Here is a tremendously powerful technique I learned from Dr. Wyatt Woodsmall in the late 2000s. It is known as success modeling.
One of the best things that you can do for your event is to model your marketing and strategies on other successful events. You'd be surprised how willing other event organizers are to share some of their proven secrets.
In 2008, I called up an event organizer in Buffalo, New York. I heard that he sold out 7,000 tickets to his fundraising event in very little time. He was gracious enough to give me 30 minutes of his time and shared the fantastic details. What he shared with me was an information goldmine.
When I asked if he consulted for a fee to other event organizers, he said that he was happy to share the information with anyone interested at no charge. You would be amazed at how many good people there are willing to share their event and event success secrets, but it's up to you to be proactive and ask.
Some of the biggest client success stories are a result of this type of modeling. Go out and find an event success story and quantify it.
If you're going to get in contact with another event or event organizer, be prepared to listen carefully and not over-judge their ideas. Way too many event organizers will arm themselves with logic about why they can't do something potentially beneficial for their event.
I hear it all the time. "We can't do that because [insert excuse here]." You might not hear what you want to hear. Be prepared to ask questions instead of focusing on the answers you want. Some of the best event organizers I've studied do things that others would consider to be highly counter-intuitive.
If you want a really successful event, you're going to need to lay down some of the preconceived notions you might have. What you hear might not make immediate sense. You have to decide what works best for your event, but at least consider trying something different.
Here are two modeling questions you can use:
- What is your most potent event marketing strategy?
- What are your biggest event marketing lessons (mistakes)?
It is also essential to validate the information. There are a lot of very audacious claims made in the event industry, whether it be attendance or revenue numbers. If possible, try to vet the data or make sure that the information you're getting is accurate.
There are successful event organizers out there willing to help you. Make it a point to try to speak to at least one a week. Taking 15 or 30 minutes out of your week to do this could revolutionize the way you run your event.