Six Essential Ingredients For A Potent Event Marketing Plan
Without an event marketing plan, you’d be incredibly lucky if anyone actually showed up at your event. Regardless of whether you’re running an internal corporate seminar or a client-facing launch, you’ll need to compile a marketing plan that’s perfectly persuasive. If you’ve ever asked yourself what this should entail, you’re in luck. Without further ado, here are the key ingredients that when combined, form a powerful, cohesive marketing plan that’ll get feet though the door.
1. A clear idea of the event’s objectives
If you’re only vaguely aware as to what the event in question should achieve, you’ll have a hard time planning a marketing strategy. If the event is an opportunity to thank existing customers for their patronage, and by doing so, refresh and strengthen their loyalty to your brand, you’ll know that it’s useless targeting the whole of your social media following. In the same vein, if the event is a product launch, and you’re hoping to garner as much exposure as possible, casting a wide net via social media in order to raise awareness of the event should be included in your event marketing plan.
2. The desired positioning of the event
In other words, the way you want the event to be portrayed in order to elicit the desired response from your guests. Determine what it is that you’re offering them. Are they going to be privy to an exclusive sneak peek of your latest product? Enjoy a five-star bush break? Have access to a network of like-minded guests? Identify the aspect of the event that will most appeal to your target market, and then position your event accordingly.
3. A promotional plan
The way you position your event will determine how you promote it. Identify the information that needs to be conveyed, and then decide the best way to say it. Saying the right thing, to the right people is the essence of an effective marketing plan. Once you’ve got a clear idea of how you’re positioning your event, as well as the target market (read: guests) you need to communicate with, you’ll be able to come up with the most persuasive way to do so.
4. The correct marketing tools
This stage is where you’ll need to decide which platforms are best suited for your particular target market. An event that’s open to the public, for example, would benefit from the use of several social media channels, in order to gain as much exposure as possible. An effective marketing plan for an internal team working event, however, would most likely eschew social media, and consist of posters, an email campaign and the help of employees who’d act as event ambassadors.
5. A workable budget
You may have grand ideas about a television advert starring Trevor Noah, or a firework display that spells out the name of the product you’re about to launch, but not the budget to match. Ensure that you’ve got a breakdown of how much your event marketing plan will cost, from digital banner ads, designers, copywriters and printing costs.
6. Measurable goals
Without having goals that your event marketing plan needs to reach, you’re essentially directionless. Identify what it is you need to achieve, when, in a way that fits your budget. Having a set of clearly defined goals also makes it that much easier the next time you’re tasked with marketing an event, as you’ll have a litmus test of what works and what doesn’t.
We know that marketing an event (as well as planning and running one) is a mammoth task that’s not for the faint of heart. That’s why we’ve designed our Event Management Software – to help event managers execute a streamlined RSVP process that covers everything from the very first Save the Date, right through to the post-event survey.
