How to Get 500 Teens to Show Up: Part I

I've been doing ministry and promoting events in various capacities for about 5 years. Until recently the largest event I'd thrown only had about 35 people show (roughly twice the size of my group at the time). Two months later I threw an event which had 500 kids show up. Three months after that I was involved in throwing a family event which had 1,700 people show up (ten times the size of our church and 10% of the population of the city we're in).

I wish I could brag and tell you how awesome I am for exponential event growth rate, but the reality is that all the credit goes to two of my friends (Cody Pope and Todd Boyum), who told me the secrets to getting people to show up and keep showing up.

Disclaimer: I'm telling you how to do this so you'll know how to throw huge events if that's your strategy for reaching your communty. I'm saying this because I'm convinced huge events are the best way to reach our culture.

Here are the secrets to throwing a great event:

1) Start with an Unique Idea People Want to Experience
2) Market Directly to Everyone You Want to Come
3) Deliver the Experience You Promised

At first glance these don't seem like "secrets" because they're obvious. However, it's bold words which make all the difference.

...I'll elaborate on each point over the next few days.