Case Study: Social Media Marketing for Event Recruitment

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C A S E S T U D Y
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR EVENT RECRUITMENT
Most successful marketing strategies today employ social media to cast a wide
net around prospective customers. Used for cross-channel and multi-channel
communications, the social Web helps businesses large and small to grow
and retain their customer base. Social media puts a company’s brand in front
of its target audience—around the clock and wherever they may be. In the case
of the Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, social media was the
perfect avenue for building buzz and drawing attendance for a local event.
THE CHALLENGE: FILL
THE SOLUTION: INTEGRATED
THE SEATS
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
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The Arts and Business Council of
To help generate awareness about
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Greater Philadelphia, an affiliate of
the event and build attendance, the
the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of
Council turned to Sagefrog Marketing
Sagefrog Marketing
Commerce (GPCC), was hosting a
Group for its social media expertise.
Group is a full service
special event featuring actor, director
With a late start in the planning
marketing, interactive
and entrepreneur, Robert Redford.
process, a limited budget and a short
and public relations
The event, “Cultivating a Creative
time frame to execute, Sagefrog
Workforce,” was a discussion on how
immediately conducted a risk analysis
company. We specialize
creativity in both arts and business
and designed an integrated social
in health, technology,
can strengthen communities and
media strategy to help manage its
and business marketing
improve economic development.
client’s expectations.
for companies in
The Council and the GPPC had
Sagefrog began putting its strategy
greater Philadelphia
begun to integrate social media into
into action by developing target
and New Jersey.
their communications channels but
audience criteria. The target audience
had never used social media so
included fans of Robert Redford, the
predominately to promote such a
40+ age demographic, members of
major event. Capacity at the venue
the Council and the GPPC, those
was approximately 350, and with
interested in creativity in business,
only 3 weeks until the event more
those interested in cinema, and those
than 300 seats remained empty.
located in and around the greater
The goals of this engagement were
Philadelphia area. Next, Sagefrog
clear—sell out tickets for the event
recommended the social media
and increase visibility for both the
channels that would best reach the
Council and the GPPC.
Council’s target audience within
the limited time frame available.
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and the
Council’s and GPCC’s current social
media channels were among the
chosen outlets. Specific promotional

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tactics included the following:
RESULTS BEYOND
EXPECTATIONS
• Sagefrog created a “RedfordinPhilly”
With more than 250 Twitter followers,
Twitter account and, as the account
1500+ Facebook Fan page views, 350+
began gaining followers comprised
clicks on the Bit.ly link and 800 views of
of the target audience, Sagefrog
the YouTube event video, social media
began populating it with relevant
had a tremendous impact for this client.
news as well as promotional content.
Sagefrog’s social media marketing
The hash tag #RedfordinPhilly was
plan helped lead to a 500% increase in
used to track the buzz regarding
ticket sales, filling over 300 seats.
Redford’s upcoming visit.
As with any strategic social media
• Sagefrog created a Facebook fan
marketing plan, promotional activities
page specifically for the event, with
did not end after the event. The effort
a custom contest tab developed
continued to achieve its secondary goal
using Facebook’s FBML language.
of creating visibility for both the GPCC
The contest form captured the
and the Arts and Business Council.
names and email addresses of those
Sagefrog posted several event-related
interested in winning two tickets to
assets to social media channels to
the event, creating additional leads
continue to raise awareness for its
for the Council. Status updates on
clients and their future events. A story
Facebook and LinkedIn helped to
about the event, including photos and
spread the word.
a video hosted on YouTube, was posted
• Sagefrog utilized bookmarking sites
on the GPCC website. This link as
such as Digg, Del.icio.us, Stumble
well as the YouTube video were shared
Upon and Reddit, along with local
through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,
event sites such as Gowalla,
Digg, Del.icio.us, Stumble Upon and
Upcoming and Eventful.
Reddit. Photos of the event were
shared through Flickr, Shutterfly,
• Sagefrog commented on blogs and
Photobucket, Facebook and Twitter.
YouTube videos of Mr. Redford and
his business, Sundance, to further
CONCLUSION
create awareness and excitement
about the event.
The partnership between Sagefrog
Marketing Group and the Arts and
• Sagefrog ensured that the landing
Business Council of Greater Philadelphia
page used to drive traffic to the
proves that a thorough social media
event registration was consistent
marketing campaign can be extremely
in messaging and look with the
successful and cost-effective for event
email promotions sent to all Council
recruitment. Incorporating social media
members. Bit.ly links were created
enables event marketers to remain
to track landing page visits driven by
connected to attendees, extends the
social media.
impact of the event and its host, and
enables organizations to market other
products, including future events.
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sage
p: (215) 230.9024 • 196 West Ashland Street, Suite 406, Doylestown, PA 18901 • www.sagefrog.com
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