The do’s and don’ts of event marketing are endless. Often when event marketers sit down to make a checklist for themselves, they get lost in the vastness of the million things they need to get done before during and after the event. To make matters easy for them, this post will highlight the absolute musts of every event checklist that needs to be ticked off. This will not only provide the reader with a concise view, but will also help them segregate the other to-do’s more categorically.
In the present era of B2B marketing, the typical keywords taking up all the space and attention are marketing automation, lead generation, content marketing and so on. What often gets lost in this list of progressive marketing maneuvers, are events. Planning, hosting and marketing events can be elaborate affairs. With every aspect of human lives turning virtual, one might even dispute the feasibility and utility of events. However, the impact of face to face events is unlikely to fade out. Research states that more than 90% of human communication is non-verbal (55% body language, 38% tone of voice). This means any face to face meeting is 90% more effective than its virtual alternatives.
Socialization in person increases loyalty for the company, the brand, and the message that they want to deliver. It is the perfect maneuver to strengthen the bond in between the target audience. Joe Pulizzi, often known as the Godfather of content marketing, endorses in-person events as the most effective content marketing activity. It goes without saying that planning the marketing of the perfect B2B event may be a lot of head and handiwork. But if you follow the right steps, it is neither rocket science.
Define the purpose of your event so that you can estimate the rate of its success
To plan and market a successful event you not only have to ask a lot of questions but also the right set of questions.
- Know the story or purpose of the event
- What kind of budget is available for the event?
- Is there a specific theme in mind?
- Who is the target audience?
- Is the event value effective for the attendees?
- Am I planning the event for more for their benefit or my own?
- On what parameters will you measure the success of your events?
- What will be the USP of the event?
- Does the requirement fit the available budget?
- What do you wish your attendees to remember or concentrate on once the event is over?
Fine tune the details – Budget, Location & Date
The budget is never a favorable option for anyone to discuss. Nevertheless, before you can get down to any other facet of the event, you have to finalize your available budget. When fixing the date and time, thoroughly research to ensure that your event does not clash with any other major or competing events. This will directly affect your footfalls. You can use this template to choose a potential event date.
Make sure the location is well suited for the theme in mind and can accommodate the number of attendees expected. Choosing the right location can solve major transportation challenges attendees often face. Make a list of the important speakers. You can bring in guests speakers who are known to attract a high following if the budget allows it. For example, the invite-only conference by PTTOW had the 14th Dalai lama as a speaker. This will up the USP of the event. Lastly, chalk out the format of the event from the beginning to the end. Keep different time slots for the different activities, and ensure they all get adequate and equal exposure. To avoid mistakes, check your budget on a regular basis.
Place your events in all the right social media platforms
(fluper.com)
Your event may be very well planned, with a high budget and all the right considerations. But, if your event is not the talk of the town, did it ever happen? It is very important to be heard and spoken about from all the directions. It helps the marketing plan to have a separate web page for the event, especially for recurrent events. But if the budget does not allow it, it can also be highlighted on the landing page or social media pages. It is very important to decide upon the social media pages and tools to be used to create awareness among the target audience. You need to take care of 4 things for the right exposure on social media.
1. Create a buzz: Post your banner images and digital invites out on all social media platforms available to you. An event-specific hashtag helps in enhancing the social buzz, invites participation of users and helps in boosting attendance. Post one-liners with hashtags on Twitter or LinkedIn for event buzz. Publish detailed blog and press releases where necessary for event information. The message sent should be compelling enough to invoke the curiosity of the target audience and drive them to take necessary actions. Irrespective of the format, encompass the three vital details- when, where and what.
2. Curate your content: Easy yet efficient social media promotion calls for pre-event curated content. Applications like Twubs can be used to pull all tweets that have your event hashtags in one place. This adds on to the much needed social buzz leading to the event.
3. Highlight your USP: If the event has speakers, it is important to display images and bios. The itinerary should be available with highlights on the key attractions. Brief videos outlining the event highlights promotes the basic message to the audience. Also, highlight all available social buzz surrounding your event on the event page.
4. RSVP: It is important to have a registration or RSVP button in place to get a general headcount of the event. RSVP can be added as a call to action button on the landing page or simply RSVP on Facebook event page. Once interested attendees click on the yes or the maybe or signs up for registration, it makes it easier for the event marketers to follow up with them thoroughly.
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