You’ve got an event coming up. You know it’s going to be awesome. You’ve hired entertainment. Food trucks. Face painters. Characturists. Fireworks.
The whole bloomin’ lot!
But if your marketing doesn’t instantly hook parents and kids, you’ve wasted time and money.
When you’re trying to market an event to families, you’re selling two different dreams at the same time:
- Kids
- Parents
But how do you do that
Well, I’m gonna show you.
12 tips to help you market an event to kids and parents
If you want your event to feel exciting and totally worth attending, use the twelve ideas below in your ads and emails and on your posters, flyers, website and social media:
One. Create a list of reasons people should come
Before you do anything, create a list of reasons people should come.
Parents need to feel good about committing their time and money. So, help them justify the trip with bullet points like:
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Activities for every age group
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Diverse diet-approved food options
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Chill zones for sensory-sensitive kids
This kind of list helps you market an event to families that feel seen and supported.
Two. Lead with fun, then follow up with facts
What does this even mean?
It means something like this.
When you’re writing event copy, kick things off with the headline-grabbing, kid-magnet stuff:
- Giant slides
- Glitter tattoos
- Slime stations
Then follow up with parent-friendly details, such as free parking, easy access, and clean bathrooms.
That’s how you hook everyone in one go.
Imagine the opening of your events website page proclaiming how clean your toilets are!
Three. Make your headline or slogan appeal to everyone
Your headline should strike the perfect balance for both audiences.
Try something like:
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A day of epic fun for the whole family
If it’s a new event, I’d avoid an obscure headline. Yes, they can get attention, but you want to tell people what they can expect. You can always change a slogan year-on-year, but if it’s brand new, you want to make sure people know what it is.
Yes, this recommendation might seem a bit bland, but you can jazz it up and rewrite it differently. Initially, though, make sure it at least tells people what to expect or who it’s for.
If you want to see my work marketing an event for families, check out what I did for The Big Bahooey at Hampton Court Palace.
Four. Make everything sound easy and stress-free
Parents are time-poor and stressed. If they’re taking their kids to an event, they’ll be super-aware of any red flags. So, make your event sound totally stress-free, mention things like this in your copy:
- Everything is included in the price with no hidden fees or costs
- No long queues, just walk in and go
- Easy access for wheelchairs
Let them know that there are facilities for changing babies or accommodating individuals with special needs. Oh, and if there’s a quiet area where they can take time out from all the action, mention that too!
They want to know that their needs are catered for, so make sure you mention anything and everything that reduces stress and worry.
Five. Be clear on stating ‘When’ and ‘Where’ it is
Yep, parents are still busy, so state your event’s date, time and location clearly.
And repeat it everywhere.
On your posts, flyers, website, event pages, newsletters, and social media.
Honestly, it’s easy to forget, even though it’s so obvious,
Don’t give them this information and they won’t bother looking for it.
Want a bonus tip?
Use event schema on your website to boost your event reach and local SEO.
How?
Well, that’s another thing entirely, so let me pass you over to AIOSEO to explain.
Six. Highlight inclusive language
Don’t assume every household looks the same.
Use welcoming, non-specific terms like “grown-ups”, “families” or “carers“.
Not everyone is just “Mum and Dad“.
Seven. Tap into seasonal search trends
If your event occurs at a specific time of year, include key phrases to help parents find it more easily on search engines.
Like what?
Like this:
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“Easter holiday family event”
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“Summer festival for kids”
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“Family events at Christmas for families”
You won’t use all of these, but you’ll have some seasonal search terms you can attach to your event. Simple, effective, but often overlooked.
Eight. Make it all about the experience
Yay, you’re hosting the event, nice one.
Parents don’t care, they want to know what the experience will be like. So, make sure to go big on how people will feel when they arrive and after they’ve left. What can they buy, see and do? What’s so different about your event from anything else?
Give them something to get excited about before they’ve bought a ticket and make sure you follow through with all those promises on the day.
Nine. Use videos to give people a preview of the experience
Don’t just tell visitors what to expect, show them!
If you’ve run this event before, consider creating a video compilation of previous years. If you haven’t, consider making a video featuring kids laughing, food cooking, and other activities to give them a flavour of the event. Like a teaser trailer to a movie before the first proper trailer is released. They often don’t show anything from the film, but give you an idea of what to expect.
Ten. Write and record a jingle
Not everyone uses jingles when marketing an event, but create something that sticks in people’s minds and you’ll have them humming and singing it.
Make sure it’s an earworm and you’ll be unforgettable.
If you want to read more about jingles, check out my article, 10 reasons why jingles are effective in advertising.
Eleven. Add urgency without stress
Don’t go into full-pressure mode by telling them tickets are almost sold out. You can add urgency without them feeling they must buy or completely miss out.
Try copy like:
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“First 100 families get a free welcome bag!”
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“Early bird tickets close Friday at 5 pm”
Make it about how they get a reward for buying, not “Miss it, miss out”.
Parents have enough stress as it is.
Twelve. Make your call to action clear and consistent
The classic “Learn More” button?
Booooring,
Go with action-packed CTAS that tell families exactly what to do.
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“Grab Your Family Pass Now”
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“Reserve Your Spot—Kids Eat Free!”
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“Plan Your Family Day Out”
And make that call to action consistent everywhere, whether on your flyer, website or a radio ad.
Market your event to families the way you’d market to your own
If you wouldn’t say it to your cousin, daughter or Nana, don’t write it. The best family-focused marketing is warm, helpful, fun and clear. It makes the day feel easy for parents and unforgettable for kids.
So keep it simple.
Keep it human.
And remember, when you market an event to kids and parents, you’re not just filling your venue, you’re creating memories the whole family will never forget.
Need a fun, family marketing copywriter?
Then look no further!
I’ve written family-friendly copy for Beano, Hampton Court Palace, Jurassic World/Universal Pictures and Swizzels Sweets, to name just a few.
If you’re struggling to make your family event sound like the must-attend day out of the year, let’s chat to see how I can help.
Until next time
Matt
PS. If you’ve enjoyed this post about how to market an event to families and want more family-friendly content, check out my posts, What a family-friendly copywriter can do for your brand and 5 social media strategies for toy brands.
