Foundations of Audience Development

A great event needs an equally great turnout. Audience development is the key to spreading the reach of your event. Get started with basic tips and tricks for attracting new audiences to your IEEE event.

Jump to a Topic:

Identify Objectives

Who is your target audience? How are you looking to grow your event? Identify these important objectives early on in your planning process.

What makes your event stand out?

Your event has unique qualities, speakers, and content. Make sure you tell prospective attendees what these are when marketing your event.

Social Media for Your Event

Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat enable you to build a community and interact in real-time with attendees.

Once you’ve identified your audience, consider your objectives and resources to select the right social media platforms for your event. Whichever direction you choose, it’s important to keep your social media active. We recommend having  a Social Media Chair on your committee. This can be a great way to both keep your social media presence consistent and introduce students or young professionals to your volunteer committee.

Leverage the Local Community

From local IEEE Chapters to groups like Young Professionals and Women in Engineering, connecting with local volunteers and companies within your community is a fantastic way to help promote and build your event. Reach out to their professional networks through online platforms like social media, websites and newsletters, as well as offline networks such as meet-ups, and colleagues.

Additionally, look outside of IEEE to expand your local reach. Is your focus technology prevalent in the area your event is taking place? Do you have speakers or exhibitors who can help spread the word to their peers?

Growing Your Virtual Event Audience

Virtual events create new opportunities for audience reach and engagement. But what makes your event stand out from the crowd? When developing your strategy, consider what makes virtual events different from their in-person counterparts and adjust your messaging accordingly.

Here are a few tips to help you attract and engage the audiences that will add the most value to your event.

  1. Offer a compelling program.
  2. Align fees with your value proposition.
  3. Emphasize the convenience of virtual.
  4. Invite related technical interest groups.
  5. Encourage speaker & attendee word-of-mouth promotion.
  6. Engage your core audience.
  7. Enable long-term growth through on-demand content and email mailing lists.
  8. Work with sponsors & exhibitors to create memorable experiences.
  9. Obtain feedback to retain and grow future attendance.
  10. Identify what makes your event stand out from the rest.

We Are Here to Help

Want to learn more about IEEE CEE’s Audience Development services for your event? Reach out to our specialists to request a free brainstorm or discuss your event needs: