6/22/2016, Entrepreneur -- Few marketing vehicles offer the advantages live events do. They provide unmatched opportunities for customers and prospects to touch, demo and otherwise interact with a product. Events facilitate relationship- and community-building with like-minded individuals, and enable brands to create a “brain-washing chamber” where they have complete control over the environment and messaging.
Related: Online Marketing Gets All the Buzz But Check Out the ROI for Live Events
Plus, live events are custom made for photo-sharing on social networks.
It is probably no coincidence, then, that event planning is one of the fastest growing career categories in the United States, projected to grow at three times the average job growth over the next ten years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Here are some time-tested professional tips for successfully marketing your brand through live events.
1. Set clear, measurable goals.
It’s shocking how often this doesn’t happen, but without articulating event objectives, how will you know if your event was successful? If you’re having trouble with this, consider this perspective: What action(s) do you want people to take post-event? What circumstances or outcomes would lead you to absolutely not want to host the event again? What outcomes would prompt you to guarantee you'll host it again? Or, what do you want attendees to think about your brand after this event, and how does that differ from their current perception, if at all?
2. Build an easy narrative for guests to share.
Think about what you want attendees to say about your brand when they leave your event. The text should be like an elevator speech: short, easy to understand and compelling. (There’s a reason why so many startups explain their companies with references like, “We’re like Uber -- but for baby sitters": It's easy for people to grasp.) Every element of the event should be designed to support this message. The goal is not just for on-site attendees to understand your story, but also to enable them to easily share that story with others. Likewise, avoid anything that might detract from it, or confuse people, such as a branded giveaway that doesn't clearly reinforce your narrative.
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