How to Build Buzz Around An Event or Product Launch

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Have you ever planned an amazing event and yet nobody seemed to know about it? When you’re planning an event or launching a new product, you don’t want to feel like the kid who excitedly anticipated his birthday party to have no one show up. If this has happened to you and your business, don’t give up! It’s time to try a new approach and create some buzz!

Eight Ways to Build Buzz Around Your Next Event or Product Launch

If you haven’t entered the world of social media or blogging with your business, you’ll want to start there! No idea how to do that? Begin by exploring the simple concepts in our article, Here’s Why Social Media is Like a Birthday Party, and with our social media audit.

1. Brand the Launch

As you approach your launch, be as specific as possible in your messaging and consistent. This, if nothing else, will help create connections between your audience and your product or event. Create branded hashtags to make these connections shareable, while also developing the brand further.

2. Create a Society/Group

Facebook groups are a great way to get immediate contact with people that are interested in what you’re offering. If they’re in your group, they’ve already said yes to hearing more! What’s more is members of your group will get notified when you post. WIN! You don’t want to overpost, but take advantage of an audience that’s interested and that you know will see your posts!

3. Create Contests, Giveaways and Influencer Marketing Strategy

When creating a contest or a giveaway make sure it directly applies to what you’re trying to get a buzz around. For example, hosting a contest for someone to win your product can be a great way to create interest. No this isn’t rocket science, but you have to be strategic about how you implement this tactic to be successful.

When done properly, a contest has the potential to do two great things for you: First, it’ll make your product seem desirable to people hoping to win it. Second, it’ll allow someone to try out your product with excitement that could, in turn, end up promoting the product — best case scenario.

The results of these contests and giveaways did a tremendous amount for the world known now as “influencer marketing.” Influencer marketing is focuses on how to market products or services leveraging the popularity/ large following of influential people target audience to be a spokes(wo)man for the brand.  So the next time you’re scrolling through your Instagram and see your favorite reality star or blogger doing the “Vanna White” with a product, know they’re being paid to post and influence you as their audience to buy. Consider this strategy if you have a physical product to sell to the world.

4. Sneak Peek & Behind The Scenes

Show off what you want your audience to get excited about! Ever seen a movie trailer? The first trailer launch is the most vague, with subsequent trailers giving a little bit more of a taste of what people can expect. So our challenge to you is pull back the curtain and let your audience in on the behind-the-scenes action. This can be anything from showing your products getting ready to ship out to showing your team preparing for the event. It will make them feel like they’re part of your story, your club, your business. This type of exclusivity often correlates to building the “know, like and trust” factor for them and only up level your brand buzz.

5. Start Conversations

As you’ve created engagement with contests, sneak peeks and branding, don’t forget to engage in conversations. Begin by responding to comments posted in your groups and social media accounts. Pay attention to the type of verbiage your audience uses when speaking about your product or service. Leveraging this customer-based language will help you in the future better market your products and services and overall communicate with your audience going forward. During this engagement you’ll also want to ask questions to spark conversation. Ask directly for feedback, opinions, wish lists, and more. Don’t be afraid of negative comments. 

Remember it’s a conversation. Don’t just ask and let it hang. Respond back. Show that you’re listening! You have a chance to know exactly what your customer base wants and thinks. Take advantage and more importantly take action.

6. CTA

Another great tactic to use when trying to create buzz around your event is to have a call to action. Think about what your target audience can do to engage in the launch of the product or event. You may ask them to share the event with those who may want to attend. Or, suggest client get waitlist list to ensure they get the product when it launches.

7. Countdown

Create anticipation and sense of urgency with a countdown. You might consider a special discount or contest for each day leading up to the event or launch. Really, using the strategies above around the idea of a countdown will increase both engagement AND anticipation.

As you work to encourage interest and buzz, the most important thing to remember is authenticity. Show real reasons your customers have to be excited and don’t promise anything you’re not going to keep. Your biggest asset is your passion and vision. Share that and you’ll set everything else up for success. Twitter_Social_Icon_Circle_Color

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