When you’re hosting an event with the Summit Chamber, you’re not just planning another gathering.
It’s your moment to create momentum and showcase your business to the most engaged professionals in Summit County.
But how do you know if your next Chamber event will actually hit the mark? The difference between a good event and a memorable one often comes down to how well you promote it.
Let’s take a look at how to boost your event’s success when you partner with the Chamber!
Want to learn more about how a Summit County Chamber of Commerce membership can help your business? Check out the benefits and apply to join today!
Start with Story, Not Just Stats
The most successful Chamber events usually do more than simply announce a date and location. Those are important details, but are they compelling people to come? To engage?
The best Chamber events create anticipation by sharing the “why” behind the event. Businesses don’t simply invite people to an event – they build a narrative about it!
In action, this looks like planning well ahead and starting to drip out content built around the event and those involved.
Consider what makes your event unique beyond the networking opportunity. Are you showcasing a new product that solves a common challenge for mountain businesses? Does this event support a local charity? Is there an exciting keynote speaker lined up?
By starting with a story and building anticipation, you can create a buzz around your Chamber event that will draw in attendees. And think beyond just promoting yourself and your business. How will this event change the attendees’ lives?
Sounds a bit dramatic, but when time is limited, people want to know that they will walk away with something valuable.
Harness the Power of Cross-Promotion
The beauty of Chamber membership lies in the interconnected nature of our business community. Smart event hosts leverage these connections long before the first guest arrives.
Cross-promotion is all about creating genuine value exchanges that benefit everyone involved. When you can give your attendees a reason to attend beyond just hearing you speak, you are creating a win-win situation.
Creative Cross-Promotion Ideas
What does cross-promotion look like in action? Here are a few strategies our most successful event hosts have used to amplify their reach through partner businesses:
- Partner with your vendors or suppliers – If you use local products or services, invite those businesses to co-host or showcase their offerings at your event, giving them ownership in the promotion
- Create a “passport” program – Team up with 3-4 nearby businesses to offer a pre-event happy hour crawl, with each location promoting the final destination at your venue
- Offer social media takeovers – Let a complementary business take over your Instagram stories for a day leading up to the event, and return the favor on their channels
- Bundle your event with others – Coordinate with businesses hosting events the same week to create a “Summit County Business Week” that you all promote together
- Create exclusive perks for partner employees – Offer special door prizes or VIP treatment for employees of businesses that help promote your event
- Involve local nonprofits – Partner with a nonprofit for a cause-related element, tapping into their volunteer and donor networks
- Build media partnerships – Offer local media outlets exclusive coverage opportunities or first looks in exchange for promotional support
The key is making promotion mutually beneficial rather than a one-sided ask. When everyone wins, everyone promotes with genuine enthusiasm.
Don’t overthink it – pick one method and see how it works. Some may work better for a specific business, and certain events lend themselves to other methods. Collaborate, communicate, and make it a win.
Create a Digital Presence That Drives Attendance
Your digital promotion strategy should work like a funnel, capturing attention broadly and then nurturing interest all the way to attendance.
It can sound a bit complicated, but in reality, it’s quite easy to build a funnel that works for your event (and even your business’s social presence as a whole).
Build A Blog
Begin with a dedicated landing page or blog post that serves as the central hub for all event information. You can get as creative as you wish with your blog – and you can use it in a variety of ways to get the word out.
You could create a blog post featuring behind-the-scenes photos of their team testing appetizer recipes specifically for the gathering.
Post On Social Media
Quick note on social: Using social media effectively requires more than posting once and hoping for the best. So as you prepare for your event, create a content calendar that builds momentum over the three to four weeks.
Start with save-the-dates, share behind-the-scenes preparation, spotlight expected attendees, and create countdown posts that maintain urgency.
Vary your content format to keep it fresh. You could mix photos, videos, text posts, and stories to keep your promotion feeling new and different.
Partner With The Chamber
Remember that the Chamber’s social media channels and newsletter are powerful allies in your promotion efforts. Coordinate with our Membership Coordinator, and provide compelling images and shareable content that makes it easy for the Chamber to promote effectively.
Don’t Forget the Human Touch in a Digital World
While digital promotion is essential, never underestimate the power of personal outreach.
The most successful Chamber events combine broad digital promotion with targeted personal invitations.
Consider creating an ambassador list of well-connected Chamber members who align with your event’s purpose. Reach out personally, explain why their attendance would be valuable, and ask if they’d bring a colleague or two.
These personal touches created a core group of enthusiastic attendees who helped build momentum.
You don’t need to cold-call every member – think about how to strategically identify key people whose presence enhances everyone’s experience.
Authentic Follow-Through Builds Your Reputation
Don’t forget: Post-event promotion is equally important for long-term success. After your event, create and share a recap blog post or social media series thanking attendees and highlighting key moments.
When businesses see themselves featured in your recap, they’re more likely to share it with their networks, extending your reach even after the event ends.
Want to get even more personal and memorable? Send a personal thank-you email to attendees with photos from the event and a soft pitch for your services. This is a great way to build your reputation and sow seeds for future collaborations.
Plan Your Next Event with The Chamber Today!
Successful event promotion with the Chamber isn’t just about filling a room once. It’s about building a reputation as a business that creates valuable experiences for the community. Each well-promoted event makes the next one easier to promote.
Start planning your promotion strategy at least six weeks before your event date. Build partnerships early, create compelling content that tells your story, and remember that every touchpoint is an opportunity to showcase not just your event, but your business’s value to the Summit County community.
By combining compelling storytelling, strategic partnerships, comprehensive digital promotion, and consistent follow-through, your Chamber event can strengthen our entire business ecosystem.
Want to learn more about your Summit County Chamber of Commerce and how to start building your business reputation? Visit us online and see all the great ways you can get involved and start building a buzz around your next event!
The Summit Chamber is here to support you every step of the way – because your success is our community’s success.