10 Essential Tips For Successful Event Marketing
What should you consider to achieve successful event marketing?
Ray Sheehan, head of business development at Old City Media, identified 10 essential tips for successful event marketing.
Ray Sheehan is the Managing Partner of UpcomingEvents.com, a North American event production and marketing company. He has a background in strategic planning, marketing, event management, and advertising and has helped the company expand from one city to over 20 states. Before this role, Ray owned and operated philly2night.com, a production and news company in Philadelphia and South Jersey. He oversaw all aspects of the business and produced a nationally syndicated television show. In 2020, he launched the G.I.F.T Program as part of Old City Media. Ray is recognized as a leader in the special events industry and an innovative thinker in the Philadelphia community and beyond.
With his extensive experience, Ray Sheehan says the following tips are essential to successful event marketing:
1. Timing – Q2, Q3 & Q4
You need to make sure you are investing during the key times throughout the year. Q1 does have the potential to underperform – coming off the holidays which are typically a money pit for people. And most people do not like to begin new projects in Q1. If you are planning on events in Q1, be prepared for the weather challenges. Simple things like hand warmers go a long way for staff.
2. Consumer Planning
Who are we trying to engage? When are we trying to engage them? How are we engaging them? You need to make sure every dollar you spend is geared towards the right audience. Are those events reaching your target audience? If you are unsure – request event demographics.
3. Strategic Partners and Events
Aligning your brand with key partners and desirable events. Do your research. We recommend staying away from year-one events unless you know the promoter or organizer. Meaning, they have a strong track record. Locations are key at events and retail. You want to make sure these are high-traffic areas. Entrance or end caps typically perform the best. These locations will deliver the best ROI when being mindful of budget. Try to avoid loud areas (near live music). It’s extremely hard to have a conversation. Always ask for Certificate of Insurance (COI) requirements in advance. You want to make sure your COI meets their requirements.
4. Clear Objectives
What are the KPIs? How will you measure success?
5. Staffing Needs
Brand ambassadors or sales ambassadors and training and best business practices. Time investment, in the beginning, will pay off big time in the end. Give your team tools to be successful. Map everything out. Make sure you create an SOP (standard operating procedure) document.
6. Activation Set-Up
Make it sticky. Professional attire, event set-up manual, very mobile, technology, marketing materials, reporting/recapping. Also, think about the booth. You should have the following — branded 10×10 tent, sandbags or buckets to secure the tent, a six-foot table, branded table skirt, marketing materials, and a smaller cocktail table, just in case space is tight. Pro tip — always bring zip ties, duct tape, a sharpie, and industrial scissors.
7. Takeaways (Inexpensive Merch or Swag)
Now your brand lives outside of the roadshow or event. Maybe you end up in their car, house, or office. And people LOVE free stuff. Think of a branded cap, some stationery that people will use, or perhaps Sleek Wristbands branded with your marketing material and your website URL so people can find you after the event.
8. Shareable Social Content
Make this experience live outside of your roadshow or event. Get social. Document and publish everything on your social channels. Create incentives for people to share your brand message or content. Turn those potential customers or event attendees into ambassadors for your brand.
9. Process
Can you rinse and repeat? Can you scale? How are you getting that lead into the funnel? What happens once it’s there? Make sure you create a customer map or journey. You need to make sure that’s flawless before heading out into the field.
10. Inside Tip – Gift Cards
Applicable for events at retail locations. These can be five or ten-dollar gift cards. Nothing crazy. Also, reward their event staff with cheap items like energy bars. Remember, they are also potential customers. You should want to engage everyone while at an event – staff, workers, volunteers, management, organizers, etc. Make sure no rock goes unturned. Finally, have some healthy snacks and a bottle of water for your team. You want to make sure they are running at full speed.
