Here’s some FREE advice for how to advertise your event in the Columbia Valley:
First: thank you for planning an event! Events make our Valley communities even more fun. Events help people connect with their neighbours & our small town culture.
Want people to attend? Need volunteers? Hoping for fundraiser donations or event sponsors? Here are some ways to get the word out:
1. FREE advertising:
- Make sure your event is on the CV Social’s events calendar. Check for it here & if it’s not listed online then email the details to me so I can add it. This event calendar is published twice a month & distributed throughout the Valley. It’s an easy, free way to promote your event.
- Add your event to the cvevents.ca online calendar, which is managed by the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce.
- Create a Facebook event page. Even people who don’t “Like” or “Follow” your page on Facebook will see this event page. Switch over to your business/organization page, then go here to create an event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/
- Be sure to add ALL THE DETAILS, including how people can get tickets or register if necessary. Is it adults only or family friendly? Etc.
- Add the event to your website, if you have one.
- Email. Does your business/organization have a list of people who have given permission for you to email them? Maybe an e-newsletter?
- **DO NOT email people without their permission.**
- Always use the “bcc” field when emailing multiple people: it’s not okay to share someone’s email address with everyone else on your list.
- Not-for-profits can book the District of Invermere’s big two-sided letter-board sign on the bridge. To see if it’s available, call the district: 250-342-9281
- Enlist your ambassadors. It takes a Village to promote an event. Get your team to share the event on Facebook, Instagram & other social media. Everyone can help put up posters. Ask them to spread the word & to reach out directly to their friends & family who might be interested in the event.
2. If you have some funds to spend on advertising:
- Make posters. You can design them for FREE using Canva.com, or ask one of our local printers to design it for you (there may be an additional cost for design work). Then download the pdf file and send it to Local View Printing or Palliser Printing. Or: make posters with paint & poster paper!
- Many businesses only allow posters for non-profit events on their bulletin boards or in their windows: always ask permission.
- I recommend printing 30-40 posters, depending on the event & where you hope to put up posters.
- The MOST effective advertising tool I’ve found for an Invermere audience is to rent the Kinsmen Club’s big letter-board sign that people see when driving west from the Crossroads down into Invermere. It is $75-100ish for a week of having your message on there, and worth every penny. To see if it’s available, text the Kinsmen Club at: 250-342-1567.
- Advertise with the weekly Columbia Valley Pioneer Newspaper. The Pioneer has a weekly circulation of 4,400 with Valley & Calgary locations. For rates & information, call 250-341-6299 or email using the address on their website: https://www.columbiavalleypioneer.com/advertise/
- Advertise with the Columbia Valley Social! (Yep, that’s me.) The CV Social has a bi-weekly circulation of 1,500 copies & is distributed in the Columbia Valley from Brisco to Canal Flats. Rates & information are online here: https://columbiavalleysocial.ca/advertise/
Whew! I’ll add to this page as I think of more ideas. Did I miss something? Please let me know.
Leave a Reply