Client-appreciation events can be an effective marketing tool for enhancing your current client relationships and connecting with potential referrals. You can get more from a successful turnout by expanding your network and providing a call to action for future engagements.

The value of an event, however, hinges on full participation. A poor promotional strategy can leave financial advisors in the lurch, says Shauna Trainor, marketing manager with the Covenant Group in Toronto.

Whether you have chosen to treat your clients to an educational seminar, a museum tour or an afternoon of golf, your event will not be a success if your target clients don’t know about it.

Here are four ways to promote your client-appreciation event effectively:

> Provide advance notice
It’s important to take into consideration your clients’ time, so you should send out an initial email to gauge their interest, Trainor says.

A rule of thumb, she adds, is to give at least one month’s warning if you want to take a day of someone’s time. Events should be an added value, rather than an inconvenience.

> Track interest
You can use technology to measure clients’ interest and the effectiveness of your promotional campaign, according to Trainor. She recommends using a CRM or email marketing tool that can identify which clients have opened their invitations.

You can then provide a personal follow-up, if necessary.

> Extend a “bring a friend” invitation
“If you don’t actively encourage people to bring a potential referral, they won’t,” Trainor says. “Nobody will do that on their own.”

Client-appreciation events are a prime opportunity to tap into your clients’ network, whether you want to connect with their business partners or members of their extended families.

If your clients have adult children, you will have an opportunity to develop a multigenerational practice, Trainor says.

As baby boomers prepare to enter retirement, they will soon be transferring a significant amount of wealth on to the next generation. Now is the time to cultivate relationships with that generation.

> Make your event unique
“Exclusivity is appealing to people,” Trainor says. “What you’re looking to create is unique client experiences that differentiate you.”

The venue, for example, should be a beautiful space clients will be excited to explore. Trainor suggests galleries, stylish hotels or museums as potential venues. Clients will be less impressed by run-of-the-mill restaurants, even if they’re considered high-end.

Communicating with clients beyond email is also an effective way to highlight the event’s exclusivity. Physical mail has become a luxury, so you might choose to make the invitation more memorable — and exclusive — by mailing out formal invitations on quality card stock.

This is the third part in a three-part series on client-appreciation events.