Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Live events are truly a weapon when looking to market your brand. Although they may be challenging to execute, a successful live event can be a powerful opportunity to generate buzz and get people talking about your business for a long time.
Producing a live event is a unique undertaking. It involves so much more than just mapping out a digital marketing strategy. It’s about building and overseeing an interpersonal and creative event that displays your company’s inner workings and skills.
Live events provide an excellent opportunity to communicate with the stakeholders who drive brand and industry success. These events are important because they enable people to connect with your brand and the issues you want to tackle through your company. The experience should feel like more than just walking through the motions of attending a corporate event. Participants should understand your values and relate to what you’re all about.
Create a blueprint for your event
Your event should reflect the values and goals of your business. Is your goal to impact a particular demographic? Build a more sustainable financial foundation? You need to consider the measure of success of the event before you can determine the structure. Understand and clearly articulate what impact your event and your business need to have.
Before marketing your event, you need to know what type of event you are planning first. A live performance, a festival, a local street fair or a networking event will all need different types of marketing and will attract other people. There are many unique ways to produce a successful event.
When planning your event, it is crucial to set goals beforehand to know what you’re working toward. This helps improve the planning process immensely. Once you have well-defined goals, you can map out the marketing plan much better than if there is no goal.
Related: Why Live Events Are Rocket Fuel for Business Growth
Market your event
Social media platforms are a widespread but effective way to market your event. Depending on your target audience, different platforms can serve different purposes. For your social media marketing efforts to be effective, you need to know what types of content to post and which platforms provide the best opportunity to reach potential attendees.
Social media marketing has an impact because it allows you to reach a vast audience, maximize event promotion and create opportunities to update followers with exciting news and developments related to your project. Social media platforms allow participants to engage with your brand in a dynamic, real-time ecosystem, as well as to provide feedback, ask questions, and share their experiences with others. Businesses use social channels not just to connect with and build a following but to get the word out on upcoming events.
Good social media marketing means much more than just a Facebook update or a flurry of activity on Twitter. Event promotion campaigns on social channels take resources, creativity, and a certain level of strategy. Developing a practical approach is key to driving results.
Related: 10 Social-Media Marketing Strategies for Companies
Consider hiring an event manager
Planning a live event of any size or format can be a bit daunting, mainly due to the many small but important details that go into it. Hiring an event manager or production company can cover all the intricate details. An event manager can help construct a plan, evaluate the event logistics and provide a day-of coordinator to keep things running smoothly. They can also help start-to-finish event management and advise post-event communications and distributions.
Related: How to Start an Event Planning Service
Foster a community
Now that you have defined and planned your next live event, it’s time to work on keeping your audience engaged, even long after the event is over. You don’t want the audience to only engage with the company and event activities at the moment. They must be willing and enthusiastic about engaging with each other, sharing stories and building bonds around the experience.
Ideally, participants will share similar reasons for attending your event. And allowing attendees to network with each other and make connections through your company is a great way to build community and keep the doors open beyond the happening itself.
Related: 8 Ways to Get the Most Out of Networking Events
You can also leverage social media marketing to cultivate connections and generate buzz around your business before the event. Spark conversations on social media and provide updates and reminders that keep that momentum going. Create groups for event participants, set up Instagram lives and Twitter chats, and more. By providing more ways for attendees to interact and stay active in the conversation, you’re better equipped to cultivate lasting connections that strengthen consumer sentiment and deliver results to your brand and bottom line.
Producing a live event these days is much more than just the brief time it takes place. Everything surrounding the event is critical, from event planning and speeches to lectures and after parties, leaving an impression on your attendees while affecting their perception of your company and your objectives. You want your audience to leave feeling a certain way. Delivering a captivating, memorable experience provides a powerful conduit through which to connect with your business, engage with fellow stakeholders, keep the conversation going, and, ideally, seek out your brand and services down the road.
