similar boat, they have more time on their hands to soak up all of your awesome content.
Of course, there is a fine line to be aware of. While you can definitely add to your posting schedule, just make sure not to go overboard.
Spread your posts out properly. A bit of analytical research can help you narrow down the peak traffic times (that is, when people tend to be online on that platform the most). Then, you can specifically schedule your posts for those time periods. This way, your content is less likely to go unnoticed!
2. Post relevant content
Everyone’s talking about the pandemic these days, so it only makes sense to address it within your own social media content. You can maximize the impact of your content by posting things that the audience can relate to.
Here are 5 ways you can do this:
Get personal
For example, you can share insight into how you’re doing throughout this entire experience. You can also share how your event planning business has been doing, what your goals are for the future, etc. This will all make you more personable to your audience, and allow your viewers the chance to get to know you.
Get helpful
Wherever possible, aim to assist your followers in some way. This can be as simple as suggesting fun things they can try at home, ways they can increase productivity while social distancing, etc.
Get nostalgic
You can also reflect back on past events, clients, etc. to remind your audience of more positive times. These types of posts can also serve as a reminder that good times will be had by all again, once things inevitably go back to normal.
Get interactive
Try to engage your audience, and encourage them to actively participate in your posts. This can be done by posing questions for them to answer in the comments, for example. In general, people like to feel heard. Add in a pandemic, and chances are, a lot of them are feeling a bit lonely right now. Giving them the opportunity to express their opinion provides them with the chance to connect.
Get lighthearted
You don’t just need to limit yourself to pandemic-related content, though. Sometimes, you need to cut the tension and provide some positive relief. So, feel free to regularly throw in content with the sole purpose of lifting your audience’s spirits!
For instance, it can be a meme, a cute animal, a tear-jerking engagement video, or even a classic party joke. If possible, try to keep it consistent with your brand. Whatever it is, just make sure it’s tasteful and professional. (The last thing you want to do is offend anybody.)
Above all else, always be empathetic, regardless of what sort of content you’re publishing!
3. Keep in touch with your professional network
While you may not be working with these industry professionals right now, maintaining the network you’ve established is essential! If you let it fizzle out, it could mean missed opportunities in the future.
While you by no means need to reach out to every single person you’ve done business with to date, it wouldn’t hurt to shoot a friendly email to some of your particular favorites (just to check in and see how they’re doing). You can also suggest virtual meetings or hang-outs, so you can catch up while seeing each other’s faces.
This notion extends to your clientele as well! Try to check in with some of your past clients, just to let them know you wish them well during this difficult time. You can also consider: do any of them have anniversaries or birthdays coming up? Consider mailing them a handwritten card, or send a thoughtful email to let them know you remembered!
If you happened to have clients who were supposed to have an event coming up (but had to cancel), they are especially important to keep in contact with!
These clients in particular are probably struggling with the current circumstances. Hearing from you and seeing that you care will not only make them feel a little better – it will REALLY reflect well on that great reputation of yours!
4. Partner with an influencer
Do some research into the various event planning influencers popular on social media. If ever there was a chance to reach out and see about collaborating, now’s the time to do it!
Research has shown that over 60% of digital content consumers trust familiar influencers more than they do brands or businesses. It’s easier to take the word of someone they can see, and with whom they feel they have developed a kind of bond with. Because of the exposure it provides your business, there’s great potential in with working alongside an internet-famous influencer.
In light of COVID-19, there are fewer work opportunities for influencers. Because of this, many of them are more likely to be open to price negotiations. They might have potentially been out of your budget before, but they may not necessarily be right now.
There’s a lot of flexibility in terms of the type of content they can provide for your business! In addition to shedding light on event planning topics, they can even lend their voice to more general discussions, such as keeping busy at home, tips for staying healthy, etc.
5. Try new things
Maybe you’ve had some ideas for new marketing strategies that you’ve been hesitant to attempt. This is an optimal chance for you to give them a whirl! If they work in your favor, you can implement them into your standard social media practices going forward.
If they don’t land on the mark? Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained! With everything happening, you have the wiggle room to try new practices and potentially fall short – without it really affecting your business all that much.
Here are some ideas of things you can try:
- Hold a Q&A or an Ask Me Anything Webinar with your followers
- Use the Facebook and/or Instagram Live to give your audience glimpses into your every day life, or even just to share your thoughts on event planning-related topics
- Hold contests and/or giveaways
- Post quizzes and/or polls that your followers can weigh in on and answer
- Start a blog and/or vlog for your business
One other thing you can do is straight up ask your followers what sort of content they’d like to see on your channels. This is NEVER a bad move! Not only does it show your audience that you genuinely care about their opinion – it’s the single greatest way to know what you should be publishing, directly from the source.
Can you think of more ways that you can leverage social media for your event planning business during COVID-19? Let us know in the comments!
