Do you remember what was the last event you attended? Was it a conference, an online seminar, or a charity event? Despite the differences in their nature, these events share a common goal for businesses: to captivate and involve attendees, potentially converting them into customers.
Event marketing has immense value for various sectors, including technology, education, healthcare, and retail. It is a powerful tool to connect with your audience and increase brand visibility. With consumers bombarded by numerous pitches and ads daily, hosting an event provides an opportunity to stand out and grab attention.
In this article, we will learn about event marketing, its benefits and importance, and much more. Let’s start with the event marketing definition.
What is Event Marketing? Event Marketing Definition
Event marketing, in simplest words, is a marketing type that involves promotional activities centered around brand, product, or service promotion through organizing, participating in, or attending various events.
We can categorize event marketing as a type of experiential marketing. It aims to build and nurture stronger connections with customers while also educating them about the features and benefits of your products or services.
Events have the flexibility to take place in both online and offline spaces. Whether you choose to sponsor, participate in, or organize an event, it presents an opportunity for direct engagement.
Using events as a marketing platform offers potential customers an exclusive, firsthand experience with your company. It provides them with an authentic understanding of its focus, viewpoint, and character.
Importance of Event Marketing
In today’s crowded and fast-paced business world, standing out is crucial, and event marketing is a smart way to do it. Not only does it help you connect with both new and old customers, but it also lets you learn about them before the event. This way, you can treat them as individuals, not just part of the crowd.
One good thing about event marketing is that it really works! 73% of event planners think that using personalization and data-driven marketing is essential for their events. Whether it is a small online meeting or an international trade show, event marketing should be a key part of how you reach your customers.
What’s more, event marketing is also important in:
1. Trust Building
Event marketing is also important because it helps build trust. When people get to meet a brand in person, they find it more trustworthy. That is why events are such great networking opportunities. In fact, 75% of business owners say that making useful contacts is their main reason for going to events.
2. Lead Generation
Attending or hosting events is also a great way to find new customers. When you host a large business meeting, you are gathering people who are interested in what you do. These people could become loyal customers in the future.
3. Customer Happiness and Loyalty
Events are also a chance to make your customers happy. People go to conferences or seminars not just to learn but also to have fun and take a break from their daily routine. These positive experiences create a strong bond with your brand, which is important for customer loyalty. It can also be a great addition to your relationship marketing strategies.
4. Online Presence
Event marketing can boost your brand’s online presence, too. Statistics say that 48% of young people (mainly millennials) go to events so they can share their experiences on social media. This means more people will know about your brand, which is great for getting the word out.
How Event Marketing Works?
Event marketing consists of various strategies for engaging with audiences. For example,
- One approach involves organizing events directly, which allows brands to build connections with both existing customers and potential leads, create partnerships, and explore new business opportunities.
- Alternatively, participating in events as a guest allows representatives to showcase expertise and promote products or services. It enhances brand recognition and credibility within relevant industries.
- Businesses also sponsor events that eventually boost brand visibility and reach a wider audience.
Regardless of the chosen approach, event marketing is widely regarded among marketers as a crucial means of achieving business objectives.
10 Major Types of Event Marketing
Marketers or businesses can engage in event marketing in different manners. Here are common types of event marketing.
Webinars
Webinars are all about online events such as chats, presentations, or workshops. They can be live or pre-recorded and usually run for 30 to 60 minutes. Live webinars are interactive, allowing participants to chat with each other using the web conferencing software. They can also ask questions and talk to the hosts directly.
Conferences
Events like conferences are typically organized by companies as part of their marketing strategy. They bring together attendees, often in large numbers, to share information, such as at a user summit.
Conferences serve as platforms for training or education. Attendees also get chances to network, and they can expect keynote speeches from key figures within the company or from external experts. Studies say that 40% of businesses consider conferences as impactful events to achieve their marketing objectives.
Virtual Events
Virtual events create opportunities for people from various places to engage in a realistic digital environment. For instance, attendees can explore virtual booths to gather resources, ask questions, interact with staff, and even receive virtual goodies.
These events generally occur simultaneously for everyone involved. In addition to interactive elements, they usually include networking opportunities and educational sessions.
Tradeshows
Trade shows are gatherings where people and businesses from specific industries or groups of industries come together physically. These events typically include booths and areas filled with products or information related to the products or services of the participants.
A company might join or sponsor a trade show to build connections, showcase its products, or increase its market presence. Tradeshows also provide a chance to network and gain insights into competitors in the industry.
Livestreaming Events
These events are broadcast live to viewers in real time. You can host them using basic equipment like a webcam, or you can opt for professional production teams to ensure higher-quality broadcasts.
Platforms such as Livestream, Ustream, and Google Meet provide live-streaming services that allow you to stream, record, and interact with your audience through chat and social media features.
Since the pandemic, various events, ranging from employee Q&A sessions to major award ceremonies, have either integrated or solely relied on live streaming.
Educational Workshops and seminars
These gatherings focus on educating participants and are typically held in smaller venues with a limited number of attendees.
They come in various formats: for example, some seminars are just like classroom lectures, where an expert shares information with the audience in a conventional manner.
Others adopt a roadshow approach where marketers share their company’s message with the public, employees, or partners.
Networking Conferences
Thought-leadership events prioritize networking opportunities that allow professionals with similar interests to engage in face-to-face interactions. These events also enable organizers to establish authority in specific fields and drive notable business outcomes.
Exclusive Gatherings
Businesses also organize exclusive VIP gatherings to accelerate sales and build loyalty among key customers. By bringing together important clients, influential stakeholders, and esteemed guests, these events aim to achieve these goals.
Dinners, Breakfasts, Lunches
These events are smaller and highly personalized events. They cater to both existing customers and potential prospects. These gatherings can range from hosting eight to ten individuals to larger gatherings with 50 or more attendees.
Smaller gatherings often offer executives an exclusive environment for networking. On a larger scale, these events may include thought leadership presentations as a part of the program.
Product Launching Events
Companies utilize product launch events to introduce upcoming products to potential or existing customers. The aim is to generate excitement about the features and benefits of the new offerings.
How to Create Demand for Your Event Marketing Campaigns?
Organizing an event is one thing, but making it desirable is another. Here are a few things you can do to make your event marketing campaigns more desirable.
a. Create Compelling Content
Crafting long-form written content serves as an effective method to
- captivate your audience,
- enhance brand recognition, and
- establish authority in your industry.
Also, thorough research on your topic and competitors, collaboration with industry experts, and wide distribution of your articles are essential.
Additionally, integrating compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) at the end of your content pieces ensures engagement. Once you have developed a collection of articles or blog posts, they can serve as integral components of a comprehensive content marketing strategy.
b. Remarketing
Employing remarketing tactics involves leveraging user clicks and website traffic to identify potential leads and deliver customized advertisements about your brand.
For instance, adding a remarketing tag (often facilitated by a digital marketing service) onto your event marketing landing page allows anyone who clicks to later encounter advertisements on platforms like Google or Facebook. This approach promotes your event and effectively captures a relevant audience’s attention.
c. Use the Power of Social Media
Effectively implementing social media campaigns proves instrumental in driving event sign-ups. Compelling graphics and engaging posts encourage your audience to click through to your event registration page.
Also, using targeting campaigns within social media platforms based on topics, keyword lists, and geolocation details enhances your campaign’s effectiveness.
Furthermore, tools like Tweepi enable you to attract followers, including those who engage with your competitors, thereby expanding your reach and engagement.
Benefits of Event Marketing for Your Business
Event marketing is a modern-day marketing strategy that brings a lot to the table. Here are notable advantages of event marketing.
1. More Brand Awareness
Event marketing is crucial for businesses aiming to boost brand awareness and reach new audiences. It is particularly crucial for startups seeking industry presence. With event marketing, businesses can attract individuals unfamiliar with their brand, showcase their products or services, and leave a lasting impression. What’s more:
- Event marketing helps in building brand recognition through memorable experiences and creative branding strategies. It ultimately creates positive associations and recommendations.
- Events facilitate the cultivation of brand loyalty by developing emotional connections through valuable information and entertainment. Post-event engagement via follow-up emails or newsletters reinforces positive experiences.
- Event marketing enables businesses to differentiate themselves from competitors by offering unique experiences.
2. Lead Generation
Event marketing is not solely about creating brand buzz; it’s about generating leads that translate into sales. According to 47% marketers, event marketing is highly efficient when it comes to engaging with the prospects.
- Events offer a platform to attract interested individuals and gather their contact information for follow-up.
- After identifying leads, nurturing them through targeted communication is crucial. Utilize email marketing and social media to provide valuable content and guide leads through the sales funnel.
- Successful event marketing generates a sense of urgency, urging attendees to make purchases during or shortly after the event.
- Monitoring attendee data and analyzing ROI metrics allows for the refinement of event marketing strategies.
3. Networking Opportunities
Networking plays a crucial role in successful event marketing. It facilitates connections with industry peers for referrals, partnership opportunities, and brand visibility.
Engaging with like-minded professionals at events boosts chances of collaborations that benefit businesses in the long term. Moreover, networking at events opens opportunities for valuable partnerships and referrals.
Positive event experiences and compelling content enhance brand visibility and portray businesses as experts in their field through active participation in relevant discussions.
4. Enhanced Customer Experience and Loyalty
Utilizing event marketing can significantly enhance customer satisfaction, interaction, and loyalty. For instance, employing interactive tools like quizzes, surveys, or interactive forms can effectively engage your audience before, during, and after events.
By actively involving participants at each stage, you can cultivate a deeper interest in your event and build stronger connections with your brand.
Moreover, using your event presence by offering memorable tokens, such as gifts, ensures a lasting impression on your target audience. This way, your name will pop up in their minds whenever they require services or expertise similar to what your organization offers.
5. Competitor Exploration
Participating in industry events not only facilitates customer engagement but also offers a great opportunity for competitor analysis. Interactions with similar brands can uncover innovative ideas and potential collaborations while providing insights into market trends and competitor strategies.
Understanding your competitors is necessary for maintaining a competitive edge. It enables you to address market gaps and identify target customer segments effectively.
6. Customer Insights Collection
Beyond sharing information, events serve as invaluable platforms for gaining fresh perspectives, feedback, and insights into customer behavior. Such engagements empower businesses to refine their products and services more closely to customer preferences and needs.
Disadvantages of Event Marketing
Event marketing has countless benefits, but there are a few drawbacks as well. Here are some disadvantages of event marketing.
1. High Costs
Participating in events demands a significant financial commitment from companies. Assessing the value of these events can be challenging, often requiring consistent attendance over time. Apart from the event itself, diligent follow-up is vital. In a nutshell, organizing and attending events require financial resources, which can be high at times.
2. Time-consuming
Developing and executing an effective marketing campaign like event marketing demands thorough planning and collaboration across teams. Clear goal-setting and seamless communication are imperative, but they can be difficult for small businesses. Such events not only consume budget but also require time for planning.
3. Fierce Competition
It is important to note that large-scale conferences also attract competitors, which makes it necessary for you to stand out. Therefore, keeping the competition in mind, developing a visually appealing brand identity that resonates with the target audience is vital.
Examples of Event Marketing
Here are some of the best examples of event marketing from the business world.
Twitter Beach at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
Twitter’s representation at this expansive marketing event exemplified the essence of the Twitter brand. Not only did it offer comfortable spaces for work, relaxation, and networking throughout the festival, but it also stood out for its strategic utilization of data in creating both the physical environment and the event programming. This approach ensured alignment with contemporary trends, including popular music and television shows.
The impact of Twitter’s presence extended beyond the event itself. It left a memorable mark on attendees who might otherwise have been overwhelmed by a large number of brand experiences at the marketing festival.
Source: YouTube, Marshmello
Google I/O
Google hosts a developer conference in person but also broadcasts it online. They use a 360-degree camera for a better viewing experience. Past event videos are on YouTube, and they are liked by those who missed it live or want to watch it again. Regarding the content, Google offers educational lectures and promotes its products.
Summing it up
Event marketing consists of a variety of promotional activities focused on engaging attendees and potentially converting them into customers.
It holds significant value across sectors like technology, education, healthcare, and retail, offering a powerful means to connect with audiences and boost brand visibility.
Events provide a unique opportunity to stand out in a crowded marketing landscape and directly engage with consumers.
Event marketing helps in lead generation, building trust, nurturing customer relationships, and a lot more.