Think like a Master Marketer: 3 Factors to Leverage for Massive Crowd Turn-Out

We’ve all heard the stories: people camping out and lined up around several blocks for the latest and greatest of… something. Another great example is Black Friday, where goers intend to snag some of the cheapest prices of the year. These massive turnouts aren’t spontaneous consumer gatherings. A master marketer (or a team of them) leveraged three important factors to generate it: in-high-demand product(s), targeting prime audiences for good(s), and creating a buzz well ahead of time. Whether you’re aiming to sell your brand, a new product, or a major event, we’ll show you how to use the above elements to cause an extreme crowd.

It’s All About the Product

A simple search with the keyword “turnout” will pull up a plethora of articles about political or social rallies, school events, and consumer-driven grand openings or product launches. What do all of these have in common? Every person in attendance is passionate about what they are trying to accomplish. The host of such situations is likewise. In the Black Friday example above, the camper-outers are there to save money. If you analyze buyers that claim to participate in the November shopping ritual, you’ll see most either, a) are budget conscious and need the price breaks, or b) went for something specific in a higher price bracket, so they are being frugal on a particular item. Likewise, no one would gather with thousands of others in extreme climates for extended periods yelling or chanting if they didn’t firmly want something to happen. That is exactly why rallies work. People think whatever their debating is worth it.

If you’re intention is to gather masses to you, you must give them something to rally around. Your good has to be a necessity, at least in the consumers mind. Humans are creatures of convenience, ease of use, and logic. Fit your product or service securely into one or more of these categories and you’re sure to get their attention.

Create a Buzz

There are a million facets to the physical and streaming marketing needed to have an enormous turnout. The details must get out long before the date you want people lining up to participate. The more time you have the better. Not only does this give the consumer time to consider the good or event, but it also lets them schedule well ahead of time to be present.

In addition to longevity, persistent repetition is key to generating the high volume turnout you crave. The more someone hears about something, the more cemented it is in their subconscious. Use lead-in phrases and a crescendo of urgency to build up to the big date in your target personas’ minds. If it’s an event, put a capacity on it and include that on the marketing, as well as offering a bonus for early purchase of tickets. Put the information everywhere you can: radio, web ads, YouTube, television, all your social media, local and beyond.

A great example of this is Apple’s release of the iPhone 6. It was advertised nearly a year and a half before the exact day. Hype was built in-store, dozens of online media, perfectly placed online and television ads, and featured on several television shows. Their brand’s loyal customers and techies alike wrote in forums, analyzed the differences ahead of time, blogged, and reviewed prototypes. Sure, millions of dollars went into this marketing strategy, but the turnout was international and expected. Their marketing department knows their stuff.

Often loyalty to a company or brand helps lead these giant turnouts. Last year, Chick-fil-A was nationally ostracized for their CEO Dan Cathy’s comments against gay marriage. Despite the response from liberal and same-sex relationship supporters, Chick-fil-A’s loyal customer base and people who agreed with Cathy’s stance flooded restaurants during the arranged Appreciation Day. If you have this kind of client base, utilize their commitment to create a huge gathering for your next big thing.

Grabbing Attention

Just as vital as spreading the word, grabbing people’s literal attention will help you build a gigantic turnout. The bigger and better dressed your location is the better. Huge inflatable figures on top of the building, prominent balloon with banners, giant signs, or flapping flags flanking the entrance will all help enlarge the excitement and make for a major physical following. If you make it worthwhile, people will take notice and want to be a part of it.

If you don’t have the money to spend to show just how awesome your product, service, or event is you can still get a massive crowd turn out turnout. Just remember to give yourself plenty of time to remind potential masses why they should gather at your “storefront” and spend their money there. Give them every reason they need to be there and they will come.

Target Your Best Clients

Not only does your product or service need to appeal and be pounded into consumers’ heads, but it needs to be well aimed at the perfect customers to produce a vast turnout. Believe it or not, analyzing the beginning stages of your marketing tactics can help you target the type of people that will gravitate toward your goods or services.

First, do everything in your power to create a buzz: broadcast details on website pages and other product or POS pages, blast your email list, flood blog feeds and social media. Then listen for the echo of traffic. Where are you getting more hits? Is the information being shared on a certain social platform or two? Likewise, plaster flyers, cards, paper and classified ads, billboards, anything you can will the information. Are tickets selling or RSVPs coming in from one particular outlet? Are people calling and asking questions? By pinpointing what’s working, you can put more effort into those tunnels and utilize it for the consistent and persistent marketing for the rest of your campaign.

A Great Turnout is Hard Work

Creating a massive buzz aimed for choice clients or customers is a surefire way of throwing a Black Friday, iPhone 6, controversial subject rally kind of turnout. It will take some hard work and determination, but your business will see the benefits. Have you ever been a part of a major line for something you really wanted? Have you had success with the above strategies for your event or product launch?