In the increasingly fragmented media marketplace, today’s consumer is inundated with countless advertising messages each day. So when it comes to the time when those consumers are considering a purchase, it is a real challenge for your business to catch that consumer’s attention and to be included within their purchase consideration set. Event Marketing, where a business develops a themed exhibit, display, or presentation to promote a product, service, or cause leveraging in-person engagement, is a fast growing, important, and effective component of any media mix.
Events can occur both virtually and in-person and can be utilized by local business to engage existing and potential customers through sponsorship, exhibits and display booths, among others. In our increasingly digital world, real-life experiences with products and services are highly valued by businesses and customers alike. Giving your customers a unique, meaningful, and firsthand interaction with your company generates engagement, goodwill, and sales.
Event Marketing represents a terrific way for your business to build brand awareness, increase customer engagement, generate leads, educate prospects and customers…and deliver conversions. As a component of an overall integrated marketing plan, events can help you to build brand awareness before, during, and after the event and uncover new sales opportunities.
Below is a graph indicating the key objectives of local business who incorporate events into their marketing mix:
And today’s event attendees are actively incorporating these live experiences into their buying decisions. Today’s self-directed buyer utilizes many media toward researching their purchases including display advertising, events, search, recommendation sites, and social media, among others. You’ll want to be sure your business is meeting and engaging these potential customers at every step in their path-to-purchase, including live events.
And the statistics support the efficacy of event marketing within your media mix with 54% of consumers purchasing products and services promoted at events. And importantly, 3 out of 4 of those buyers becoming regular customers.
Once you make the decision to incorporate event marketing into your media mix it is important to consider events as an extension of your brand and build an experience that truly engages. Most event promoters will work with you to customize your presentation to ensure brand alignment, visibility and engagement. As well, consider speaking engagements and live product demonstrations and seminars to establish your brand as an authority within your category. In some cases, a 6×6 static table is just not going to do it.
Optimize your investment in event marketing by participating in the right events targeting the right audience, and creating a memorable experience for your potential customers.
As well, consider further ways to build visibility and traffic at the event for your business. Digital media tactics including location-based marketing and geo-fencing; social media including Facebook Live and text marketing, among others; can be used effectively to optimize your investment in events.
The River Valley Media Group hosts many live and virtual events each year and can assist you and your business in utilizing this important marketing tool. For more detail on upcoming local events click here.
In addition, River Valley Media Group can provide related marketing and supporting marketing services to integrate event marketing into an effective overall marketing plan. Every day we develop effective programs for our clients and can do likewise for you. Complete the form below or drop us a note to learn more.