How to turn your past attendees into your best promoters

Table of Contents

1. Why past attendees matter in your event marketing strategy
2. Simple referral programs that work
3. User-generated content: The power of real event experiences
4. Using reviews and feedback to build trust
5. Extra ways to engage your attendees
6. Staying connected after the event
7. Measuring success and iterating your strategy
8. Conclusion: Grow your event with attendee advocate

Why past attendees matter in your event marketing strategy

If you organize events, your event marketing strategy decides whether every seat is filled or you’re left with empty rows. Getting new attendees matters, but people who already came to your event are one of your biggest assets. They’ve tried what you offer, enjoyed the event, and often fit the ideal profile for your next one.

Think of a past attendee sharing a positive experience on social media or posting about your event in a blog. This kind of real enthusiasm spreads much further than your paid marketing efforts, serving as genuine proof your event is worth attending. Studies show people trust recommendations from their friends and peers much more than any ad.

Past attendees help you sell more tickets, reach new audiences, and raise the reputation of your event website. Whether you run a trade show, conference, or a festival, tapping into the power of returning guests helps you boost ticket sales and strengthen your marketing over the long term. Use the right approach, and these people become more than participants—they become your event’s best advocates, spreading the word and helping you grow your audience year after year.

This blog post outlines practical ways—like referral programs, encouraging user content, and gathering feedback—to help you turn happy attendees into loyal promoters.

Simple referral programs that work

A good referral program is an easy and effective event marketing strategy for boosting ticket sales and growing your audience naturally. When someone brings a friend to your event, not only are they helping you market your event, but their network is more likely to buy tickets because of that trusted nudge. To make your referral program a success, focus on these areas:

Example: Launch a referral plan at your annual conference. For each person a guest refers who buys a ticket, they get a 15% discount on their next ticket. If they refer five friends who buy tickets, give them a free VIP upgrade or exclusive access to a networking session. You can set up and track this through your event management applications or event management software, making it easy to monitor progress in real time and reach out automatically.

Referral program best practices:

• Appealing rewards: Go beyond discounts. Try giving event-themed gifts, priority registration, invites to special early bird sessions, or even credit card perks. At trade shows, a free booth add-on or parking voucher can be a great incentive.
• Easy sharing: Pick event management solutions that offer built-in social media integration and make it simple for attendees to share referral links. Use email marketing to help them spread the word with just a few clicks.
• Clear tracking and shout-outs: Use your event management tool to show leaders on a scoreboard or spotlight top referrers at your event. Tell their stories in a blog post on your event website or add a “Hall of Fame” section.

Pro tip: Your event registration software should be mobile-friendly, so attendees can easily take part and check their progress on the go. If you handle ticketing and payment processing, make sure your system is clear about any fees involved and is easy to use.

A user friendly referral program encourages guests to help market your event and builds a fun, connected community during the event planning process.

User-generated content: The power of real event experiences

When attendees share their own photos, videos, or stories, they give your event a level of trust and excitement that’s impossible to fake. User-generated content (UGC) is the heart of a relatable and effective event marketing strategy. It gives future guests a real look at what your event is like while adding to your marketing materials.

How to get more UGC:

• Set up photo opportunities: Design your event space with special spots for pictures—think unique backdrops, clever props, or hands-on displays. In trade shows, let people try your product or service and snap a photo using your event hashtag.
• Get people posting: Before your event, let ticket holders know about social media contests. At the event, make your hashtag visible everywhere. Give out prizes in real time—maybe the best selfie wins a prize or early bird access for next time.
• Feature attendee content: Build a landing page on your event website just for user content—showcase posts, reviews, short videos, and even blog highlights. This lets new guests see everything through the eyes of real people.

UGC example: Say you are hosting an anime expo. Your attendees post photos of main speakers, breakout groups, and networking on your official hashtag. You share their posts across your own marketing channels—your socials, email marketing, and your post-event feedback forms.

The more you highlight this content, the more comfortable and excited future guests will feel about getting involved, making your event marketing strategies even stronger.

Using reviews and feedback to build trust

Honest reviews and attendee feedback help show that your event delivers great experiences. In a world crowded with ads, a few genuine comments or stories will do more to convince a new guest than a regular sales pitch.

How to collect and use reviews and feedback:

1. Send out post event surveys: As soon as your event ends, send out short surveys and ask for feedback. Leave room for comments you can use and ask if you can feature their words later. Most event management applications make this process automatic.
2. Find your top fans: With your event management system, track who has come to past events often or who’s tagging your event on social media after it ends.
3. Encourage video shares: Ask for quick video reviews after hours—vendors can share sales results, while at conferences, team members can talk about what they learned.
4. Promote reviews everywhere:

• Post them on your event website’s homepage or landing page
• Share them in your event blog post or recaps
• Add a special section for guest comments in your email marketing
• Display short quotes on signs throughout your next event

Example: “This convention helped me find so many new customers—the whole team made sure every detail was covered,” says Alex, a repeat vendor.

Positive feedback shapes what people expect, helps cautious buyers decide, and keeps your event top of mind for next year’s ticket sales.

Extra ways to engage your attendees

The more you keep attendees involved, the more likely they’ll come back and tell others about your event. Try these ideas to build on your event marketing strategy:

• Private groups: Make a forum or chat group for those who attended. Share exclusive behind-the-scenes updates, advice from speakers, or Q&A sessions.
• Live polls: Let people give feedback or choose session topics in real time using your event management software. When you ask for their input, guests feel part of the event and are more willing to spread the word.
• Custom email campaigns: Tailor email marketing for VIPs, repeat guests, or first-timers. Offer special surveys and easy ways for them to share your event on social media.
• Loyalty rewards: Run a tracking program through your event management applications, giving top promoters early bird prices, random prizes, or special event access during your event planning process.

You can adapt these ideas for any type of event—conferences, trade shows, or festivals.

Staying connected after the event

Keep connecting with your attendees long after the event is over. Ongoing follow-up builds loyalty, keeps your brand fresh, and gives you more chances to collect feedback, stories, and referrals for the next event.

Ways to stay engaged:

• Share useful content: Host webinars, recap blog posts, or send video updates from team members. Keep sharing so your event stays relevant to your target audience.
• Send out updates: Use event registration software to create lists of past attendees that get early bird news, first looks at lineups, or product updates.
• Celebrate superfans: Feature supportive guests in your email newsletters and social media. Show how your event helped someone make a business connection or inspired them in their life.
• Say thanks: Send personal thank-you notes or video messages. Let people know you value them—beyond just being ticket buyers, they are partners in your event's success.

Tip: Use your event management system to automate these touches and make sure everyone feels noticed.

Measuring success and iterating your strategy

A good event marketing strategy keeps getting better over time. Track what works, learn from each event, and improve for the future.

• Track results: Use your event management tool to monitor ticket sales linked to referrals, email performance, hashtag activity, and reviews. This data helps you run effective event marketing campaigns.
• Keep surveying: Don’t just look for event feedback—ask what motivated your attendees to share about your event, or which marketing channels work best.
• Test and refresh: Try new rewards, refresh your landing page, and keep updating your event registration software to see what boosts results.
• Set clear goals: Want to double your referral ticket sales or boost your social shares by 30%? Write out targets so you know if your marketing strategies are working.
• Stay curious: Join webinars or chat with other event organizers to swap tips. Learning from other conferences, trade shows, or events brings in fresh ideas.

Each time you run an event, use what you learn to update your strategy and stay ahead of the game.

Conclusion: Grow your event with attendee advocates

Turning your past attendees into active promoters is one of the smartest choices you can make for your event marketing strategy. When you create simple referral programs, spotlight guest stories and photos, and follow up after the event, you build a loyal group who can’t wait to help you market your event.

Give people easy ways to participate, thank them with personal touches, and use their stories as proof you deliver a standout event experience. This community will soon become one of your strongest marketing channels—drawing in new guests, keeping your energy high, and helping your events succeed year after year.

Start using these ideas—combine strong event management solutions, creative campaigns, and regular engagement. That way, you’ll see more guests returning and even more people eager to spread the word about your next big event.