This is a guest post from Cd Vann, who runs the UnGEEKed events.  I have been impressed with the passion that she brings to promoting the unGEEKed events, and asked her to share some of her event marketing tips with folks on this blog.  (I am speaking at UnGEEKed San Francisco, December 2-4.)

Events with an established brand and proven content allows for easier recognition when promoting. Brands like unGeeked e’lite position their uniqueness by promoting content, getting involved in topic discussions, engaging with keynoters and speakers and more importantly, presenting unGeeked as a learning event. 

No two events are alike. Find your audience by promoting the uniqueness and value of your event.  At any given time, you can view the latest event calendar of any group, organization or city and state and see at least three conferences being promoted. 

Here are some simple tips for promoting your event:

1. Establish a presence. This can be a website that explains your event, speakers and content.
2. Create a branded Facebook or Twitter page dedicated to your event
3. Send out press releases.
4. Send out direct mailings to contacts, clients and your proven network.
5. Get speakers involved to add a blog post to their site announcing they are speaking at the event. This is particularly helpful if you are launching an event in a new geographic area.
6. Get speakers to Tweet and Retweet using the event hashtag - this allows for anyone interested in the event or a particular speaker to keep track of any PR, discounts, or book signings.
7. Contact Universities and Colleges and offer student discounts. Graduating students are always looking to enhance and extend their knowledge of a topic in their respective fields.
8. Join the Facebook pages of speakers and keynoters. Compliment and brag why you are having them speak at your event. Please note: When on their site, promote the speaker or keynote -- NOT THE EVENT.
9. Contact other event planners and co-brand and create alliances. Don't always view other events as competition but as opportunities for cross promotion and future alliances. 
10. List the event on FREE event calendars such as Mashable, Plancast, and Upcoming.org.

unGeeked e’lite uses all of these tips and more when branding, promoting and marketing our retreats.  Our 3-day retreats focus on the various aspects of the internal and external marketing and branding campaigns and integrating social media strategies and new media tools. What makes unGeeked unique? Our speakers are called "Engagers." And our keynoters are called e’lites. Engagers will interact with the attendees using either no slides or fewer slides. The e’lites come to you on a leveled playing field. Each one is just as important as the other and this allows you an opportunity to engage and network with one or more nationally and internationally recognized social media mavens.

unGeeked comes to San Francisco Dec 2-4th at Hotel Kabuki.  Receive 20% off using the discount code: unGeekedSMC