With experiential marketing and influencer marketing tactics becoming increasingly popular, more and more brands are turning their attention to putting on attention-commanding events that will get people talking. Giving an event a unique twist and encouraging attendees to spread the word could quickly transform a lesser-known brand into one of the leading names in the sector – and by selling the brand and products directly to a captive audience, a business will soon be reaching new heights of success.
Behind every successful brand is a creative and systematic event organiser, and that means that the event management team play one of the most crucial roles in a campaign. That’s why today, we’re taking a look at how organisers can ensure that they’ve factored all the essentials into their plans for the upcoming day, as we bring you 5 of the most common things that event organisers overlook. From failing to brand your dump bins and other promotional materials to not hiring and training enough event staff, we’ll be exploring how you can harness the power of event planning as we give you actionable advice for overcoming any potential obstacles for your next campaign.
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- Clear branding
Building brand awareness will be a fundamental aim for any event campaign, which is why clear and relevant branding is so important. While the most effective events are often those that offer something completely unique to attendees, choosing a theme which has absolutely nothing to do with your brand identity will mean that consumers will be more likely to forget your name and sales message straight after the event. Failing to adorn dump bins and flyers with your branding could mean that the investment of your efforts ends up outweighing the amount of success that comes from the campaign – which is why it’s paramount that you avoid unbranded and over complicated designs in your event.
While explicit branding can seem off putting to some attendees, ensuring that your brand identity is present throughout your marketing material means that you can maximise the visibility of your brand.
- Knowledgeable staff
From ensuring that the event runs smoothly to conveying the marketing messages in the clearest and most accessible way, having knowledgeable staff on hand will always be key for running a successful event. Well-informed brand ambassadors could make all the difference when it comes to selling a product or brand to attendees, but it’s equally important to make sure that organisers have staff available to ensure that the campaign runs seamlessly. Dedicating too many members of staff to the selling of the brand could mean that the practical needs of attendees are left uncatered for – and that could mean that your audience is less likely to buy into the brand.
Always consider the size of your event when deciding how many event staff to hire, and invest plenty of time to training your team on both the brand and the order of the day.
- Time restrictions
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The time of day will not only impact on how many people will be able to attend, but the approximated timings of an event are likely to affect the expectations of guests too. An event that begins at midday means that attendees will most likely expect full catering, and this could mean that you end up spending far more of the budget than you first envisaged. Similarly, choosing a time that’s more economical in terms of venue hire could prove ineffective when it comes to inviting attendees. Brands who are targeting their products or services at entrepreneurs, for instance, are far more likely to get an overall positive response if they organise an evening time event, as attendees won’t have to compromise their work commitments.
Factor in the budget when determining what time to start the event – but remember to put the convenience of attendees at the forefront of your decision making to ensure the best results.
- Gathering data
Whether you’re organising a large-scale exhibition or showcasing a brand in front of an audience of potential clients, the secret to running a successful event is to pay attention to the details – and that means gathering data about your audience ahead of the day. With online marketing being one of the quickest and most inexpensive ways to follow-up and keep attendees interested, failing to get hold of those all important email addresses and social media details means that event organisers won’t be able to send reminders about the upcoming event – potentially reducing the amount of people who attend. This could result in a smaller audience to follow-up with, meaning there’ll be an increased risk to the overall success of the campaign.
Whether you charge entry to your event or not, encourage brands and representatives to share their contact details with you ahead of the event by asking them to sign up to the day using online ticketing tools.
- Communicating with the venue
From getting access to the venue so that you can decorate the space to ensuring that your event campaign is in-line with their house rules, maintaining good communication with the manager of the venue is vital for a successful event. For evening functions, event organisers may assume guests will be able to exit the venue in the same way that they entered – and logistical issues like this can often compromise the impression that your event will make on attendees.
When it comes to hiring a venue, give the manager a clear schedule of your event and don’t hesitate to get in contact if you have any concerns – that way, you can ensure that the campaign runs seamlessly.
Event managers are integral to building the awareness of a brand, and that means it’s crucial for organisers to consider every issue that could potentially arise.
by Guest Contributor
