Surprisingly, it’s thought that only 16% of marketers plan to try experiential marketing for the first time this year. But with marketing rapidly changing, to keep on trend with new technology and younger audiences, staying current is key to remaining ahead of the curve.
With events teams expecting up to a 10% increase in attendee numbers in 2024, it’s time to amp up your contemporary event marketing techniques and entice your audience into clicking the ‘Book Now’ button!
Keep reading to discover our four top tips for attracting event guests and keeping them on your roster…
Why an Effective Event Marketing Plan Matters
72% of event organisers agree that in-person events are a crucial part of their marketing strategy…
What is event marketing? Effective event marketing is powerful in helping to ensure your event is a success. By promoting effectively and using your event management expertise you can reach a wider audience, generate excitement, and boost attendance!
A good event marketing plan also helps create a memorable experience for attendees, encouraging them to spread the word and attend future events – In short, it makes sure all your hard work pays off by filling seats and creating buzz, leading to greater event engagement and a stronger reputation for your brand or cause.
Understanding Your Audience
58% of events teams plan to host more small in-person events with fewer than 200 attendees…
Understanding your audience in event marketing is essential to making sure that your event resonates with the people you want to reach. When you know who your audience is, you can tailor your messaging, content, and activities to their interests and needs, making the event more appealing for them.
This helps attract the right attendees, grow event engagement, and increase the chances they’ll share their positive experiences with others – Essentially, knowing your audience allows you to create a more impactful and triumphant event.
Social Media & Content: The Power Duo
Nowadays, it’s impossible to answer ‘what is event marketing?’ without considering social media! Online content is vital for event management because it allows you to reach a large and diverse audience quickly and cost-effectively.
We’ve compiled five techniques for leveraging social media and content to improve your event marketing techniques:
Create Event Pages
Set up dedicated event pages on platforms like Facebook to centralise information and provide easy booking access.
Visual Content
Use eye-catching and relevant graphics, photos, and videos to promote the event.
Collaborate with Influencers
Partner with industry influencers to expand your reach and add credibility to your event.
Share Attendee Testimonials
Post quotes and testimonials from past attendees to build trust and interest.
Utilise Paid Advertising
Use targeted ads on social media to reach a broader audience and drive ticket sales.
Maximising Email Marketing
85% of event planners use email marketing to promote their events…
Email marketing is a foundation of event management due to its ability to deliver personalised, targeted messages directly to potential attendees. Emails offer a cost-effective way to build relationships with an audience, providing timely updates, exclusive content, and tailored invitations.
What’s more, email marketing allows for detailed tracking and analytics – enabling you to measure the effectiveness of your event marketing campaigns and make data-driven adjustments to maximise attendance and engagement.
Essential Pre-event & Post-event Tactics
75% say demonstrations and hands-on activities are the ideal format for education and receiving technical information…
Pre and post-event activities play an important role in making an event impactful. Before the event kicks off, event marketing activities like engaging webinars, fun contests, and building a sense of community online, are like laying down the red carpet. They build anticipation and connect with attendees on a personal level, making them eager to participate.
After the event, it’s all about keeping that momentum going. Following up with heartfelt thank-you emails, sharing event highlights on social media, and gathering attendee feedback not only prolongs the excitement but also strengthens relationships for future events.
Ready to sell out your next event and captivate attendees?
At OEC Sheffield, event marketing is our bread and butter – it’s what we do every day to make sure our valued guests have secured their tickets to our weekly happenings. So, if you’re working with us for your next big event and have any questions to fill your seats, don’t hesitate to ask our friendly team.
