When asked what do I do at Christian Retreats Network, I respond with "I am in media development". The question that follows 99.9% of the time is "What is media development?" To me, that shouldn't even be a question. But I have grown up in a social media world and most of the time I forget that social media isn't part of everyone's vocabulary.

Social media has grown rapidly in the past few years. I can't remember a time when I wasn't on a computer of some sort. And now, we have so many options to tap into the social media world. It is hard (for me) to believe that there is still a percent of people who don't even know what social media is.

With social media growing, many event planners have been taking advantage of what it has to offer their target audiences. Especially when it comes to targeting the younger generation. Social media is a great way to connect on their level and make it a more personal interaction.

As an event planner, there are a few things to remember when using social media as a marketing tool.

Seek out your target audience. You have to go to them. Social media is a great tool to find new and existing audiences. Today, the younger generation doesn't tend to seek out opportunities for retreats. If you seek them out and build a relationship with them, they are more likely to respond. In return, they may even invite their friends to the event as well.

Social media can keep your event alive even after it is over. You can use a blog to post a wrap up of all the key highlights of your event. You can even add links to the presentations or downloadable documents. On your social media sites like Facebook, you can post photos from your event. Social media allows you to create a place for people to discuss what went on at the event with others who attended.

Make sure you listen to what people are saying about your event. You want to keep track of what people liked and what people didn't like. That way, as you are planning your next event, you know what to change.

Another great tool with social media is online surveys. Facebook has a place for polls. These are easy and fun ways to get quick responses or feedback from the people who attended your event. Be prepared for negative comments. People will always have opinions about your event. Make sure you respond to their concerns. You will also get a lot of positive feed back. You can use the positive feedback as a way to promote your next event.

What ways has social media helped your event planning process?