# Getting ready for a brand launch party: How can we promote and expose our events widely?



## Joeyt (Jan 10, 2011)

So I've been up, coming up with designs, drafting business plans, doing website layouts, sourcing for suppliers, and I'm really close to my official date of opening. Here's what I am going to do -

I am engaging an events planner to have my official launch of my apparel label. The setting will be in a club. We are gna have a well known deejay spin that night, and on top of that, I am going to have my friends walk around with lookbooks and engage my customers in a warm chit chat, explaining about how we came about, and then promoting our brand, hoping they will purchase our apparels. We have got a handful of artworks which we intend to frame the entire place up with. We have a lot of interesting ideas in terms of interior deco and the flow of the entire event.

But the damned thing is we are so stuck on ideas getting the customers into the event. We are thinking of giving badges out for free, which will double as a discount coupon when they are purchasing tickets. But I think what is more critical is exposure. How can we promote and expose our events widely?

Target audience here is teenage.. If that helps.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> How can we promote and expose our events widely?


At the very basics, you would advertise the event just like you would advertise your company.

Put your products (or event in this case) in front of your targeted customer in cool and creative ways.

So wherever your customers are for this event, find them and advertise your event to them.

Are they on Facebook? Advertise on Facebook?

Are they reading a particular blog? Advertise on that blog?

Do they hang out in a particular coffee shop? Advertise in that coffee shop if possible.

You get the idea 

As far as event logistics, you may want to try a registration tracking service to help managing things. I like to use eventbrite for events because they provide some nice marketing materials and event-day management tools like an iphone app where you can scan tickets of people who actually attended the event. You can also collect custom information during the signup like t-shirt size, conduct a survey, etc.


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

That sounds like alot of money to blow to reach a very small number of potential customers. Think like the advertisers do... cost per impression. Then you can do some more math and calculate your costs to get a sale (total marketing divided by total $$ sales). You can get alot better ROI. 

You would reach zillions more by plowing that money into facebook, and forum advertising and just do product promos now and then at the local club. 

Give the DJ four or five shirts to use as give aways or contest prizes. Everyone will want to win one... and you create an exclusivity. If you just flood the place with 50% off coupons you will not get the buzz you want.


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## M3tees (Mar 28, 2011)

Hi I myself just turned 18 and have recently started up an online clothing business myself called m3tees.com. The main thing im wondering is if your business is going to be online or local? Because advertising techniques can slightly vary.


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## Joeyt (Jan 10, 2011)

Thanks guys for the help. It's gna be both. Local and online. We want to be able to slowly branch out internationally.

Hmm so i guess I'm gna need more time forming a strong fan base first before actually advertising for the launch party? I have read from this forum that having media contact and exposure is most effective. Not too sure if that is as simple a task here in Singapore than in the US. Can anyone care to share what that actually means over there in The states? Hopefully, I will be able to link some relevant stuffs to the context here in Singapore.

Is Facebook really sufficient?


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## Joeyt (Jan 10, 2011)

jiarby said:


> That sounds like alot of money to blow to reach a very small number of potential customers. Think like the advertisers do... cost per impression. Then you can do some more math and calculate your costs to get a sale (total marketing divided by total $$ sales). You can get alot better ROI.
> 
> You would reach zillions more by plowing that money into facebook, and forum advertising and just do product promos now and then at the local club.
> 
> Give the DJ four or five shirts to use as give aways or contest prizes. Everyone will want to win one... and you create an exclusivity. If you just flood the place with 50% off coupons you will not get the buzz you want.


Hey, thanks for the help. I have got some pretty cool ideas to do during the event launch. What I am worried about is actually how to get the people in and exposed to the event.


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## Joeyt (Jan 10, 2011)

Any help or personal experience will be great guys..


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Joeyt said:


> What I am worried about is actually how to get the people in and exposed to the event.


Seems to me you need to decide if you are going to have a launch party or a D. J. dance.

People don't usually buy tickets for a launch party. If you want to draw crowds, drop the entry fee. 

If you want to be a promoter of an event, then you can still promote your brand there, but do you launch party some other time.


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## alois71x (Nov 29, 2010)

Agreed. No money at the door is prob. better. 
what is your website?


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## Joeyt (Jan 10, 2011)

I am actually engaged in an events company that just started out not too long ago. They are actually looking for designers, musicians, or anything which can draw a crowd. Thereafter, they will organize an event for that particular 'celebrity' and earn through the sales of drinks and tickets. They have seen my work and are extremely impressed by it. So they offered to organize an event in my favor, which will come under the label of my brand instead of 'yet another event by xxxxx'. They will earn through ticket sales and drinks, so I think ticket at door will have to be retained.

We are thinking of having a small scale runway show. Nothing too formal, but we figured it will be fun for our target audience to come and feel what it's really like. We are even thinking of giving them discounts when they purchase our apparel if they agree to be a part of the runway show.

The events company has agreed to let me run the show, be it interior deco, itienary and everything else. They will be there for the sale of drinks and tickets. 

I have friends who are quite famous in the local scene, and we are thinking of paying them to play at our event. You see guys, we are confident that we can get the attention of our potential customers with our cool and quirky ideas (got a bag full of those). But we have no idea how to actually get them INTO the event in the first place.

We are thinking of giving out flyers, badges on the streets to our target audience, and explain to them that with those badges, they I'll receive a xx% of the ticket price. But even so, I doubt they will be convinced. 

Any help here?


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## HotMess (Aug 18, 2010)

You mentioned your target = teenagers.

So focus on them...post where they hang out, hire a couple teens to wear shirts and pass out fliers at school or youth groups.

Is anyone getting anything FREE at this launch party? How many people are you looking to have attend? Selling an event is JUST like selling a product. If you are looking for 2000 people to come, then you need to advertise to at least 20000 - > of your target. 
Sounds like a tough sell, If I am paying to get in, paying for drinks...I want to dance and have a good time. Might just be me though.

Set up a timeline until launch and focus on certain areas of advertisment(logically) within the time frame to go. Popular radio stations, etc. Do shout outs on evening programs that Teens listen too. Give away FREE tickets (not discounts) to event on radio program. Record stores would also be one of the first stops. 

I do have to agree with a previous post...it sounds like an awful lot of energy promoting the event, that could be used promoting your clothing/designs. Maybe you could hire an event promoter...it is a full time job. A good one would be able to zero in on the target and could give threshold for determining successful attendance for event.


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