How to Get the Most
Out of Special Event Marketing
Sometimes, making personal contact with your customers and prospects is an especially valuable marketing technique. For business-oriented companies, this often means participation in industry trade shows and conventions. Consumer-oriented companies are more likely to be a sponsor in something like a charitable art show or golf tournament, or a community event such as a festival, fair or rodeo.
Evaluate each special event as it comes along, both in terms of how well it targets your customers as well as the opportunities you'll have to interact and communicate with them.
In this regard, location is critical. Do everything you can to secure the best position in a high-traffic, high-visibility area, then go a step further, and boost advertising and public relations activities as the event approaches. Highlight your involvement and offer an incentive for people to visit. If there are opportunities at the event for banners or other signage, take them. Similarly, if your object is - as it should be - to maximize your exposure, participate fully in any programs or printed show guides.
Giving guests an opportunity to interact with your presentation is key to successful event marketing. The point is to make their experience pleasurable and memorable in a way that simply seeing your ads in a newspaper or magazine can't match.
Can you demonstrate your product in some memorable way, for instance, by a mime or magician? Education is another great goal for special events. An example is a fun, interactive "quiz show" where participants receive prizes for remembering a few basic facts about the product "on stage."
Finally, don't let visitors walk away empty-handed. A flyer, a coupon, a brochure, a pin, a pencil, a poster - something that reminds them later of their pleasant interaction with you will help establish a firm position for you amongst their brain cells.
This month's columnist is Phil Soreide. Mr. Soreide is a 30-year business-to-business advertising veteran and an associate of Wise Women Communications.
©2004 Wise Women Communications