When it comes to promoting a business, hosting an event is the best way to go about it. Event marketing helps to raise brand awareness while also improving the brand’s image in the market. Even though an event can market a business perfectly, it is necessary to use the right kind of strategies for marketing to target the correct audience. Event marketing is the way to create direct contact between the company and the clients. There are various types of events held by companies to attract customers and increase sales. To make an event successful marketing strategies such as SMS marketing, email marketing, and social media marketing can be used.
Types of events
According to research conducted in 2018, 80% of the marketers believe that event marketing is the most successful marketing method. Events can be used by companies to promote their products and brand name. Seminars and expos are common examples where small businesses can market themselves along with various other competitors present. In such a case, the event marketing of that business has to be effective enough to persuade clients to attend their booth rather than their competitor’s. However, before planning an event, a business should always look at the event marketing strategy to attract people. Different channels could be used to achieve this while looking at the budget and the target audience.
Pre-event marketing
An event needs to be marketed well before it can come into action. Such a notion could be considered a pre-event marketing strategy. This strategy is the perfect way to raise awareness about the event as well as the business. It is important that both potential and old clients are aware of the event and are persuaded to attend with this strategy. A pre-event marketing strategy could be managed in different ways. One of the best options is to create a web page for the event and most importantly, keep it updated. A business needs to let people know of the event and the details while they are being finalized. A business could create a web page for a charity concert it is hosting and keep clients updated with the amount of charity raised with the tickets bought. Moreover, attractive elements could be added to the page such as online prizes and games for people who attend the event.
Social media marketing
Before launching the event, it is important to let people know that it is happening and the reason behind it. Posting on blogs and social media is another step to convince people to attend it. These strategies tend to cost less while also raising interest in people regarding the event. With platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and many others, it has become easier to reach out to an audience. Building pages on these websites and keeping the followers posted about an event is easier. Rather than reaching out to them individually, a business can post regularly about the event for all its followers. A company hosting a grand opening of its store can post sneak peeks of the event and raise curiosity within the followers to make them attend. Moreover, to increase user-generated content the company can announce free giveaways and discount coupons for the first 100 customers who register to attend the opening.
Email marketing
When it comes to event marketing using other channels can be used to increase turnout which is the main aim of any business. Sending out reminder emails to those who are attending the event is a good way to keep them reported. Moreover, emails to a certain audience can also be sent with details and location of the event to maintain the hype of the upcoming event. Follow up emails are important for marketing because it maintains a formal yet personal contact with the clients. A company hosting a charity event can send its invites through email to old clients as well as new ones. Moreover, if the company can categorize the clients, it can send emails accordingly. The categories can include VIP clients who need to be RSVP’d to the event, old clients and potential clients. This will help in giving a more personal touch to the emails and show the clients that they are an important part of the business.
Other strategies
To pull off a great event it is necessary to have a large turnout and make the event a huge success, boosting the business. For great marketing, there are certain tactics that can achieve this aim easily. Creating an event within one is a part of these strategies. This method is perfect to get one-on-one interaction with the customers and raising brand awareness without using a sales method. A shoe company can create a truth and dare event within its main event where winners can claim a free pair of shoes after competing in the mini event successfully. Furthermore, adding a unique touch to the event makes it better. Using new ideas and elements to events and projects is a great way to get attention from people. An art exhibition hosted by a paint company can feature a 3-D painting corner to catch the eyes of those attending the event.
Music and inspirational stories can make an even better. People are now fascinated and intrigued by the success stories of others. Adding such elements to an event can attract much more attention since the event becomes both fun and inspirational. A marketing company hosting an event can invite big marketers to share their success stories with the people. Customers seek new ideas and opportunities which an inspirational speaker can help them achieve. Music and the internet are fun elements within an event which lighten the atmosphere for customers attending. A business does not only need to market its event and product but also gain attention from its customers through a simple yet fun technique. An event being hosted can offer free favors to people attending, helping the turnout of people to increase. A small band for music can be hired to keep the event lively at the same time.
Conclusion
Using innovative techniques can really help market an event for any small-medium business. Customers seek fun and creative events which is what such strategies aim to achieve. To make an event successful using one of the above tips will really boost the business and make marketing easy if done the right way.