I have stumbled recently across some ideas on how to enhance a traditionally (tv / radio) marketed campaign (of an event this time, not a product) by adding some internet presence but at low cost. So where should a marketer start with such a daunting task?

Well first and foremost it’s important to know your target group and which online places do they prefer. For example some countries don’t use twitter as much as others, while some have their own facebook/myspace alternative and the big two (well big one to be honest) are not as present there. But once we sort of get the idea of where to start the next question arises.

What’s next?

Is the next step adding marketing babble advertising media everywhere and waiting for our fish to catch bait?
(remembering that we’re on a budget – preferably no money, and the smaller amount we have to spend the better). So where do we start? First let’s focus on the event we’d like to promote. And since nothing nowadays is truly original we can find similar events in the past. And even if not and this is truly an unique thing we can find categories in which our event fits – like cooking / vegetarian / concerts. By narrowing it down to a couple of tags we need to start at the bottom first, because the top will be much easier. So let’s say we have those three tags and want to promote a big concert in our town of 2 mil. citizens, which is of course already promoted on the radio, press and tv.

Starting at the bottom

By starting at the bottom I mean preparing a short, friendly notice (not a marketing ad), with a couple of pictures and generally a visually pleasant form. This is important because in most cases like that plain text will be skipped.
Then we go blog hunting. We find at least 10 (50 is better) blogs that relate to at least one of our subjects and have a viewer base that’s large enough to cover our city too (even if the blogger is from some other place in the same country). Then we write to them, trying to sound as “real” as possible. Saying “Hello” at the beginning won’t hurt (yeah it’s obvious but skipped so often it makes my blood freeze). Then let’s tell them how we found them, and that we think we have some interesting info to share with them. And then the info part comes in, but it seriously should be presented like you’re describing it to a friend you stumbled upon on a street. No fancy big words, no marketing bullshit. Plain and simple. And good looking visually (photos speak!)

Moving to the top

A facebook group or page is the typical next answer and it’s also the right one. Try and fill it out with as much detail as possible but DON’T FORGET THE PHOTOS. Any promotional visual material is crucial. A nice poster. Or even internet posters with a nice photo and some basic even info on it. Post it, share it. Write there from time to time. The best way to actually get somewhere is by running a facebook ad, which in fact are pretty cheap. You can end up paying less than $1 per 1000 views of your ad and this is A LOT! Try and experiment with those.

Twitter is also a fun way to be more socially “open” to your followers (but you need to have some already) because you can communicate even more like a real person with them. Short, direct messages and remember to post something that’s only touching your subject indirectly like a funny video of someone else’s vegetarian activist concert with guys dressed as giant culiflowers or whatever. Be real and human.

Same goes with a youtube channel – get as many videos of your performers or even recipes online, tag them correctly and have each point to either your website or your facebook / twitter. It won’t hurt to make a splash screen with the most important info and put it INSIDE the videos at their beginning and end so they won’t be missed.

And remember. Be a human. Because being a robot, or worse – a marketing guy – won’t buy you trust. And won’t buy you followers.