5 Ways to Promote Your Event Planning Business after the Holidays
You know the event planning business dies down after the holidays, so how can you curb a decrease in business? This is probably the most common—and terrifying—questions event planners have to ask!
But don’t stress out just yet! There’s a few tricks of the trade you can use to promote your event planning business when the busy holiday season comes to an end. No matter your client base, there are multiple ways to spill your event bookings over into the New Year—and we’ll tell you exactly how to keep business booming!
New Years’ Kickoff
Especially for corporate offices, this strategy will give your clients (and your business) a boost into the New Year. Advertise event ideas for January that focus on company goals and resolutions. This gives an opportunity for businesses to gather employees and present the company’s aims for the New Year.
By turning what would be a bland corporate meeting into an exciting event, employees have something to look forward to in January. Office morale will skyrocket! Companies have the chance to look over the previous year and decide a new course of action—but in a welcoming environment. Employees will be way more creative when there’s room for more engagement! Plan a gala or company brunch so your client’s business can start the New Year productively.
Host a Charity Fundraiser
A clever way to promote your event planning business is to host your own event for the community! Schedule your event for January, and make the premise a fundraiser for those less-fortunate. Guests can donate unwanted gifts rather than returning them, and you can sell tickets with the profits going to a charity of your choice. Definitely a creative way to gain good business karma!
There’s a big pull for community-based fundraisers since people can actually see the difference they’re making! So try donating to a local charity or food-bank. Neighbors and friends will feel excellent about themselves and be more inclined to book your event services.
Amp up Attendance
Simply put, the holidays are busy. People can’t attend every event they receive an invite to, even if they want to! Counteract that with the idea of hosting a holiday party post-Christmas. This gives employees and friends something to look forward to after the climax of the Christmas season. Plus, you’ll save guests some stress by not adding to their busy holiday schedule!
The guests have exciting plans for January, and your clients will enjoy more flexibility (and cheaper rates)! Restaurants and venues are always booked up during the holiday season, so give your client a secret tip—host their holiday party after the busy season. Guests will be able to talk about their holidays too, which will keep conversation flowing!
Launch a Sale Promotion
Post-holiday sales are a big trend you should be jumping on board with. Adding value to your services after the expensive holiday season will draw clients in and keep your event business competitive.
Your promotions don’t need to be extensive—a simple campaign will do! Check out rates from the competition and see whether or not they have an upcoming offer. You can base your promotional offers around other businesses in the industry, which can help you expand your client base in the New Year! We’re not advising you to give a massive discount, especially if you run a small business. But you could offer a free additional service that clients usually pay extra for. It won’t add too much extra work for you AND it will help bring in a few clients.
Advertise for February
Most clients will begin planning events a few months ahead, so advertising for future holidays is a must for promoting your business after the Christmas season! For example, Valentine’s Day isn’t that far away from New Years’. Basically the earlier you advertise your services, the more clients you’ll gather.
Beat your competition to the punch—reach out to clients who booked a holiday party with you and offer your services for their next event. Staying on top of the industry will keep your business from falling to the whims of procrastination. So, be sure to host successful and well-planned events throughout the holidays. This can affect your event business in the New Year, for better or for worse!
There are endless possibilities to boosting your business strategy for the post-holiday season. Research your client base and see what ideas will give you the best results. It may be trial and error, but the sooner you learn, the sooner you can hash out a successful winter marketing campaign!
