Events have been the cornerstone of promotions for businesses since long ago, whether a fledgling company is trying to get its foot in the door of an industry, or a long-established company is shining a spotlight on its latest product. Here we will look at what event marketing is, what it can do for you, and how it can help you achieve your business goals. Whether it be small workshops, large-scale events, or anything in between, read on to see the advantages and benefits of event marketing.
What is Event Marketing
Whenever you have a business or product that you want to promote directly to the public, event marketing can be an effective means for achieving that goal.
Event marketing refers to the hosting of events or similar functions in order to provide opportunities for the public to engage with a business or its products. Event marketing takes place every day and, when done right, achieve outstanding results.
Event marketing refers to the hosting of events or similar functions in order to provide opportunities for the public to engage with a business or its products. Event marketing takes place every day and, when done right, achieve outstanding results.
Why is Event Marketing Important
Events are the ideal opportunity to showcase your business or products directly to as many people as possible. Successful events are crucial to establishing a business or product line. In certain circumstances, events can even serve as make-or-break opportunities.
Benefits of Event Marketing
Event marketing is more direct and engaging than other forms of marketing and comes with a suite of benefits. Below are but some examples of the merits that event marketing can provide to you.
Brand Exposure
Events are an ideal opportunity to increase brand awareness among as many potential customers as possible, especially your target audience. A strong brand image will help you stand out and leave a lasting impression on attendees. Consider the message you wish to convey and ensure it aligns with the desires of the clients and customers in attendance.
Lead Generation
Lead generation is about identifying via research the customers or clients your brand or product should target at an event, nurturing interest among those consumers, and converting that interest into sales. A lead is any person with an interest in a company’s products or services. Events raise awareness of your business’s presence, thereby generating long lists of leads that then cascade into appointments and business opportunities. Leads acquired in this way can form the basis of solid, long-lasting relationships.
In-Person Engagement with Client and Customers
An event brings opportunities for direct engagement with clients and customers in a manner that is seldom possible with other forms of marketing. Direct engagement can build a greater understanding, eventually leading to boosted sales and a healthier business.
Competitor Research
Events also provide opportunities for gaining insight into what competitors are doing. Learn what similar brands are up to and build relationships with them. Time spent with competitors can reveal their strengths and weaknesses, help identify opportunities and risks, and give you the information you need to develop unique solutions that will form the backbone of your business.
Types of Event Marketing
Nowadays, event marketing can take various forms. The type of event you decide upon may depend on location, potential reach, budget, or the message you would like to convey to the public. Below are a few ways to engage with the public through event marketing.
Conferences and Trade Shows
Conferences and trade shows are a great way to showcase what your business can offer with your targeted industry and to the general public, and even lead to direct sales. Such events guarantee to not only bring in members of a target audience, but also help to build new audiences. You can expand your client base by handing out flyers and business cards or compiling email lists. For smaller businesses, conferences and trade shows are a cost-effective means of marketing and help establish recognition of your product or enterprise among more established names in the industry. Conferences and trade shows can help you develop new business relationships and channels and discover new markets or potential gaps.
Launch Parties
Launch parties are a great marketing opportunity to generate hype and awareness. Such events may also directly lead to sales. Launch parties create the buzz that will lead to people talking about your product at the event and throughout social media.
Workshops
Workshops are easy to set up and a great way to interact directly with your customer base. Educational and creative, the direct and more hands-on style of a workshop can boost awareness and sales of a product among clients and customers.
Live Streaming Events
Video is the most popular form of content on the internet, making live streams an effective way to reach a mass audience. Instant reaction and engagement with the audience make it possible to gauge how people feel about your product in real time.
Event Marketer Checklist
Should you be responsible as the organizer of showcasing a product or business at an event, there are certain essentials for ensuring that the event is successful. Here are some to add to your checklist.
Goals
Work out the goals you would like to achieve with the event. Is it bringing direct awareness to the product or brand, hitting a sales target, or is it for another purpose, like educating the general public? Setting the right goals will determine the type of event you will want to create and the types of reactions you will want to get from your audience. Before you begin organizing an event, ask yourself why you are holding one in the first place, who the event is aimed at, how you will reach your goals, and what criteria make an event successful.
Budget
Determine how much you plan to budget for the event. Depending on the type and size of the event, work out how much to allocate for each area. Budgeting will help with controlling spending and also help with budgeting for future events.
Target Audience
Knowing the right target audience is crucial for aligning the brand or product you want to promote. Knowing the target audience will determine many factors: the type of event marketing, the location, small details like the food and drink, and more.
Marketing Channels
Decide on what marketing channels you wish to use to promote your event as effectively as possible. Perhaps you should engage with social media or influencer marketing, email campaigns, advertising, or even non-digital strategies such as flyers or the radio? Consider a landing page to direct people to more information about the event.
Social Media, Advertising and Campaigns
With many people active on social media, such platforms can help you spread the word about your event far and wide. Build a community around your event, create social media posts, post event details, and interact with users to publicize to as many people as possible. Paid advertising may require more spending, but it guarantees that information about your event reaches your target audience.
Metrics
Work out the information you will require to determine the success of the event. Whether through metrics or KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), setting expectations is crucial. Some ways of determining metrics include event registration, the number of actual attendees versus those who registered, ticket sales, the number of clicks from emails, social media engagement or mentions, and the number of returnees or new attendees.
Post-Event Surveys
Getting feedback from attendees on their experience and insights through surveys after the event has finished will help improve any future event you hold. The line of questioning could inquire about how they learned of the event, what they enjoyed, and more.
Summary
Event marketing is crucial in promoting a product or business directly to the public. The kind of event and the steps taken to ensure the maximum benefit and engagement will ensure your product or enterprise can realize its full potential.
We at JTBUSA have assembled a dedicated trade show and event team organization with a strong network of contacts in the U.S. event industry. If you need help planning or learning how to have a successful event, please feel free to contact us at https://www.jtbusa.com/meetings-events/contact-us or by clicking the button below.
