5 Low-Cost Marketing Tips for Community Event Organisers in Nottinghamshire - Boost Attendance Without Breaking the Bank or Burning Out

Download What's Local App and explore the live events on the map

Organising a community event takes passion, planning, and perseverance. But when it comes to marketing your event, the challenge often lies in two things: limited budget and limited time. The good news? You don’t need a huge marketing team or costly ads to spread the word effectively—especially if you’re running events in Nottinghamshire.

Here are five practical, affordable marketing tips that will help you increase visibility and attract more attendees to your local event.

⸻

1. List Your Event on What’s Local (Especially If You’re in Nottinghamshire)

If your event isn’t listed where people are actually looking for things to do, you’re missing out. What’s Local is a dedicated event discovery platform that allows people to search by location, date, category, or keywords. It’s especially popular for those searching for events in Nottinghamshire.

✅ Standard listings are FREE

✅ Premium listings are just £4.99 for 5 weeks

✅ Perfect for charity fundraisers, community fairs, workshops, and more

Whether you’re hosting a church fete in Mansfield or a street market in Newark, What’s Local helps your event get found without the faff of social media algorithms.

⸻

2. Use Local Facebook Groups (But Don’t Be Spammy)

Nottinghamshire has dozens of active community Facebook groups—covering towns like Nottingham, West Bridgford, Beeston, Arnold, and Hucknall. Join these groups and look out for the days when promotions or event listings are allowed.

📝 Tip: Instead of just posting a flyer, try writing a short, engaging post that highlights what’s unique about your event (e.g., “free face painting for kids” or “local food trucks”).

💡 Bonus: Mention that your event is also listed on What’s Local for people who want to browse other local events too!

⸻

3. Create a Quick Video for Social Media

You don’t need fancy gear—just your phone. A 15-30 second vertical video showing behind-the-scenes prep, what people can expect, or highlights from a past event can perform way better than a static image.

🎥 Ideas:

• A quick walk-through of the venue

• Short interviews with vendors or performers

• Clips of kids enjoying last year’s fair

Use hashtags like #NottinghamEvents and #NottinghamshireThingsToDo to help people discover it.

⸻

4. Partner with Other Local Groups or Businesses

Got a local café, charity shop, or community centre nearby? See if you can swap promotions. They might be happy to display your flyer or post your event on their social pages if you return the favour.

🤝 Think:

• Co-hosting a giveaway

• Providing branded food or drinks at the event

• Cross-promoting each other’s events

Local collaboration builds trust and expands your reach—without spending a penny.

⸻

5. Email Past Attendees or Volunteers

If you’ve run an event before, dig up that old signup sheet or volunteer list and send a short email. People who came once are likely to come again—and might even bring friends!

📧 Keep it short:

• Mention what’s new this year

• Include the date, location, and What’s Local listing link

• Encourage them to forward the email to others

⸻

Final Thoughts

You don’t need big bucks to create a buzz around your community event. With smart use of local platforms like What’s Local, engaging content, and a little collaboration, you can reach more people across Nottinghamshire and make your event a success.

⸻

Looking to Promote an Event in Nottinghamshire?

🎉 List your event on What’s Local App today – it’s fast, easy, and affordable.