Events are a great way for marketers to build awareness of their brand, interact with current and potential customers, and build a solid pipeline of business. However, a great marketing event takes a lot of planning and preparation to pull off. If so, make sure to include promotional products as part of your plan. They can help you ace the event and achieve your goals. Here, we look at five steps you can take now to start planning your next successful marketing event.
1. Create a plan
Your event, like any marketing strategy, requires a good plan. Begin by determining the objectives, goals, target audience, timetable, and theme of the event. Consider this the "what" and "why" of your event: perhaps your event is a customer appreciation gathering, a product launch, or a meet-and-greet gathering. Is your event about increasing your consumer base or recruiting brand ambassadors? Or do you simply want to have some fun and thank your customers?
Ask yourself, "What do I want to achieve? Who should I invite to the event? What will event attendees learn or take away?”
Start by determining the SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely goals. Decide on a budget and stick with it!
Before you start planning your event, review any previous learnings from previous events - what went well or badly? Did you achieve your goals? How can you optimize or improve on past events?
2. Choose a venue
The location of your event is an important factor. It also requires extensive planning ahead of time; most large or popular event locations need several months of booking. If you're unsure how to choose a suitable venue, start with the basics:
Size: How many people am I expecting?
Location: Is my venue easily accessible? Is it accessible via public transportation? Is there parking space?
Cost: Does it match your set budget?
Purpose: What is the space for? Do you need a larger space to accommodate booths, buffet tables, or a bar? Do you need specific A/V technology or a sound system?
3. Gather the best crew
A great team is one of the keys to a successful event. As you begin to prepare your event, organize a group of people to assist you in promoting, planning, and executing it. To begin, select an event lead or team captain who will be in charge of overall planning and decision-making. You can also appoint an event coordinator to to share the duties of venue selection, planning event activities, F&B, and entertainment. Larger events may require the hiring of extra personnel such as a public relations representative, a designer, and an event planner.
4. Promote your event
Create a clear promotional plan that maps out your communication message and promotional channels. To reach a wider base audience, you need to tap into as many channels as you can; this includes emails, in-person, social media, or direct outreach. Your promotion strategy should also include a detailed content calendar to build up anticipation. Make it easy for interested participants to sign up or purchase a spot if it’s a ticketed event.
5. Make it unforgettable with customized swag
Finally, make sure you provide attendees with a souvenir to remember your event by! Choose well-designed, functional, or distinctive event keepsakes that will be used and will increase your brand's awareness long after the event has ended. A branded swag hat that comes with customized items like mini speakers and a portable power bank is always a good idea. Don’t forget to include contact information to make it easy for potential clients to reach you.
Our team of experts will be more than happy to advise and help you create the most memorable swag for your event. With over 17,000 products in our inventory, the options are limitless. Putting together a great marketing event takes time, effort, and planning — but with the right tools in your arsenal, you can make sure that your event is a success. Promotional products are one of those essential tools. Request a quote today to learn how we can help you get the most out of your next marketing event.