Steve Mandy

THIS CAN BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PDF SLIDES

IT WAS NO ACCIDENT

In a town with a population of only 5000 people, we get 800 to come to an event that had never been attempted before.

PLAN

At the outset, there’s no set playbook; things simply unfold naturally. What’s crucial is the adept navigation of circumstances as they arise and the keen ability to seize opportunities. One aspect we were certain of was the necessity for compelling characters

There is no hard and fast plan in the beginning, it just kind of evolves organically. What’s crucial is the adept navigation of circumstances as they arise and the keen ability to seize opportunities. One thing we did know was that we would need some attractive characters.

ATTRACTIVE CHARACTERS

Contrary to what it might seem, these people don’t need to have classic beauty, or any beauty at all (although it might help certain markets). They need to be the hero’s that spread the word. You can get away with having one, two is better, three is okay but 4 would be too many.

When our audience see these people on their screens, they immediately identify with the product, in this case, the Fishguard Food Festival.

You can consider them as the face of the Market, or ambassadors for the event. They must be appropriate (appeal to our target market) and trusted to deliver sincere messages.

KEEPING IT LIGHT BUT RELEVANT.

It is not unusual for the importance of the message to destroy the spontaneity of the delivery. Its great to make mistakes, stumble over words, and get things wrong. The job of the editor is to make sure the correct message is delivered. The job of the attractive characters is to be as human as possible. There should be no reading of scripts. Key words, may help, but over scripting is a passion killer.

BRANDING

At the onset of the campaign, the event organizers hadn’t finalized a brand logo, causing a delay. Once the logo was established, we remained steadfast in its use. Every image and video shared prominently featured the logo. This consistency is paramount as it fosters instant recognition and connection with your audience. Your logo should become more recognizable than even the faces of your attractive characters. While the characters may change over time, the logo remains constant. Consistent branding ensures that regardless of changes in characters, your audience will always understand the source of the message.

BEING INCLUSIVE

In every community, there exist various groups of individuals, some formally recognized and others not. Integrating these groups into your marketing campaign can significantly enhance its reach. Moreover, involving them harnesses the potent force of word-of-mouth marketing. In this campaign, we actively engaged with multiple groups to ensure they felt included and invested in the initiative.

BEING ENTERTAINING

Each post should strive to deliver maximum entertainment value, compelling users to pause and engage. This entails pairing captivating images with concise and impactful text messages. The goal is to halt scrolling behavior and capture the audience’s attention long enough to convey your message effectively. Utilizing powerful or visually appealing imagery, such as cats, toddlers, or attractive faces, can be particularly effective in achieving this.

CREATING INTRIGUE

Human nature is inherently drawn to mystery and intrigue. There’s an undeniable allure in the unknown, making secrets incredibly compelling. By introducing an element of mystery into the campaign, we harnessed this powerful inclination to captivate our audience.

EXCITING IMAGES AND VIDEOS

If you think posting a block of text or a list will grab attention, you’re mistaken. Access to high-quality images and videos is essential. Subscribing to top-tier posting facilities provides a competitive edge. While these subscriptions may be costly, they’re the difference between posts that go unnoticed and those that captivate attention.

CONTEMPORARY EVENTS

Communities, regardless of size, are naturally drawn to sporting and social events unfolding on local and global stages. These events generate immense energy, hype, and interest, presenting a golden opportunity for marketers to capitalize on it. By incorporating elements of these events into your marketing strategy, you can tap into the existing energy. For instance, during the Fishguard Food Festival, coinciding with the Rugby World Cup, we seized the moment by organizing a predict-the-score competition. It’s crucial to ensure that such initiatives are non-profit and don’t involve any charges to participants.

CATER FOR ALL AGES. STAY VISIBLE

When crafting an event lineup, it’s crucial to anticipate potential objections that might dissuade people from attending. The coordinating committee recognized this challenge, particularly regarding the need to keep young attendees engaged. The solution? The creation of the Kiddies Corner—a perfect remedy. However, it also served as another valuable opportunity for generating captivating content.

POSTING REGULARLY

Beyond sporadic updates, it’s wise to avoid posting too far in advance, as it can potentially diminish audience engagement and enthusiasm. Prolonged exposure to marketing messages can lead to viewer fatigue. Take, for instance, Wimbledon—a prestigious event that strategically ramps up its marketing efforts approximately six weeks prior to the tournament. The Fishguard Food Festival follows a similar approach.

As the event date approaches, maintaining a consistent level of awareness becomes paramount. It’s recommended to aim for around 50 posts in the lead-up period to keep attendees informed and excited

USING DIFFERENT MEDIA

It’s unrealistic to assume that every potential attendee can be reached solely through social media channels. While we’ve discussed the effectiveness of word-of-mouth strategies through inclusivity, it’s essential not to overlook more traditional marketing avenues such as banners and flyers.

These conventional methods, although challenging to measure quantitatively, play a crucial role in reaching segments of the market less active in digital spaces. Banners and flyers should deliver clear, uncluttered messages drawing people to the inevitable conclusion that they should attend this event. 

USING VENDORS

The individuals who stand to benefit the most from a successful festival are often the busiest, making it challenging to engage them in marketing activities. However, many of them have dedicated communities of followers who closely follow their endeavors.

It’s imperative to incentivize and encourage these key stakeholders to promote the event within their networks, utilizing platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and email. Perhaps a discount on booking costs for most effort. Leveraging their existing audiences ensures targeted outreach to individuals already interested in the promoted products or services. 

THE REST IS TECHNICAL AND STATISTICAL.

I don’t think its necessary to go through the rest of the slides in any detail. If you have any questions regarding them, just drop me a note here.