One of the best ways to engage current customers and win new ones is through a tried and tested marketing channel such as Event Marketing.
Event Marketing involves face-to-face contact between companies and their customers at special events like trade shows, parades, contests, sporting events, fairs, and more. In fact event marketing includes a wide range of event types and almost any event can be used for a marketing purpose to communicate something unique to a target audience.
Events can be used to perform a number of marketing functions. This could include loyalty and relationship building, database compilation, brand awareness, product sampling and of course, sales. Event Marketing has the ability to target specific groups or individuals, to be customised, to create interactivity, involvement and interest and to cut though the clutter of brands.
Given the importance of Event Marketing, its crucial marketers spend the time and effort necessary to plan and execute a successful event. When putting together an Event Marketing plan there are three key aspects that must be considered to make your event successful.
First and foremost, you must take into consideration your product or Brand’s Identity and the personality your brand is trying to communicate. Understanding your brand’s personality and what it reflects will help you pick and plan the right kind of events that reflect your brand in the best possible way.
Secondly, always keep your target audience in mind. Let your event be shaped by who your target audience is. A successful event marketing campaign provides value to consumers by giving them something relevant that goes beyond just information about a product or service. A discount, product sample, charity alignment, or fun event that makes customers feel like they are receiving something tangible goes a long way in ensuring not just a successful event but an effective marketing campaign.
And finally, consider what lasting impression you want to leave your audience with. The key to pulling off an effective event marketing campaign is to create an experience that remains in your audiences’ memories. The more creative, engaging and interactive your event the more the chance your audience will remember it after the event. The best, most creative events create interactions that not only reflect positively on the brand at the time, but also keep generating value long after the event is over.
While Event Marketing isn’t supposed to take the place of traditional or mass marketing, it is the perfect way to supplement your other marketing activities and can go a long way in helping your brand stand out from the crowd.