BASIC GUIDE

TO PROMOTE A
SYMPOSIUM

July 22, 2014


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Promotion
The Pachamama Events Map
Pachamama has designed an online event management tool for you to post your
events on our website, so that they receive greater exposure and more participants.
Site visitors use the map (http://www.pachamama.org/workshops/search/) to
search for events or Pacha Communities in their local area, where they then find
your event and can register or RSVP online.

Benefits of Using the Events Map
The tool has a number of benefits and useful functionality to you as a host
organizing events. You can:
Reach new audiences
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Create events with all information registrants need to know such as location,
time and date, registration details and cost. You can also enable Pay Pal to
accept payment.
Receive email notifications when people RSVP and track them online.
See your event statistics, including number of past events and attendees.
Manage and download registrant information and contact details.
Receive email messages via your online profile, or email registrants through
the system with specific updates about your event.
Set up automatic email reminders for event registrants.
Provide feedback about the event.
Duplicate past events easily to save you creating new ones each time.
Create private events that dont show on the map but generate a link for you
to send to selected guests.
How to Use the Pachamama Events Map
To use the tool, you will need to register for the Facilitators Hub on
www.pachamama.org, which takes about three minutes:
http://www.pachamama.org/facilitators/register.
Then:
1. Go to My Events
2. Add an event
3. Fill in the information requested, such as location, date, time, cost, event
description etc.
4. You may save as draft, or publish your event
5. Once published, your event will show on the map for all to see!
After you publish your event, it will show in My Upcoming Events, where you can
edit the event or track RSVPs.
Your Online Profile
People can click through to your online profile if they see one of your events on the
map. You can edit this anytime by going to the profile section behind the
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Facilitators Hub. We recommend you fill this out fully and add a photo, to help
people get a sense of who you are.
Pachamama Communities on the Map
Pachamama Communities show up as pins on the Events Map and are another
way for users searching for events to get involved locally.
Community Pages are managed by volunteer community leaders and provide a
clear idea of what that community is up to, how you can join, and how to get in
touch directly. Community Pages include a map of that community, including
upcoming events, so they are another way to highlight activity in your area. Any
event you add to the map will automatically be shown on your Community Page.
Marketing 101
You can have a successful event with a small or large number of participants,
however, our goal is to help you maximize attendance as a key player in building
the critical mass to bring forth an environmentally sustainable, socially just, and
spiritually fulfilling world.
Below are some tips for starting from wherever you are, using what you already
have and who you already know.
Communication Channels
Some ways of communicating (i.e. channels) you are likely familiar with already:
Email
Print: letters, postcards, flyers, newspaper ads
Phone calls
Social networks: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
Text messages
In-person
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Use Your Existing Network
Start a guest list of who might be interested in your event, such as:
Family and extended family
Close friends
Acquaintances, like your gym friends or other parents at the park
Colleagues and connections from the workplace
Service providers close to you, such as your doctor or your favorite vendor
at the farmers market
Local business owners
Other community members with whom you interact
Personalize Your Invitations
Personalizing your invitations may be time intensive, however, it can make a big
difference. You can customize wording per person or for segments of your guest
list. Speaking to individuals, as opposed to more generally can go a long way. For
sample invitation wordings, see Sample Texts for Event Invitations.
Dont feel reluctant about sending a couple of reminders about your event people
get busy and if youre inviting by email, they can be easily overlooked.
Widening Your Outreach through Local Partnerships
The following are a few simple ways to increase the number of participants by
reaching out to people outside your network:
Ask your invitees to invite others: Extend this message on your original
invitation (they might be more inclined to join if they can go accompanied)
and in any reminder you send before the event.
Talk to others who have access to groups: If you take yoga classes,
volunteer at a community center, or your office has a social mailing list,
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reach out! Talk to those in charge and ask if you can extend an open
invitation to their groups. It might look something like this:
Dear students,
Some of you might not know Mary yet! She is a fellow student, and a loyal
regular at our Wednesday evening class. I have been lucky to connect with
what she is up to outside the classroom, and I am delighted to extend this
invitation to all of you. Im confident you will find lots to reflect on at this very
inspiring opportunity she has brought forth for us.
Do anything you can to make it easier for them to ask their network
provide them with sample text, or a flyer and the reason why its relevant or
interesting for their network.

Tap into other online channels:
o Blogs: If you write a blog, have friends who do, or subscribe to one,
use it to tell your/their readership about your event. The more
relevant and compelling you make the blog entry, the more likely it
will be passed on and shared beyond your immediate circle.
o Listing on third-party sites: Think of websites that consolidate and
advertise events (ie. www.zvents.com); some may allow you to list
your event automatically for free, some others might request you to
submit it for approval, or ask for a fee. Also, some of these websites
are specialized by type of event. A little bit of research can have a
big payoff. Find the most suitable website for your event and your
area, and try it out!
Other social platforms such as www.meetup.com: Find active groups
that would be interested in your event, join them and ask the group host to
post an invitation to the group.
Value Propositions
To some, especially those not already engaged with environmental, spiritual, or
social justice issues, the benefit of attending any educational program is not evident
or self-explanatory.
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By highlighting the benefits or including a value proposition, prospective
participants are more likely to come. For example, As a group already interested in
the environment, the Symposium will provide you with a grounding in the key
issues of our times, and some tools to turn commitment into action.
Sending Reminders and Follow Up Messages
The Pachamama Events Map automatically sends people registered for your event
reminders and follow-up messages by email.
However, you can complement those messages with personal notes, perhaps
reminding participants of logistical details before the event, and personal
recommendations of next steps or inspiring readings after the event. You can
create these emails using functionality that is built into the Pachamama Events
Map.
A follow-up message to those who do not attend might be suitable if you can offer
them something that could get them excited about joining in the next opportunity
(i.e., a short video of one session or a testimonial from someone who attended).
The important thing is to acknowledge them as well, while keeping it relevant and
brief.
Using Social Media
Social Media defines online media such as text, photos, messages, or video that
is social it starts conversations, encourages people to pass it on to others, and
finds ways to travel on its own.
The main benefit of using social media to promote your events is that it's the least
expensive and fastest way to reach new audiences.


Facebook
Create your event on Facebook. Make
sure it links to the Pachamama Events Map.
Use your personal cover and/or profile picture to promote your event.
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Post the Facebook event and Events Map link periodically with different
messages. You can choose to focus on the benefits, outcomes, parts of the
event, number of people registered already, or someone special who is
attending. Always repeat the date and time. Target the posts by location
and/or language.
When you create the event on Facebook with your personal profile, you
have the ability to send a message to the friends you want to invite. Avoid
sending the invitation to all your friendsa more targeted approach will
probably yield better results.
Invite your invitees to bring a friend. Make the benefit explicit, restating the
value proposition of the event for them.
Post a status update asking people if they have any questions about the
event and answer them on Facebook.
Use the functionality Facebook already includes for events:
Generate buzz by writing on the wall of the event. For example, you could
unveil half of a surprise element of the Symposium
Message guests who have registered and ask them to share and/or invite
others
Select an eye-catching, intriguing photo to represent the event

Twitter
Twitter doesnt need to be complicated. Its essentially about
interacting and building relationships. Here are some tips:
Dont overcomplicate Twitter: Be honest, be real,
be human. Dont over think your Twitter entries. Use your own voice, not a
detached, institutional one.
Tweet in the moment: Are you at an event that ties in with the
Symposium? Dont be afraid to live tweet as its happening and mention
your upcoming event.
Follow the 60-30-10 rule: Thats 60% re-tweets and pointers to promote
items from other users or sites, 30% conversation and responses, 10%
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announcements and events (such as your Symposiums). If all you ever talk
about is you, no one is going to pay attention after a while. So build your
constituent follower base on an ongoing basis, and you will have a good tool
for promoting your events as you hold them.
Be supportive: Follow like-minded users and engage with them. Re-tweet
liberally. Link to interesting news stories about your partners or sector.
Use hash tags: Join in relevant Twitter conversations and trending topics
by using #hashtags. Use existing ones or create your own. Check out this
list of 40 hashtags for social good: http://www.socialbrite.org/2010/09/08/40-
hashtags-for-social-good/
Get into a groove: Consider focusing on one topic for a day or a week.
Combine your updates with a hashtag theme like #WaterWednesday or
#socialjustice.
Ask questions: Use Twitter to conduct research, to solicit ideas, to identify
experts, to thank attendees and to ask questions of your followers.
Use calls to action: Its OK to say Please check out our latest photo
essay or Please RT. Just dont abuse peoples attention spans.
Include links: Social media expert Dan Zarella found that tweets containing
a url are three times more likely to be re-tweeted.
Have one regular, daily tweet: Consider sharing a Photo of the Day or
Tip of the Day. It gives you a chance to link back to your website, blog or
event posting.
Ask attendees to post and tweet with a particular hash tag: It will help
create buzz for future events.
More Links on Using Twitter:
Getting Started: http://growmap.com/friendfeed-twitter/
What not to tweet: http://growmap.com/what-not-to-tweet-on-twitter/
Twitters own best practices: http://support.twitter.com/articles/68916-
following-rules-and-best-practices

The Pachamama Alliance is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco. Its mission is to empower
indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest to preserve their lands and culture and, using insights gained from that
work, to educate and inspire individuals everywhere to bring forth a thriving, just and sustainable world.
Learn more at pachamama.org
Pachamama Alliance
Presidio Bldg #1009, 2nd Floor P.O. Box 29191 San Francisco, CA 94129 +1 415 561 4522
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the worlds largest professional network with over
175 million members and growing rapidly. LinkedIn connects
you to your trusted contacts and helps you exchange
knowledge, ideas, and opportunities with a broader network of
professionals.
Promoting events on LinkedIn: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/10-
tips-for-promoting-your-events-with-the-new-linkedin-events-tool-2/
Learn more about LinkedIn: http://learn.linkedin.com/what-is-linkedin/
Offline Promotions

Print Ads
Local community organizations, churches, shopping guides and newspapers are
good outlets to place print ads to promote your Symposiums. Often, you can get
these at no charge. We have included some sample ads in the Useful Templates
section, and you can modify them to various sizes.
Printed Materials
This isnt necessarily a daunting piece of your promotion actions. We have sample
materials you can print at home or at a professional shop. You can find flyers and
posters in the Useful Templates section.
Get creative with printed materials:
Print some posters and flyers for the coffee shops, grocery stores, libraries,
laundromats or other high-traffic gathering spots in your area. Make sure to
ask for permission, and seize those interactions to extend more personal
invitations.
Ask to share some flyers at a friends dinner party.
Ask permission to distribute flyers in your workplace.
Look for like-minded community organizations and ask them to distribute to
their constituents.