Hosting A Marketing Event: The Ultimate Guide For Success

Hosting a marketing event is a great way to showcase your business. Not only will it organically increase brand awareness, but it will also allow you to engage with potential customers and showcase your products or services. Sounds great, right?

As we all know, with the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person marketing events have taken a halt, and digital online marketing events have led the frontier for businesses. However, with the world adjusting to its new normal, we see that in-person and online events are thriving for businesses. In fact, over 31% of marketers say event marketing is the most effective tool they have, 52% think event marketing drives the best ROI, and  95% of marketers believe that in-person events can have a huge impact on achieving their company’s primary business goals. This comes as no surprise, as if there is anything COVID-19 taught us, it is that human connection is so important and at the heart of everything we do.

Whether you’re looking to host your first event or have hosted more events than you can count, organising a successful event can be stressful and requires careful planning and execution. So, in this blog post, we share our top 5 tips that we follow on hosting a marketing event that will help you keep your checklist nice and easy while creating a memorable experience for your guests too!

The Lead Up To Your Marketing Event

Define your pre and post-goals for your marketing event

Before you start planning your event, defining what you want to achieve from the event is essential. Is it to generate leads, build brand awareness, or launch a new product? Who do you want to attend the event? Write them out, type them up (whatever suits your style), and discuss them with your team to ensure no stone is left unturned. As planning your event progresses, we recommend having these goals somewhere close to hand to reflect back on. Overall, this will help you create a more focused and effective event.

Choose the right venue.

The venue you choose can have a significant impact on the success of your event.
If it’s an in-person event, make sure that the venue’s size, location, and atmosphere not only complement your event’s purpose but are also easily accessible for your guests and fit your budget. You don’t want your guests bumping elbows or echoing across a too-spacious room (neither would be giving your event the memorability in the way you want!). Also, look for venues with the necessary equipment and facilities for your event, such as audiovisual equipment, catering services, and parking.
If it’s an online event, make sure to use a professional backdrop for your camera and use a platform easily accessible for your guests online (such as Zoom).

Promote, promote, promote!

Your event theme and message should be engaging, relevant, and memorable long after your event has finished. Likewise, social media is a powerful tool to create a total buzz and excitement for an upcoming event. We want people not to be able to wait for this event, right?

To make an exciting lead-up, we recommend creating a social media plan that includes a consistent posting schedule and engaging content. Use visuals, such as images and videos, to capture people’s attention and showcase what they can expect from the event. Consider leveraging relevant hashtags, or if you have any collaborations that could further promote your event, this could be another great resource to get your event out into the world.

During your event: The Keep Up

Make your marketing event have various engaging activities and experiences.

While this is important for in-person events, it is particularly crucial for online events. We don’t want your event to become background noise, but an event where your audience doesn’t want to miss a word!

We recommend to keep your guests entertained and engaged, plan activities and experiences that align with your event’s theme and goals. Some ideas we’ve found helpful are interactive demonstrations, games, product launches, and presentations. This can be done for in-person as well as online events! Also, consider inviting industry experts or thought leaders to speak at your event to provide valuable insights and information to your guests.

At the End: The Follow-Up

Reach out to your guests.

After the event, it’s essential to follow up with your guests to keep the momentum going. Send personalised thank-you notes or emails to express your gratitude to all those attended or even to those who signed up but could no longer make it. The key is to show your openness as a company.
This is also a great way to offer links to any other events you’re hosting.

By following these tips, you can create a memorable and effective event that will leave a lasting impression on your guests.

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