Doing a good communicative job is as important as setting up an attractive poster, that is why it cannot be left to improvisation. But do you know how to develop a communication plan? Keep reading!
Pay special attention at the end of the post. You will find two downloadable templates for FREE (One for business and one for artists) with explanations and examples that will give you a glimpse on how to plan your strategy in a professional way.
Developing a communication plan is a basic task to properly define the strategy to follow when promoting your festival or music event. That is why the NeoAttack agency, as a guest firm, gives us the keys to making an appropriate plan. We will give them the floor.
A communication plan is a guide-document, which defines the editorial line and the communicational scheme, to be followed by an institution, company, foundation or events of long preparation but of short duration, such as a musical event, festival or the premiere of a movie. When talking about the development of a festival or musical event, the communication plan is a support for the organization and the fundamental element on which success depends.
In this guide-document, it is established: the what, when and the how of the communicational action. It is, specifically, the way the company or producer is going to communicate with the target audience. The communication plan has objectives and strategies that are totally linked to the marketing plan.
Communication and marketing strategy. What does it consist of?
When we talk about marketing strategy for festivals or music events, we refer to the methodology established by the advertising team to “sell the experience”. Understanding that the target audience is established in the communication plan, what the marketing strategy does is convince the audience to attend. For marketing, the consumer is the center of your strategy, therefore, attracting, convincing, selling, depends on the organization, that the experience of the festival or event attendee is unique, so that they return in the next time.
While the communication strategy is more linked to carrying out the media tour, spreading the celebration of the event through both traditional and digital media, establishing the broadcasting channels, the ways of dissemination and specifying new communication campaigns, that is, gaining visibility, the marketing strategy will be guided by influencing the person’s decision.
Stages of a communication strategy for festivals
Índice
Study and segment the target audience
Knowing the target audience means characterizing it, knowing its trends and preferences. This stage is done after the organizers of the event, establishes the artists, bands or DJs that are going to perform. Studying the target audience will allow the consolidation and dissemination of the communication strategy in online and offline media, as well as the most appropriate traditional channels. One of the objectives is to consolidate the loyalty of the fans and gain loyalty from those who were not.
Cover the web space
Currently, a person can have up to two to three festivals or musical events in mind, and surely they have to decide on one, therefore, since it is not the only one to be held that year, the communication plan has to start running possible strategies to ensure that people have the necessary information to choose what is promoted. Nowadays, people are closely related to the online universe. Having a website and an information center, that cover the most popular social networks, is essential.
People need to know: where, when, and also where to stay, prices, offers, transportation and even the place. Regarding the latter one, make an agreement with a transport company for events, so that people who are already tempted by the idea of the festival will feel more secure having such vital information. In this aspect, you have to be very present on socials, generate PPC campaigns and SEO strategy, advertising in the web press, YouTube, in addition to making alliances with Influencers.
Production
Production is the protagonist of everything related with logistics, planning and organization. The production makes the schedule, and the group in charge of communication and marketing needs one that is well developed and does not involve failures in the days prior to the event. In addition to the schedule, production is also responsible for the carrying out of blueprint of the land with all the possible actions within its limits, the division of the spaces and the location of the sponsors. All this has to be considered in the communication plan in detail.
Traditional media
Gaining media attention is essential. All media is an open window to an audience that must be informed and convinced to attend. Although digital media and social networks are already a leading part of the dynamics of social life today, the press and television still have an important influence.
Through traditional media, a positive image of an incalculable value can be fostered, however, it depends on several specific strategies: getting interviews for the musical groups, organizers, and when possible, ensuring that the topic is located among the entertainment, culture and leisure sections. Media are still a Chess game, you have to invest, but you have to know how to play the pieces in order to obtain the right position among viewers and readers of the written press.
Marketing strategies
One of the golden rules of marketing for music events and festivals is that you are not selling a product, but an experience and, surely, according to the intensity of the marketing campaign, it will not be just an experience, but “The experience of your life”. In this case, event merchandising is one of the most important marketing strategies. Here is where promotional gifts get inside the game.
A current and very successful example of merchandising for events, is Tomorrowland, everything that surrounds the event is a breathtaking experience, from the moment the person receives the ticket, which is not just any ticket, because it is always related to the theme of that year and makes it look like an exclusive event, and a unique life experience. This means that the merchandising and marketing rules for music festivals and events today have evolved.
When developing a marketing strategy for music events and festivals, it is important to consider influencing factors. The main ones are the artists, second are the previous experiences that can be shared as creative videos, which constitute a transcendental visual experience.
You may also like: