Word of mouth is great but, if you are running your event for the first time or want to boost the numbers attending, you will need advertising and publicity to help spread the word. There are various ways to do this, including:
- press releases
- posters
- leaflets
- television
- radio advertising
How much advertising you do will depend on your budget. You will also need to think about who you want to attract to your event. Will it be a local audience, regional or national?
Any advertising or publicity you produce will need to say:
- What type of event it is
- Where it’s taking place
- When it’s taking place
You should also include:
- opening times
- admission costs
- contact details for further information
Posters, handbills and banners
Space for posters on notice boards and in shops is often limited. It’s worth having a mix of A4 and A3 posters available.
Handbills can work as inserts in the local paper, though there is likely to be a charge for this. They’re also good to hand out at places with a good turnover of visitors like:
- supermarkets
- tourist information centres
- libraries
- pubs
- shops
- post offices
If you want to put up banners around the local area advertising your event, you will need to get permission from us first.
Rules about advertising
There are also some types of advertising that either require special permission or are prohibited.
These include:
- advertising on street lights – contact us for guidance
- banners over the highway, which need separate highways permission in addition to any advertising consent
- advertising boards on the pavement – contact us for guidance
- temporary signs and advertisements on the highway
Publicity
Make contact with the local or national media and keep them up to date on the progress of your event with regular press releases. If your event is an annual one, you may also want to provide photos of the previous year’s event. You need to keep the momentum going and the interest of both the media and the public fresh.
For the event day, consider having an official opening ceremony. A local dignitary or celebrity opening the event is a good way to attract media interest. Activities going on at the event also make good photo opportunities for the media. Make sure you let them know ahead of time about the kinds of things they will be able to photograph.
