Abernethy UMC

Event promotion

Whether you have a meeting you want to tell people about, or a big event you want to invite the community (or the world) to, if you don't get the word out about it, who's going to come?

Here are a few ways to help tell everyone about what you or your group is planning:

-email: Small lists are a start. Send it to a few people and ask (or beg) them to pass it on to their friends. Just don't make it look like some chain letter thing. You can also ask the church office to send you a larger email list. As a matter of fact, if you get any of the church emails that Tony sends out, then you have a list already. It may take you a little while to edit out the people you may want to exclude, or you could include everyone by using "Reply All".

-Promote the event on our web page: If you do this, I strongly suggest an email to invite people to the site to find out the details.

-Call the church office and get your event included in the bulletin and newsletter. Don't wait until the week of the event. Do it as soon as you begin planning. Bulletin info is due each Wednesday. Newsletter info is due to the church office no later than the 15th of the month prior to issue. This may also be a way to ask for volunteers from the church if you need to.

-Magazine notices and ads: Most publications ask for info up to a month before the next months issue. Local publications, like the IWANNA, WNC Woman, Rapid River, etc., ask for final info and art by the first week of the month prior to issue date. You should also ask the publication to include your event in the calendar, both in print and on their website. Ask me about this if you have questions. I'll be glad to help you create an ad, however, planning ahead is essential. Make sure you know enough about your event to describe it including date, time and location. And of course, what is the event about. Note that ads cost money. Some publications have a lot of info on their sites about ad sizes but normally you have to call them to get rates.

-Newspaper ads: The above info also applies to newspapers, but you can usually wait until a week prior to publication to get the art to them. (Again, plan for at least a week or more for production of an ad and call first for costs.)

-Posters and flyers: If you are putting up posters outside of Abernethy be sure to include our address, phone number and web address. I will be glad to help you design any flyers and posters, but please don't wait. Again, get started on these as soon as possible. Putting out info two weeks before the event is sensible. Production of the materials may take an additional week.

-Radio and TV stations: Many of these media outlets in our area have online calendars also. Start by going to their websites and entering the info on their calendar. If you want your event mentioned on air, you'll need to call someone at the station. Many stations will make mention of you event, as part of a community calendar, for free. Others may charge for a specific mention, or "station read". Some stations consider these to be commercials. Rates may vary. If your event is a fund raiser for community benefit, they may promote it for free. It pays to call and ask a rep at the station.

-Gorilla marketing: There are no specifics to go by here. Sometimes the event sparks ideas about how to promote it. Generally this type of marketing is done as inexpensively as possible. Example: If you're planning a Christmas-time concert, take a small group Caroling around the neighborhood or to the mall. Hand out flyers about the concert as you go. Or, if you are planning a breakfast fund raiser, ask the local grocery store if you can post a flyer in their dairy section.

Whatever it is, start thinking about getting the word out very early in the process. It can only be helpful to the success of the event. Call me if you have ideas or need more advice, artwork etc.

Richard
828.670.6719
828.712.0620

rpsalais@bellsouth.net

Promote a church event.

Here are a few tips to remember...

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18

Important News: Abernethy now has a Safe Sanctuary Policy. Download it here.