You put your heart into planning the event, but when it’s time to start, the room feels half full. Sound familiar? Whether it’s a virtual info session or a community pop-up, getting people to show up (and stay engaged) isn’t just about sending invites, it’s about strategy.
Low turnout doesn’t always mean people aren’t interested. More often, the problem is misalignment: the message didn’t connect, the format didn’t fit, or the audience wasn’t fully considered. If you’re promoting hard and still seeing empty seats, it may be the planning, not the promotion, that needs adjusting.
If you’ve ever wondered why your email list isn’t converting or engaging the way it used to, the issue might not be what you’re saying but how and when you’re saying it.
Strategic Starting Points for Planning Events for Your Audience
Real Client Story
After reworking their event strategy using a Before–During–After approach, one of my nonprofit clients doubled RSVPs and saw 3x the day-of attendance. The difference? They stopped trying to “promote harder” and instead started planning smarter.
“We thought we needed better graphics. What we really needed was a better connection strategy. Once we did that, everything changed.”
