Using Events to Market Your Business

Napkins, Cups and Signs are
Important Additions to Any Event

What better way to connect with customers than an in person event? Events can be hosted offsite or at your facility. They provide an opportunity to educate, interact, demonstrate and obtain feedback from your target audience. Remember, that effective marketing means your prospects will remember your name and know where to find you. Not only should you pick the right way to reach your customers, but you need to have a rock-solid message too. 

Ideas include using the event to kick off a marketing campaign or a product launch to gain even more mileage. Once you determine the event type that will work best for your campaign, you can begin planning. Choose an event that is open to the public or an invitation-only event for your VIP customers. Events are an excellent way to distinguish your business from the competition with a theme and message that packs a powerful punch. 

Examples of possible events include open houses, grand openings, product launches, holiday and occasion inspired gatherings, mini seminars, lunch and learn and live demonstrations, shopping parties, there are many ways to attract your customers to an event. Customer events, when geared towards education and appreciation, can pay off in terms of strengthening your ties to existing customers while uncovering new ones. 

To help you make the most of your event marketing efforts, here are a few things to consider:

Before the Event:
• Invitations: Mail or hand out invitations to customers and foot traffic. Include a direct marketing piece that will remind them of the event. Create an email invitation that can be sent and accessed by all email and social media followers. Servces like Mail Chimp provides templates that can be used to make creation and distribution easier. Using sites like eVite to send free invitations to all the folks on your email list can make things easier. Guest replies are tracked automatically, providing an accurate headcount. eVite also allows guests to invite more people to the event. 

• Build Excitement: By using targeted tweets, posts and social media methods to build anticipation. Consider developing special newsletters dedicated to the event and spotlighting key speakers, feature employees, highlight exciting news and presentations. Be sure your content addresses the entire event, not just your participation in it. 

• Order Promotional Items: Make a lasting impression after the event with plenty of promotional items, business cards, brochures and other printed materials that guests can take with them. Order items 6-8 weeks prior to your event. Allow more time during peak seasons and holidays.
        • Cups, Napkins and Plates: If you’re serving food and beverages at your event order printed cups, napkins and plates that displays the name of your company, how to reach you and the name of the event if wanted. 
        • Signs and Banners: Order banners and signs to advertise your event. To provide practical, tangible items that remind guests of the event, use thoughtfully selected promotional items in the colors that tie them to your theme.
• Sales and Discounts: Consider having a sale during the event. Offer discounts say for the first so many guests through the door. Print the sale information on brochures, cards, and brochures. Send offers via social media. 

During the Event:
• Registration: Allow tech savvy guests to use mobile check-in technology to eliminate snaking registration lines. Have staff available to handle check in and distribution for of any items you want each guest to receive. 

Tumblers, Wine Glasses and Cups

• Publicity: Use social media during the event, take pictures use posts to social media (Instagram and Pinterest for example) to provide visuals and capture video snippets for sharing on You Tube. Mobile check-in also allows you to connect with attendees during the event to let them know of breaking news, schedule changes and other show activities. Remember to make this an option for your attendees, as opposed to texting them without their consent. 

• Keepsakes: During the event, hand out promotional keepsakes that will remind your guests of the event and how they can reach you in the future. When selecting items use your knowledge of the target audience and relate to your theme. Choose items are tied to your business, for example a spa related item a promotional item like something for grooming, lotions, massagers, for a spa or think of things that will tie to your theme. Items that are useable after the event will contribute significantly to brand recognition and spreading the word to family, friends and more.