If you build it, they will come.

That advice might work in the movies, but if you really want your special event to be noticed and bring in participants, you need a marketing and promotion plan.

Large, big-budget events can enlist the expertise of large, prestigious marketing agencies.

Most community, volunteer, corporate or small business special events are smaller in scope and budget.

Don't let that stop you from planning how you will market and attract guests.

There's a lot you can do yourself or with a little help from your friends.

Depending on your event, your marketing and promotion plan can be as short as one page or it can fill a thick binder. It's your plan, your road map for reaching your goals. Make it as concise or as detailed as you need for your event.

Developing a marketing plan helps you focus your thoughts on identifying the people you want at your event, what motivates them to attend (or not), where to find them, and how to reach them.

You will think about what makes your event stand out from other events that are similar to yours or that are taking place around the same time.

Importantly, you will feel confident that your budget is being used effectively.

Online course

Marketing and Promoting Your Event is one of seven modules covered in Tourism Saskatchewan's Organizing Special Events online course. It describes marketing terminology, provides tips for effective promotion, and helps you develop a marketing plan with the Marketing Plan Template:

• basic advertising terminology
• the tourism marketing mix
• situational analysis
• target markets
• marketing positioning
• marketing objectives
• event marketing plan
• evaluating a marketing plan
• media action plan
• common advertising strategies
• media alternatives
• elements of an effective event website
• maximizing positive social media publicity
• managing online ratings and review sites

Marketing and Promoting Your Event builds on the Tourism Marketing Mix that is introduced in the Organizing Special Events course.

This module shows you how following the steps of the marketing plan cycle can help ensure that your resources are being assigned and spent in the most effective way possible. It guides you in developing a media action plan that identifies media you will use and the messaging you want. It shows how to use social media to promote your event, including best practices, helpful tips and pros and cons for the major social media platforms.

Organizing Special Events online course

Register for Organizing Special Events to get the advice and tools you need to make your event a success this summer.