Success in the garden is easy to nurture when you know what you’re doing and what to look for. Just look at that broccoli!  But what are the secrets to community talk success, with getting bums on seats?  In June 2022, SGA surveyed six customers who constantly get the community through their doors, be they virtual or real! We asked them, “what’s the secret to your success?”

Content

  • Pick hot topics and (now we’re able) use creative formats for events, mixing up hands on experiences and walks with the classic talks.
  • Rich in-depth learning experiences where knowledge is built on over a period of time are becoming increasingly popular. So developing programs using different speakers, both community members and experts in the field, to deliver different elements.
  • Have a good variety of topics, think about your audience, and choose a time and space that suits them.
  • Use appealing, fun, happy language and great photos to catch peoples attention online, you literally have seconds.

Promotion

  • Promotion begins four weeks out from the event, with 50% opting for this timeframe, a further 33% opted for 6 weeks.
  • In terms of social media, 82% post the session as an actual facebook event. In addition 50% post details on their Councils facebook page as a post. Very few used insta (15%) and no-one used twitter.  Many talked about the importance of cross promotion, so liaising with those delivering the event content and adding them as co-hosts on the event listing encourages this.
  • Advertising also took place outside social media, mainly using the Councils newsletter.  Other popular forms of promotion are their own departments newsletter, other (relevant) departments newsletter and using their own contact lists. Several Councils advertise events to their staff, because many are residents of the municipality.
  • Outside the area promotion practices included working with neighbouring Councils and co-ordinating and promoting a suite of events together. This can have a longer lead time, but is highly beneficial. People don’t live lives confined to boundaries of Councils.

Bookings & Ticketing

  • All used ticketing sites to manage bookings. 66% used Eventbrite, with others using Trybooking and in-Council ticketing service provided by Spydus.
  • Everyone sends reminder emails, with 50% sending atleast one, 33% sending two and 16% sending three.

Top Tips to Success

  • Know your audience in your municipality and if you can, undertake some community mapping to gather this information.
  • If you can’t do that, focus on a warm audience – those that are already interested in nature based events and sustainability, linking in with community groups with this focus and build out from there.
  • Don’t plan too far ahead as hot topics and interests change.
  • Providing free events means you get a lot of ‘no shows’. Use incentives to encourage residents to turn up and take part.
  • Link in with other initiatives and programs so you can list your event on their website to really broaden your reach.

We very much hope you find this article interesting. If you have any stories to share or questions to ask, please contact us on training@sgaonline.org.au