When my friend Tianna—boudoir photographer and women’s empowerment extraordinaire—decided she was going to put together a retreat to help women embrace their God-given beauty and combat the notion that they’re not enough, I was thrilled to help create content to promote the event. So much thought and care went into the planning and execution of the event, so it was vital that the event promotion also displayed that level of mindfulness.

Event promotion copy should be thought-out and strategic. You want to ensure you’re encouraging your target audience to register. It’s also crucial to accurately describe the event, so attendees know what to expect. Most importantly, you want to help your potential attendees see all the incredible benefits your event has to offer. Make your event something they simply can’t pass t up.

Defining Your Audience

The first thing I do when working with clients to promote an event is determine who the intended audience is. Who do you want to sign up for this event? Hint: it can’t be everyone. It’s almost impossible to create an event that appeals to every person. The more you can hone in on who the ideal event attendee is, the easier it will be to tailor your message to that specific audience.

For The Truly Retreat, the audience was obviously women. But more specifically, we communicated that the event was for women who wanted to “come together to discover, embrace, and live out unashamed womanhood.” Women who wanted to work through their own insecurities, and come together to support other women. These women ended up being from all different walks of life, but they were all there because they wanted to experience these same fundamental things.

Promoting the Event

When people consider signing up for an event, there are a few things they’re going to consider, such as the cost, whether they can afford the time off, and if the event is a good fit for them personally or professionally. These things are certainly important considerations. But the main, overarching consideration for event registration is usually this: What does this event have to offer me? What will I get out of it to make it worth my while?

If you want to effectively promote an event, focus on sharing what you have to offer to your target audience. That offering has to be spectacular enough that, regardless of the other considerations, your audience just has to sign up. They’re going to prioritize it, because it’s just too good to pass up.

To promote The Truly Retreat, I focused on addressing the issues that Tianna would be addressing during the event: feelings of not being enough, fears of unworthiness and struggles with comparison. This content made it clear to those interested in the event what they could expect throughout the weekend. For those who resonated with the message, it made the event a priority. They needed to do this for themselves.

---

Truly Retreat Email Excerpt

At one point or another, we have all felt less than. We have compared our lives to someone else’s that seemed perfect from a distance. We’ve been bogged down with guilt, shame, and insecurities. We’ve believed lies about who we are, even though each of us has been fearfully and wonderfully made.

The Truly Retreat is for all of us. It’s a safe and loving space for women of all ages to come together to discover, embrace, and live out unashamed womanhood. By breaking down insecurities, instilling self-confidence, and encouraging one another, we are bringing together a supportive community of women and helping them to flourish. No matter what season of life you are in, this is the retreat for real women you have been waiting for.

Truly Retreat attendees will enjoy catered meals, interactive presentations, breakout discussions, manicures, and a 30-minute MINI Boho Boudoir Session. Through it all, we will focus on empowering you to love yourself—to stop striving and to let go of control, fully embracing the life God has called you to.

---

Telling the Event Story

The follow-up from the event can be just as important as promoting it. In the case of the Truly Retreat, I registered to attend the retreat as a participant. I participated throughout the weekend, taking special note of the moments that were the most memorable and impactful. And since I knew I would be writing about the experience, I made sure to speak with each attendee at the end of the weekend to collect their testimonial while it was fresh in their mind.

Experiencing the retreat firsthand was crucial to writing an effective recap. I told the story of the weekend from the perspective of an active attendee. Highlighting all the most important moments was a great way to not only stay connected with the attendees, but also to ignite interest for the next event. You can read the full event recap blog post here.

Don’t neglect to follow up with your event participants once the fanfare dies down. These are your advocates. They’re the ones whose experiences can convert those on the sidelines to participants the next time you host an event. Regardless of how well you promote your events, your attendees’ testimonials will end up being some of the most important content you can have.

Hiring a Copywriter for Event Promotion

Are you planning an event? I’d love to help you create some strategic messaging directed at your target market. Content that really resonates with your audience can help encourage registration and create excitement for the event. You can get in touch with me here.