9 Ways to Enhance Your Event Marketing Program

Blog - 9 Ways to Enhance Your Event Marketing ProgramThe decision to run a live event has been made, the process has been run. Here are 8 things (plus a bonus) you don’t want to miss in your experiential marketing program design:

  1. PR prior to event – Everyone is looking for great content these days. If you have a fun event that is going to take place, make the local media aware of it. Do some pre-event promotion… it will be well worth the dollars spent.  A great event starts with pre-promotion.
  2. Invite top internal and external VIP’s or sponsors – Thesemarketing events are fun. Invite key people and sponsors to attend. No better way to network than in a fun, low pressure atmosphere.  It allows decision makers to see the program live and first hand.
  3. Purchase incentive/coupon – You have a targeted and energetic audience who has just been introduced to your brand in a fun and exciting way. Give them a reason to take the next step, and make it easy for them to do so.  Drive them to retail!
  4. Capture All the Comments You Can – This applies to good and bad. The customer is talking to you, be sure you are listening.  Make sure the process is simple for your audience.
  5. Use video for everything – (Behind the scenes during set up and tear down can be valuable future content….and fun). Memories fade, but video lives forever. It is amazing some of the content we have created to extend the life of the event.
  6. Capture photos of the event – In this digital age, photos go straight to social media as the event is taking place. They say a photo is worth 1,000 words!
  7. Track Word of Mouth – Use a PR tracking tool to see what people are tweeting and posting on Facebook while at the event and after the event.   It’s important to know what consumers are saying online about your brand and events.
  8. Track actual sales produced from the event – Seems to go without saying, but amazing how many people fail to put the procedures in place to do so.
  9. Bonus:  Most importantly, use the event to build meaningful and fun relationships – This is such a great chance to interact with the customers of your product or service. Don’t waste it by trying to sell them. The marketing event was set up in a way that will encourage purchase if they like the product. Use the time to really engage and try to understand the people at the event.