3 Ways to Build FOMO in Event Marketing

You know that feeling when you’re scrolling through social feeds and see pics and videos from friends having an ah-mazing time at parties and events you didn’t attend, and you suddenly feel a bit blue that everyone is having more fun than you are?

That’s #FOMO—the fear of missing out.

The fear of missing out (FOMO) is a real psychological trigger all of us can’t help but respond to. According to a study, FOMO is “a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent.”

• 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 got-to-be-there feeling is a powerful motivator event planners can and should utilize in marketing their events.

Here are three ways to tap into FOMO:

1. Define Your Event Story

For attendees to feel as if they’re missing out, first you have to build an emotional connection. After all, if attendees don’t feel there is something unique or special about your event, they won’t even give pause to consider attending.

And that’s where a strong event story comes in. Between the written words, the event visuals, and everything else in-between build a compelling case as to why your event can’t be missed.

For maximum impact, align the story with what your target audience cares about. Perhaps they’re most interested to hear from a roster of well-known speakers, visit a unique location, hang out at a fabulous after-party, make new connections through ample networking opportunities or some other unique event experience.

Then distill that event story down to bite-sized pieces and use as the foundation throughout all communications. At the same time, determine the overall event look and feel that echoes that story – everything from the event’s color palette, fonts and supporting graphics used, and even the floorplans and room sets.