Lucy - BQ Magazine EditorHosting or taking part in an event can be a great way of building brand awareness and promoting your product/service. Marketing events come in many different forms. Below are 10 different ways to use events within your marketing.
Launch parties
If you’re about to launch your business or a new product, why not consider hosting a launch party? These events are a great way to build awareness and excitement for your brand. You can invite influential people to help spread the word or simply leave it open to the public.
One of the ways to have a successful launch party is to add an office catering concept. By offering great food and drink — you know, the stuff that brings people together! — guests feel warm to want to meet someone new, chat about what you are endorsing (ask questions), mingle, and associate with your brand on a more person-to-person level. A well-catered event is representative of professionalism and care, helping to create a positive impression on the attendees. And, it takes the hassle out of organising events so you can sit back and engage with your guests to ensure they leave wanting more for when the launch ends.
Trade shows
Trade shows involve many companies getting together to individually promote their company. Each company has their own booth or stall. Investing in a custom exhibition stand is often necessary to stand out, however, you can use other tactics like giving away samples or doing demos. Trade shows are useful for getting your target audience all in one place, and are good for building brand awareness.
Industry networking events
Networking events can be a chance to build useful connections within your industry. You can host your networking event or attend networking events hosted by other businesses. They are a good way to get your name out there and potentially come up with cross-promotional strategies.
Sponsored events
A sponsored event is any third-party event (such as a concert or sports event) that you invest money into in exchange for advertising at that event. You don’t have to put any work into organising the event, which makes this a popular option for many business owners.
Fundraising events
Raising money for a charitable cause can also help to raise awareness of your business and improve your reputation. Such an event could be anything from a charity run to a charity concert. Choose a cause that is meaningful to you or relevant to your business and start promoting your fundraising event.
Seminars/workshops
Seminars and workshops are a way of sharing your knowledge with others. However, they can also be a great event for boosting your credibility, as well as boosting awareness of your business. Seminars typically involve talking to an audience, while workshops are more hands-on.
Live stream events
Events don’t have to be physical or in-person. You can live-stream seminars (sometimes known as ‘webinars’) to reach a larger audience, or live-stream other events like the opening of your business. These live streams can be shared via social media or a website.
Sales conferences
Sales conferences involve inviting a group of people to an event to sell your product or service to them – usually via a presentation or demo. Such conferences are a chance for potential customers to ask questions and are popular when selling big-ticket items or services to large businesses.
Limited time sales
Limited-time sales are a popular marketing event strategy used by retailers, however other industries can also try them out. They involve discounting the pricing of products/services for a limited time and shouting about it on all marketing channels. Popular limited-time sales include the January Sales and Black Friday Sales, but you can hold a sale at any time of the year. Such sales are great for attracting customers, but you need to be careful not to discount your product/service too much so that you still make a profit.
Contests
Offering the chance of winning your product/service could be another great marketing event strategy. It can be a great way to build awareness of your product/service, as well as potentially making money if you decide to sell tickets. Businesses that often use contests as an incentive include vacation rentals, tech products, car companies and travel companies. You can promote contests through social media, email or through other events like trade shows.
Save this on Pinterest for later
