How to Draw a Crowd of People to an Event

Attract people to your event with free food.

Planning an event requires plenty of work, from securing a venue to working with vendors and volunteers. However, the key to a successful event is strong attendance. Without a supportive crowd, your event could fall flat. Make your hard work pay off by attracting a crowd of people to your event. An involved crowd will help promote your product, raise money for your cause or showcase your talent.

Instructions

1. Tell your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers about your event. Word of mouth is an effective marketing tool. Ask your network to spread the word about your event to their family and friends. Encourage every family member or friend attending to bring at least one person. These tactics can multiply your event attendance numbers quickly.

2. Design eye-catching fliers. Clearly identify what your event consists of---if it's a concert, then list the artists playing; if it's a fundraiser, mention the charity involved. Print the information on neon paper, and post the fliers on community bulletin boards throughout your town. If your event is near a college campus, enlist a few volunteers to pass out fliers to students on campus.

3. Place advertisements in inexpensive, or free, outlets. Talk to your church about including information about your event in the weekly bulletin or your child's school about promoting the event in the school newsletter. If your business sends out an electronic newsletter, ask the organizer about including information on your event.

4. Offer incentives for guests. According to the University of California, something as simple as free food can attract guests to your event. The school recommends tying the free products you offer into your event theme. Foods like pizza and party subs are inexpensive to purchase and tasty enough to attract guests to your event.

5. Hold a raffle at the event. However, include a stipulation with the raffle---the person has to attend to win the prize. Talk to local businesses about donating items to raffle off, like gift cards for restaurants or spas. Sell inexpensive tickets, no greater than $1, and entice guests to attend your event to win their prize.

6. Contact potential guests on social networking sites. Create a page for your event on sites like Facebook, and post information about it on other sites like Twitter. Guests can see which of their friends are attending the event this way, encouraging them to attend.

References

• University of California: Creative Publicity
• Macquarie University: Marketing Your Event