3 Ways to Build FOMO in Event Marketing

We’ve all experienced that moment: scrolling through social media, you come across photos and videos of friends enjoying incredible parties and events you didn’t attend. Suddenly, a pang of regret hits you—everyone seems to be having more fun than you are.

This feeling has a name: #FOMO, the fear of missing out.

What is FOMO Marketing?

FOMO marketing, or fear of missing out marketing, is a strategy that capitalizes on people’s desire to be part of exciting events. Event planners can use this approach to create a narrative so compelling that their next project becomes a must-attend occasion.

FOMO marketing taps into psychological triggers, influencing consumer behavior to prioritize your event over others. When people see an opportunity as unique or limited, they’re more likely to act quickly to avoid missing out. Understanding and applying FOMO in marketing can significantly boost interest and increase ticket sales.

Key aspects of FOMO marketing include:

• Highlighting Unique Experiences: Showcase distinctive elements attendees won’t find elsewhere.
• Emphasizing Limited Availability: Create a sense of scarcity with limited tickets or exclusive access.
• Building Anticipation: Generate excitement through teasers, previews, and sneak peeks.
• Leveraging Social Proof: To build credibility, display testimonials, endorsements, and attendee numbers.

By effectively using these tactics, you can make your event the one everyone is eager to attend.

The Power of FOMO Marketing

FOMO marketing isn’t just a passing trend—it’s a powerful strategy that can drive your event’s success. By tapping into different FOMO tactics, you can influence potential clients to choose your event over numerous alternatives. Here’s how FOMO marketing can make a substantial impact:

Increases Urgency

Time-sensitive offers like early access specials or exclusive VIP passes create a compelling sense of urgency. When opportunities are limited, attendees feel motivated to act quickly, leading to faster decisions and registrations. Scarcity tactics such as limited seating or exclusive access enhance this effect, while visual cues like countdown timers on your website emphasize the time constraint, encouraging immediate action. This approach of creating urgency and exclusivity is a prime example of how to create FOMO effectively, driving both attendance and sales.

Enhances Decision-Making

A well-designed FOMO marketing campaign can highlight your event’s exclusive and unmissable aspects, tapping into the fear of missing out and motivating potential attendees to make quick decisions. Showcasing unique experiences, such as once-in-a-lifetime workshops or appearances by renowned speakers, creates a sense that this opportunity won’t come again. This urgency encourages swift, confident choices to attend. Sharing testimonials or case studies demonstrating how past attendees benefited from these exclusive features further reinforces FOMO, strengthening their decision to participate in your event.

Boosts Engagement

A FOMO content marketing strategy sparks curiosity and keeps your audience interested. Teasers, sneak peeks, and interactive polls on social media engage potential attendees. Research by Eventbrite shows that, nearly 70% of millennials experience the fear of missing out, which significantly influences their decision to attend events. In an era where experiences are widely shared on social media, this generation is particularly driven to show up, share, and engage to be part of the moment.

Drives Event Attendance

Highlighting standout features like industry-leading speakers or unique workshops effectively creates FOMO and boosts attendance. People are motivated by the idea that missing your event means missing an exceptional experience. Promoting limited-availability sessions or rare performances creates a compelling reason to attend, and collaborations with influencers can amplify interest, drawing larger crowds.

Increases Sales & Revenue

FOMO marketing can lead to immediate sales. Limited-time promotions and exclusive packages encourage immediate purchases, increasing revenue and improving event planning. An early influx of funds improves cash flow, allowing you to invest more in elevating the event experience. Higher sales figures can also attract more sponsors, diversifying your revenue streams.

Builds Brand Loyalty

Exclusive experiences foster an emotional connection with your brand. When attendees feel part of something special, they’re more likely to become repeat customers and advocates. Offering personalized interactions or VIP treatment deepens this loyalty. Loyal customers often bring friends and colleagues to future events, expanding your audience organically.

Creates Social Proof

Displaying live attendee counts and sharing testimonials contribute to powerful social proof, reassuring others that your event is worthwhile. Research shows that showcasing user-generated content (UGC) can increase conversion rates by over 8%. When potential attendees engage with this content, such as reading reviews or viewing shared experiences, conversion rates can more than double. Specific interactions like upvoting helpful testimonials or exploring attendee stories can further elevate engagement.

Leads to Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Satisfied attendees become ambassadors, sharing their experiences and creating a ripple effect. This organic word-of-mouth marketing extends your reach without additional costs. Encouraging attendees to share on social media can exponentially increase visibility. Positive reviews and personal recommendations influence others to attend future events based on these endorsements.

FOMO Marketing Examples

Looking for inspiration on how to create FOMO in marketing your events? Here are two of the best FOMO marketing examples where event planners turned the fear of missing out into a powerful success driver.

San Diego Comic-Con: The Ultimate Fan Destination

San Diego Comic-Con has evolved from a niche gathering into a global phenomenon that sells out within minutes. What’s their secret?

• Exclusive Access: Attendees get sneak peeks at upcoming films, TV shows, and comics.
• Limited Edition Merchandise: Unique items available only at the event.
• Star Power: Opportunities to meet favorite actors, artists, and creators.
• Scarcity: Limited tickets create a sense of urgency and exclusivity.

The result: Comic-Con creates a devoted community where fans see attendance as essential, not optional.

Burning Man Festival: A Community Can’t-Miss

Burning Man, the annual desert gathering celebrating art and self-expression, seems to know exactly how to create FOMO for an event. Despite its hefty price tag (around $800 for tickets and parking), it consistently sells out. Here’s how they do it:

• Continuous Engagement: Year-round newsletters and social media keep the community connected, interested, and engaged.
• Teaser Content: Hints about upcoming themes build anticipation.
• Satellite Events: Smaller gatherings maintain excitement between annual festivals.
• User-Generated Content: Encourages attendees to share experiences, amplifying word-of-mouth marketing.

The result: Burning Man transforms from a one-week event into a lifestyle. With their FOMO marketing strategy at work, participation feels less like a choice and more like a necessity for the community.

The fear of missing out (FOMO) is an intense psychological trigger that affects us all. Research defines FOMO as “a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent.” This universal feeling drives our desire to stay connected and involved.

• More than half of people using social networks suffer from FOMO
• 69 percent of millennials experience the phenomenon
• According to Strategy Online, 60 percent of millennials make reactive purchases because of FOMO

This “must-attend” feeling is a powerful motivator event planners can leverage in their marketing strategies.

Here are three ways to tap into FOMO:

1. Define Your Event Story

For attendees to feel as if they’re missing out, you must first build an emotional connection. After all, if people don’t perceive something unique or special about your event, they won’t consider attending. This is where a strong event story comes in. Through written words, visuals, and everything in between, you can create a compelling case for why your event can’t be missed.

For maximum impact, align the story with your target audience’s interests. They might be drawn to a roster of well-known speakers, a unique location, a fabulous after-party, ample networking opportunities, or other unique event experiences.

Distill your event story into bite-sized pieces and use it as the foundation for all communications. Develop an overall event look and feel that echoes that story. This includes your color palette, fonts, supporting graphics, and even floor plans and room layouts. By crafting a cohesive narrative and visual identity, you’ll create a sense of FOMO that resonates with your target audience.