Curbside Value Partnership: Blog

CVP Blog - Recent

Blog RSS feed

blog archives

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Fresh, new ideas for event marketing

The biggest key to success at an event is personal interaction. Events not only enable you to reach large groups of people in the community at one location, but also to have one-one-one conversations, which are very powerful. When deciding on how to connect with residents at events, be sure to keep it:

· Memorable. Find ways to engage with residents in a way they will remember.

· Compelling. Give residents a reason to listen to what you have to say.

· Provocative. Do something that makes your residents stop and stare (in a good way!) and remember you after they have walked away.

· Relevant. Keep your efforts to catch residents’ attention in line with your recycling messages.

To help get you started, here are five fresh event ideas to incorporate into your next event.

1. Segways. These are a great way to move around through a crowd of people. Follow Saint Louis County’s lead and have a recycling cart custom-fitted to wrap around a Segway. The result is an eye-catching mobile display that helps get your recycling point across, along with a driver who can interact with people and talk about the program.

2. QR codes. Have some t-shirts made up with QR codes for people to scan right off the shirt that takes them to a website, Facebook page, etc. This is another eye-catching way to engage people about the recycling program. Most people have smart phones nowadays so take advantage!

3. An eye-catching backdrop. Set up a photo-friendly backdrop behind/next to your “area.” This will catch people’s attention and prompt them to stop for more information. They can pose in front of the display for photos, and of course, learn more about recycling.

4. Props. Give residents a physical prop as a way to interact with you. Props like a recycling cart-shaped hat, even your recycling bins, can provide a fun way for people to be engaged. This can be especially effective when combined with a backdrop that people can take photos in front of.

5. Social media. Don’t let the conversation stop after a resident has walked away from you at an event. Provide reminders for people to follow you on Twitter or like you on Facebook. By providing a place for people to go to continue the interaction, you have a better chance at truly engaging them in recycling, as well as having them spread the word to others.

For inspiration on how other communities are making events work for them, check out the Saint Louis County Facebook page and Keep America Beautiful’s Littering Is Wrong Too campaign website.

We want to hear from you … what tactics have you found most effective in event marketing? Comment below or email us at info@recyclecurbside.org.

comments (1) | add comment

Share Curbside Value Partnership

Request Password