More and more clubs are using facebook events to publicize. Keep in mind that Facebook is still generally a secondary way to do publicity. As much as possible, the best way to do publicity is still phone calls, followed up with emails, and/or other forms of reminders if possible like text messages. When time and resources allow, Canada Post mail will help. Direct contact, combined with posters, community announcement ads, and other forms of publicity also work well.
What you need
To set-up a facebook event you will need the following information:
- A facebook account
- Who, when, what, where — although, as mentioned below, you don’t immediately need the exact details of “where”
- A photo graphic for the page
- Description information and other links
Facebook changes its design layout frequently, so if you can’t find how to create an event, keyword search under help.
Here are some other ideas that might help:
Creating and hosting
While you can make the event in your own name, its better to use or make a facebook page for the club to create the event, and add yourself as a host. This is easy to do and can be set up in a few minutes. (A facebook page for the club is much better than creating a new user profile, because facebook is designed for organizations to use pages and individuals to use profiles).
Once you add yourself as a host, your personal profile can directly message all of the invitees
Event name
Here are what some folks are using. Note that C-51 is near the front, that so it comes up when people search for the event.
C-51 Mobilize to Stop the Secret Police Act!
C-51 Public meeting against the Secret Police Bill
Mini Description
Make sure the important stuff is at the top of the details section and can be seen without hitting “See More.” You will only have about 60-65 words. For example:
Miguel Figueroa, Leader of the Communist Party of Canada, will be in XXX to deliver an urgent public talk on building the broad coalition necessary to stop the Harper government from passing this draconian omnibus legislation, now in committee. Miguel is a longtime fighter for civil and democratic rights. Watch for updates here!
Sponsored by the XXX Club CPC
At the end, after the “read more” jump, you can put links to the campaign like the Youtubes:
Playlist to all People’s Voice Youtubes on Bill C-51
Appeal by Miguel Figueroa to action on Bill C-51
Event date, location
Even if all the details are finalized, you can still set up the event and start inviting people — just make sure to update it when you get the information!
Try typing in the address location slowly. If there is a Facebook-recognized location for the venue, it is preferable than just the street address. If your venue is not listed, create a venue.
NOTE: If you do not have a map on your event, Facebook will not recommend it to friends of your attendees or people in the area.
Privacy settings
This is your decision, but the “public” event setting will allow you to most widely share the information through a link in an email about the event.
Don’t check ‘only admins can post to the wall.’ You want interactivity, and if someone posts something undesirable it can always be deleted.
Photo image
Add a cover photo that fits the event and fits the rectangle (714 x 264 pixels).
Click here to view some sample event page graphics for our five tour speakers.
This is just like a magazine cover or flyer for an event. Don’t use the flyer for the event unless you can see all of the information you need in the rectangle.
Other stuff
If you can, make everyone involved in the event a host to your event.
A post into your event wall notifies everyone who has been invited. Post pictures, past videos, reviews and articles written about the event (remember to tag all of the pages involved with the @ function).
As your page, send an update for your event.
As your personal profile, send a direct message to all attendees.
Still a little know fact is that hashtags are now on facebook. A hashtag is anything with the # symbol, and comes from twitter. Common hashtages for Bill C51:
#Rejectfear — Leadnow created this one
#C51
#BillC51
Never forget that people saying yes to attending the facebook event doesn’t mean the folks will remember to come. Message, outreach, and followup.