Event Marketing: Definition, Types, and Strategy
Of the many marketing strategies, one that you must take into account is event marketing.
Event marketing is a surefire strategy that can be applied to all businesses and is suitable for you to consider if you want to increase brand awareness that continues to build over time.
Marketing activities that are packaged in the event's clothing are able to provide 95% profit for the business. Holding event marketing for companies is a sure-fire strategy that can be applied to all businesses and is suitable for you to consider if you want to increase brand awareness that continues to build over time.
Indirectly anyway, you can influence the buyer's decision. Consumer purchasing decisions are greatly influenced by their buying behavior, one of which is the place. This event will later encourage consumers to transact.
What is Event Marketing?
Event marketing is a form of planning, organizing and executing marketing activities with the aim of promoting a company's brand, service or product.
With event marketing, you can introduce your brand directly to the public. This strategy will create emotional as well as rational closeness between consumers and your product. Because consumers will get direct experience to see and feel the products you offer.
As a form of marketing, event marketing can be held in various forms, both in person and online.
Benefits of Event Marketing
Event marketing can bring various benefits to the company. Apart from helping to build a brand presence before, during and after the event, event marketing also has the potential to generate promising prospects. Here are some of the benefits of event marketing:
1. Opening business opportunities
Companies choose this form of marketing through event marketing because the events held will generate new business and revenue opportunities, 95% of marketers believe that face-to-face events can have a major impact on achieving their business or company goals. As an event organizer, the registration process will result in a list of people who are already interested in the product, industry, or at least fall into the target audience demographic. This data is a valuable asset for companies to carry out promotions or follow up on offers via email.
2. Increasing Brand Awareness
This strategy helps increase brand awareness of the products or services offered. Consumers will find it easier to know and understand the products you sell. Especially if you are trying to introduce a new product, it will be easier for your target consumers to know about it.
3. Increase Customer Engagement
With this strategy, consumers will automatically be able to engage further with products and companies. So that there are positive interactions and input to develop products in a better direction.
Types of Event Marketing
In determining the type of event marketing to be used, companies can adjust to the industry, target audience, and budget.
The following are several types of marketing through events that companies can use as event marketing strategies.
1. Exhibition
There are many exhibition events held every day. But of course there are some big favorite exhibitions that are eagerly awaited by many enthusiasts.
Of course, participating in large prestigious exhibitions is the right place to promote products.
2. Product launch events
This type of event marketing is used when a company wants to introduce a new product to target consumers. Product launch events typically contain product introductions, product experience, and opportunities to interact with products and brands.
3. Seminars or conferences
The next type is used when a company wants to provide information or deeper understanding on a certain topic to the target audience. These events can help companies or organizations build authority in their field and increase brand awareness.
4. Special events
Next is a special event. Events of this type are used when a company wants to hold a special event to increase engagement with audiences or customers.
Special events can be:
- sports event,
- music concert,
- festivals, and others.
5. Sales promotion
This type of event marketing sales promotion is used when a company wants to increase sales of their product or service. Sales promotion can be in the form of discounts, special offers, or gifts with certain purchases.
6. Roadshows
Then, there is the offline marketing type using roadshows. This type is used when companies or organizations want to introduce their products to audiences in various cities or regions. Roadshows usually involve small events or sales promotions at different locations.
7. Pop-up shops or bazaars
A pop-up shop, also known as a bazaar, is a temporary sales space provided to companies to sell their products in a certain environment. Almost the same as exhibition events, these activities are temporary and are only held for a period of a few days. Events like this also make it possible for digital brands to reach their target audience through physical stores that customers can access.
8. Celebrations or community events
The last type is a celebration or community event. This type is used when companies or organizations want to strengthen their relationship with certain communities or consumers.
The application of this type can be in the form of holiday celebrations, charity events to support social or environmental missions, and others.
Strategies for creating Event Marketing
There are many things to consider when setting up an event. You can sample the planning below to ensure the event marketing agenda goes according to plan.
1. Research and set goals
Starting preparations as soon as possible will give you enough time to plan carefully and get approval for the proposed budget.
At this stage you can start by determining the goals and objectives of the event first, determining the date, alternative venues, then proceed with compiling several factors that influence the success of event marketing as follows:
- The Perfect Schedule - The first component that influences the success of the event is the rundow or schedule. This means that you need to carefully arrange the series of events so that they work perfectly. The more detailed the agenda you make, the easier it will be to implement it later.
- Licensing - Before you hold a marketing event, the thing that you shouldn't miss is the issue of licensing so that everything runs safely and comfortably. Therefore, you need to ask permission from the relevant parties for the safety and smooth running of the event.
- Operational Costs - Another determining factor is the availability of sufficient funds. It doesn't mean that you always have to provide large funds, you can make savings for some parts that are not important. You can even look for additional funds by inviting sponsors to come in to contribute. However, you should first prepare detailed estimates of operational costs that will be used.
- Human Resources - Finally, what determines the success of event marketing is the human resources involved. They must have a strong commitment to fighting together to make the event you are running a success.
2. Promote the event
Entering 2 months before the event is the right time to start promoting and building curiosity to the public. You have the opportunity to optimize the promotion in order to meet the target audience and urge those who are interested to register immediately.
3. Coordination and implementation during the event
There are many things to do before the event takes place, sometimes there are unexpected changes or important decisions that must be made immediately. A week before the event takes place you can finalize the agenda, discuss event details with the team, and maximize promotion for the last time.
Conclusion
Various event marketing efforts are also closely related to digital marketing. The two forms of marketing complement each other in their implementation.
That's a review of event marketing along with its benefits and types. With this strategy, you can measure what needs to be improved, what needs to be improved, to plan further marketing techniques.