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Equestrianism, Acrobatics and Social Media, Oh My! Cavalia

December 6, 2012

Equestrianism, acrobatics and social media, oh my! Did you ever think you’d see all three of those words  in one sentence? I sure didn’t until a week ago when I had the honor of being a VIT (Very Important Tweep) and featured guest at Cavalia. The Cavalia Tour Publicist did an amazing job at successfully utilizing Social Media to create buzz for this event. My thoughts on the social media presence and overall success of this event felt like dejavu as I compare it to another epic tweetup I attended last year for Nordstrom Rack. At the end of my Nordstrom Rack tweetup recap, I listed 6 things they did right and lessons that other businesses can learn when promoting an event. I was impressed that Cavalia not only did all 6 of these things, but they went above and beyond in every area.

Let’s review the steps for successfully promoting an event through social media while I share my experience at Cavalia with examples of what they did right. If you have an event coming up, you’ll want to make sure to follow these steps:

1. Invite your target audience to the event- Cavalia is a show for all ages! It’s very family friendly, but it’s also mesmerizing for adults and kids alike. If you invite the right people to the event, they are more likely to have others in their circle who are the ideal audience for you.

Cavalia Target Audience

Cavalia Tweeps

2. Invite Social Media influencers to create buzz–  Cavalia did their due-diligence by researching the San Diego social media scene and then inviting the taste-makers and social media socialites to the very special tweet night. They even created a special page on their website about the Tweet Night.

Cavalia San Diego Tweet Night

3. Create an easy to follow event hashtag-  From the very first email I received promoting the event, the #CavaliaSD hashtag was mentioned and they continued to emphasize it to ensure everyone tweeting would be able to easily follow the event and create buzz. They even compiled a recap of popular tweets from the event.

Cavalia Tweet Invite ans Hashtag

 4. Make sure you have enough staff to handle the event- From the moment I stepped into the VIP tent, the staff made me feel like royalty. The check in area (where most events are understaffed leading to a long line) was efficient. The dining area and bar were staffed with servers and busers who made sure the area stayed clean and stocked. There were ushers everywhere directing everyone to the right location. Overall, the event staffing was done so well that there was never a moment I needed to ask for anything because everything was always taken care of.

5. Be generous with giveaways- If you’re inviting bloggers and press to an event because you want to promote your business, it’s important to be generous so attendees feel welcomed and appreciated. Cavalia definitely went above and beyond with their generosity. Not only did each VIT receive an invite, they were also allowed to bring a guest. They provided a hosted buffet dinner, hosted bar and hosted dessert buffet during intermission. If that’s not enough, the Cavalia staff  provided complimentary parking passes for everyone. For an extra special treat, we had an opportunity for a backstage tour after the performance. We got an up close and personal visit with the stars of the show and also learned interesting facts about the production.

Cavalia Dessert

Cavalia Backstage

6. Treat all customers/attendees with respect– This goes back to my earlier comment when I mentioned that Cavalia treated everyone like royalty from the moment we entered the event. A great product or service might earn you a customer. But it’s amazing customer service that will encourage people to spread the word and keep people coming back time after time.

Aside from the social media success that Cavalia created, the show itself was stunning, mysterious and captivating. I was in awe of the production elements including the visuals, sound and of course the sights of beautiful horses and stunning acrobats.

Cavalia San Diego

I really am truly fortunate for so many amazing events I get to experience. It makes me even happier to know that not only am I enjoying myself, but at the same time I get to teach others about effective marketing and social media while sharing my fun adventures. Thank you again so much to the entire Cavalia staff. It was a wonderful night and I look forward to my next social media adventure. You can be sure that not only will I share my adventures with you, but I’ll also provide you with marketing insight at the same time!

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