You work hard to plan events for your company, industry association or favorite nonprofit organization, but filling the seats—for a live or virtual event—can be challenging.
Here are ten simple ways to use LinkedIn to get the job done:
1. Send an individual status update.
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- Post several times leading up to the event, sharing details about agenda, speakers, venue, etc.
- Post at different times of the day and different days of the week.
- Always include a link to the registration site or attach a copy of the registration brochure to the update.
- Encourage others involved in the event to “like,” “share” or “comment” for more traction.
- Make a video featuring the event’s speakers
- Use the @mention feature to tag each speaker or presenter in the update.
2. Send a company status update.
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- “Pin” a status update to the top of your company feed, and it will stay at the top of your company page.
- Encourage others in the company to “like,” “share” or “comment” for additional traction.
- Attach a copy of the registration brochure to the update.
3. Target specific first-level connections with a direct message.
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- Share details about the event by attaching a document or a link to a web page.
- Customize the message to each individual to increase relevancy to that person.
- Direct messages are delivered to the recipient’s email account and LinkedIn inbox and are thus more likely to be seen and read.
4. Share the event in relevant groups.
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- Share your information in the Conversation section in the form of a question.
- Include a link to the event registration page.
5. Upload a PDF or include a link to the event details or registration form by adding media, either in your Summary or the Job Experience entry that correlates with the event.
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- A good description will entice the reader to click and open.
6. Use the Add Media function to upload a PowerPoint presentation or video with event details. You can do this as part of your Summary, Job Experience or Education entries.
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- It could be as simple as one slide with event details.
- This has high eye-catching appeal in your profile.
- The video could include a clip from the previous year’s event or a promo from this year’s keynote speaker.
7. Include the details of the event in your Summary section.
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- To increase visibility, move the event details to the top of your Summary section in the days immediately preceding the event.
- You can include the URL of the registration website, but you cannot hyperlink it.
8. For a period of time leading up to the event, include an event teaser in your Headline.
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- This can be very impactful, but don’t do this for an extended time.
- Be sure to change back to your day-to-day, keyword-rich Headline right after the event.
9. Publish an article about your event.
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- The article will be displayed very prominently on your profile until you publish another article.
- Share the article once a week leading up to the event date.
- Be sure to encourage others in your company or organization to “share,” “like” and “comment” on your published article.
10. Use one of the three websites in the Contact Info section of your profile to link people to event details or registration page.
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- Reference the website link in your Summary section.
- Describe the website link clearly (e.g., “Register for LinkedIn class”).
Follow these easy steps, and your event might just be a sellout.