Marketing events are opportunities to advertise your brand, business, or new product. When planned properly, they work well, as you can speak face-to-face with potential clients and customers, answering their questions and showing off the best of your brand.
Of course, for a marketing event to work in your business’s favor, it must be fun. While, of course, you will want to highlight your company’s new product or business values, you will need to do so in an engaging way if you want to make an impact! So, whether planning your first or thirtieth marketing event, read on to learn how to make it fun and successful.
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Write Your Goals
First, write down your goals, as having clear targets will help you plan a more successful event. Here are some common goals that businesses have when hosting a marketing event:
- Acquiring new customers
- Partnering with another business
- Boosting your brand
- Selling a product
- Launching a product
Of course, the above goals are broad – you should also include more specific targets your business wants to reach. For example, you might have a particular client in mind that you want to work with.
Source: socio.events
Offer Promotional Products
Everybody loves free stuff! Promotional products are a fun way to attract attention while exciting your guests. However, it’s not enough to give out cheap pencils – the chances are, your attendees have already acquired tons of them over the years. Instead, choose a unique and handy promotional product like a water bottle or fanny pack. Find high-quality promotional products at anthembranding.com, where you can customize the products to boost your brand. For example, if you’re giving out bags, choose your company colors and print your logo there to make a long-lasting impression.
Pick a Location with a View
You want your event to be memorable. That way, the guests will think about the occasion for weeks to come, which, in turn, means your brand is always on their minds! One great way to make an impact is to choose a location with a view. That might mean hosting the event in a sky-rise building with a clear view over a city, or it may mean having plenty of thought-provoking art to look at. The visuals are important.
If you can, pick a view that relates to your brand. For example, if you sell hiking products, consider a location that overlooks nature! If you can’t manage that, Art in Context has a list of the best nature art pieces.
Provide Excellent Food and Drinks
When invited to events, many people look forward most to the free food and drinks – so don’t disappoint! The last thing you want is for your guests to be hungry or thirsty while trying to sell them a product, so put up a great display of food and drink for them to dive into. Generally, small but tasty nibbles work well, as people can eat while socializing. Also, ask about guests’ food preferences and allergies beforehand so you can cater to all – Social Tables has a great piece on picking the best caterer. You don’t want a person to go hungry because you haven’t provided vegetarian options – that will leave a sour taste in their mouths!
Source: familyvacationist.com
Have a Demonstration
Are you launching a new product at your event? Or are you trying to highlight a product you want to sell? If so, don’t just tell people about it – show them how it works. It’s an opportunity to prove just how effective and high-quality your product is. You can even go a step further and let people try it for themselves, as this will provide a fun interactive activity that proves to everyone just how fantastic your product is!
Host a Friendly Competition
If you want your event to be fun, consider hosting a friendly competition. You have many options here, and you can tailor the competition to your brand. For example, if you sell sporting gear (and are hosting outside or in a spacious area), you could have a section with a goalpost and a ball, offering the person who scores the most goals the prize at the end! Of course, you can always keep it simple by hosting a raffle. It might not be the most creative competition, but it’s something everyone can get involved in. Plus, you can make a great impression with some brilliant prizes – check out Let’s Roam for prize ideas.
Build a Dream Team
For a successful marketing event, you need a dream team. This is a chance to let your employees’ talents shine! Do you have a charming employee that always puts on good speeches? Put them front and center by getting them to demonstrate the product. Do you have a great designer on board? They can use their artistic skills to create event invitations. With the best minds of your company coming together, you can put on an event that people will talk about for weeks to come.
Source: golive.com.au
Live stream the Event
Do you want your event to reach further than the current attendees? If so, live stream the event! Getting someone behind the camera live streaming the event on social media means more people can attend. Plus, those that stumble across the live stream and see just how fun your event is might make the effort to physically attend the next one. Livestream has some tips on successful live streaming to ensure it’s engaging enough.
Follow Up with Attendees
The work doesn’t end once the last sushi roll has been eaten and the floor has been swept. No – once the event finishes, you must ensure it’s done its job by following up with your attendees. Not only will doing so look professional, but it will mean the event will stick in people’s minds for longer. Plus, it gives you a chance to receive feedback about the event, as you can ask people how they enjoyed it!
It’s challenging to host a marketing event, no matter how many you’ve put on in the past. There’s so much to get right, from refreshments to entertainment to promotions. With the above tips, you can be sure your event is both fun and successful – people will have a great time, and keep your brand in mind!
