Events are an important part of any marketing plan. Why? Events provide an opportunity to generate leads and business, and they give you an opportunity to connect with potential customers in a unique, personal way. They allow you to showcase your product or service in a unique setting and provide an opportunity to make connections that can result in future business. With so many reasons to consider event marketing, it’s no wonder businesses are turning to events to increase their reach and grow.

In this post, we’re going to discuss what event marketing is, the importance of events in your marketing plan, and some tips on how to market your event.

What is Event Marketing?

Event marketing is the planning and organizing of events with the purpose of promoting a brand, product, or service. Events can take place in person or online. Companies can choose to participate as hosts, sponsors, or participants.

Why Event Marketing?

1. Generates leads and business

An overwhelming 95% of marketers believe in-person events significantly impact achieving the company's business goals. In addition, 31% of marketers believe that event marketing is the single-most effective marketing channel. This means that events are an effective way for you to find potential customers and build connections.

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2. Builds trust and rapport

Different from traditional advertising such as advertisements, social media marketing, and email marketing which involves only one-way communication, events offer a unique opportunity for two-way communication and direct interaction with customers.

Face-to-face interaction builds trust and rapport, and people choose to do business with people whom they like and trust. 84% of event attendees are more positive about the company, brand, product, or service being promoted after the event. As shown from the data, events are effective in raising customers' satisfaction and lead generation. On the other hand, event holders can also learn more about clients' needs and pain points, which helps them to refine their product/service and marketing strategies.

3. Allows experiential consumption

In a 2020 report, almost half of all marketers (48%) are investing at least 21% of their marketing budget in live events, with the majority (62%) expecting to see a marketing budget increase for in-person events in the coming year. This trend can be explained by a shift of focus from conventional advertising to experiential consumption. 

Experiential consumption refers to making purchasing decisions because of the positive experiences we have with them or how we feel when using them. Events precisely help create these experiences for clients and consumers and have them actively interacting with the brand, which creates a positive sentiment for the brand and boosts customer loyalty. For B2C businesses, large brands such as Adidas, Coca-cola, and Mac hold events regularly such as music shows and street fairs to engage with their consumers.

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4. Positions yourself as the leader of the industry

People love learning how to grow their businesses and perform better in the industry. As part of the industry, you would definitely have something to offer - offer what matters to them. You can organize seminars, webinars, workshops, and press conferences to update your audience with the latest trends in the industry and educate them about new skills or qualities the industry is looking for. For example, Meta once held an event Facebook IQ Live, where attendees could learn different data by walking into different parts of the venue. The event was effective, as 93% of the attendees reported that it provided them with insights on how to use Facebook for business. The event offered valuable insights to the attendees and at the same time could bring business back to Meta. A successful event helps your company establish a professional and positive brand image. 

How to market an event?

1. Produce a clear landing page

In your landing page, make sure you have put down the event's date, time, and venue. Add a short description to explain your event and how it can benefit your audience. Add an image for more visual appeal and make sure there is a place for them to sign up for the event.

2. Email marketing

According to 40% of event marketers, email marketing is the most effective way to promote an event.  Send out reminders about the event a few weeks before it happens, and you can also provide an exclusive offer or discount for those who register soon. Make sure to personalize the emails to make them more appealing. EventX helps you organize events and provides customizable email templates for you to send out conveniently. You can even use our attendee list generation button to generate an attendee list that will be interested in your event.

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3. Publicize your event through advertisements

If you are looking for the general public as attendees, you can publicize your event through advertisements. This will involve contacting local newspapers and online publication platforms and getting them to write about your event or cover it in-depth; you can post ads on social media and on search engines such as Google.

Conclusion

Event marketing is an important part of any marketing plan. By understanding the importance of events and how to market an event, you can connect with potential customers in a personal way and increase your reach and business growth. What are your thoughts on event marketing? Let us know in the comments below!

Frequently-Asked Questions about Event Marketing

What is event marketing?

Event marketing is creating, executing, and managing events promoting a brand or product. Event marketing can be done in-house or through an agency.

Why is event marketing important?

Unlike conventional advertising, events offer opportunities for face-to-face interaction, amazing experiences, knowledge, and valuable insights. They are an amazing way to build relationships with existing customers and generate new leads. 

What are some ways to market events?

Create a clear landing page; send email invitations to potential participants; publicize your event through advertisements.