Every event needs planning. Without a well scheduled and executed plan – targeted attendee recruitment, error-free registrations, flawless event execution and prompt, detailed follow-up – even the best sales events will be a waste of money and time. In our last blog Successful Event Marketing and Event Recruitment, we had discussed how to develop the target audience. This blog will focus on messaging and event promotion strategy.
Part 2 – Developing The Right Messaging
The key questions here are:
How to develop the right message?
Before you start working on messaging specific to the event, be clear about the goals you want to achieve.
- Branding
- New product introduction
- Lead generation
- Customer support
Event messaging should be clear and well communicated to the target audience. The “What’s in it for me” should be very explicit and clear – the compelling reason for your potential and existing customers to attend.
The main points to cover in event promotion messaging are:
- Basic Information:
- Who should attend? (This is your target audience. Ensure it carefully matches up with the “What’s in it…”, your value-add statement should resonate with your target audience).
- Why to attend? – What you will get out of it – a final conclusion to the “What’s in it…”.
- Speakers: brief bio and how they add value (this is where you start to answer the “what’s in it for me” question.
What event marketing materials are needed?
Whether it’s a trade show or virtual event, it is important to be prepared before the event. Here are some marketing materials that you will need while any sales events.
- A Presentation of your offering, whose value statements tie into the “What’s in it…” pitch.
- Product Samples / Case studies / Success stories
- Corporate and Product Brochures
Promotion messaging
Incentives based promotions work well in event marketing. Free lunch, free product samples, free service, discounts, coupons are some of the incentives that you can offer in the event messaging to the target audience.
Our next blog will focus on “How to measure event ROI?”
Additional information about event recruitment services and aMarketForce marketing services can be found on www.amarketforce.com.
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Our company is launching a new business; including Design services, marketing and business training and consultancy (with a difference)
We want to arrange a launch for this.
Any ideas? Planning to hold it in a large local Chinese restaurant, but what should u include in such an event and how do u invite/ensure local businesses attend?
Are there any formats for creating a plan for a launch, similar to a marketing or business plan template.
Well,
Target new start-up and SMEs. Once you know your target companies/local businesses, custom develop or buy the email/mailing list for sending event invitations. Make sure to use a clean list.
By the time your lists are getting ready (which can take time), start working on event messaging. Start up companies specially will be interested in training and marketing services. Local business without a website will need design services. Try to develop the messaging according to your target companies. Come up with 2 to 3 messaging in different formats – Email, Post cards, Pamphlets. Also, prepare your post-event follow up pitch.
Update your website with the event information and registration form. Try to send some of your inside sales reps to check on local businesses with the event pamphlets.
Update the event on your FB and other social account and invite your fans. Try joining related groups on linkedin and other business social network and invite local businesses.
If you have some more budget try doing SE campaigns, not sure if you can avail Google’s services (after the ban). Join some marketing forums and make the invitation.
Don’t forget to start the event recruitment through calling as soon as your lists are ready. Use email campaigns tools for sending event invites. This will help in tracking email openers (whom you can call and invite).
Regards,
Durga Singh
Event Recruitment Services