Posting and Promoting Your Events

If you host anything the public can attend, it belongs on the Buy it Local.US Events calendar. Tastings, classes, open houses, live music, sidewalk sales, seasonal markets, charity drives, and workshops all qualify. Events bring people through your door who have never heard of you.

Before You Start

Hosted events are included with the Growth and Brand Plus packages. If the Events section is not showing in your control panel, check which plan your listing is on.

Creating an Event

Sign in and choose My Business
Open your listing and go to the Events section
Add a new event and complete the fields below
Save. Events are reviewed before publishing, usually within a day

Post events at least two weeks ahead. People plan their weekends earlier than most business owners expect.

The Event Title

Say what it is and, where it helps, when. Someone scanning a calendar decides in about two seconds.

Good: Lavender U-Cut Weekend and Wreath Making
Good: Free Brake Safety Check Day
Weak: Special Event
Weak: Come Visit Us

Date, Time, and Location

Set the start and end times accurately, including the end time. People want to know if they can still make it after work
If the event runs across several days, set the full date range
Confirm the location. If it is at your business, your listing address is used. If it is somewhere else, enter that address so the map is right
Mention parking if it is not obvious, since parking is the single most common reason people give up on attending

Writing the Description

Answer the questions an attendee will actually have:

What happens at this event, in concrete terms
Who it is for, including whether children and pets are welcome
Whether it costs anything, and what is included
Whether they need to register or can just turn up
What to bring or wear
What happens if it rains
Whether food and drink are available

Keep it warm and plain. You are inviting neighbors, not filing a permit application.

Images

Add a photo. Events with images get far more attention on the calendar. A photo from last year is ideal, since it shows people what to expect and that others turned up. If this is your first time, use a good photo of the space or the product involved.

Registration and Subscriptions

Visitors can subscribe to your event, which is useful in two ways. It tells you roughly how many people to prepare for, and it gives interested people a reminder. If you need firm numbers, say so clearly in the description and ask people to register.

If your event requires a paid ticket, you can sell tickets through your listing. See the article on selling products and taking orders.

Recurring Events

For anything that happens regularly, such as a weekly market or a monthly class, set it up as a recurring event rather than creating each one by hand. It keeps your calendar accurate with far less work.

Promoting the Event

Posting it is the start, not the finish.

Share the direct link to your event page on your social media
Post a matching special offer, such as a discount for attendees
Mention it to customers in person during the week or two beforehand
Put a sign in your window with the date
Tell other local businesses. Cross promotion between neighboring businesses works remarkably well

After the Event

Take photos while it is happening and use them for the next one
Add a short note thanking attendees, and post the date of the next event if you have one
Remove or update events that have passed so your page stays current
Ask attendees to leave a review while the experience is fresh

Common Mistakes

Posting too late. Two days notice is not enough for anyone with a calendar
Leaving out the price. If it is free, say free. If it costs, say how much. Silence reads as expensive
No end time, which makes people assume they have to commit the whole day
Leaving expired events on your page, which makes the whole listing look abandoned

Getting Help

If your event has not appeared on the calendar, check that the date is in the future and that it has cleared review. If you are still stuck, contact the Buy it Local.US team. More guides are in the Support section.