Event marketing is a crucial method of creating an outstanding first impression. However, it’s vital to tread carefully, because even some minor mistakes can have long-lasting implications, in terms of your costs, attendance figures, and reputation. Here are some essential marketing mistakes you, as a business owner or decision-maker, cannot afford to make in 2023, along with strategies for how you mitigate those risks.
According to Cleverly, event marketing is used by 73% of surveyed companies for their B2B lead generation.
Event marketing mistake #1: not meeting audience needs
Understanding your customers is rule number one when it comes to marketing. Whether you’re creating an event or attending one, you need to make sure you’re catering to the right people. Otherwise, your efforts will simply fall on deaf ears.
Solution #1: research your target audience
Establish your audience’s needs and wants. Determine what will appeal to them and what you can offer them with your event. Make sure you take the time to understand their demographics before planning anything.
Event marketing mistake #2: poor communication
Improper and insufficient communication is one of the biggest contributors to an event’s downfall, and it’s quite simple to avoid in principle.
Solution #2: encourage collaboration
Ensure that all of your departments can clearly and transparently communicate with one another. Assign unambiguous and designated roles, make sure that deadlines and urgencies are all shared so everyone is aware, and hold regular meetings to update everyone on new and emerging developments. This will ensure that the event runs much more smoothly.
Event marketing mistake #3: insufficient promotion
Many event marketers do not invest nearly enough in promoting their event through the right marketing channels, such as email, PPC ads, or social media, with any other attempt to create a buzz often falling on deaf ears. There have been cases when marketers have not begun promoting effectively ahead of time, or even at all. What’s more, many attribute insufficient budget to their event’s lack of exposure.
Solution #3: invest in proper marketing and promotion
One good rule of thumb to abide by is to allocate 20% of your overall event budget to promotion and marketing. While this might sound challenging to meet, it’s crucial if you want to ensure a sufficient turnout for your event. Learn from any budgeting mistakes you make when planning a marketing campaign too. Also, promote well enough in advance using a variety of channels.
Event marketing mistake #4: failing to deliver on promises
Some marketers go full throttle when promoting their events, which sounds positive in retrospect, but it can lead to a sense of ‘overpromising and under delivering’. Not setting the right expectations can be a PR nightmare for marketers, with their reputations taking a hit as a result. Advertisers that are unrealistic can put their attendees off from attending in the future.
Solution #4: set expectations
Prospective attendees are more likely to regiter and attend if there is a risk of ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out). Leveraging this concept through discounts, promotions and deals, through the aforementioned different marketing channels, can create intrigue and, in turn, exceed expectations. Setting the right anticipation is vital for ensuring success.
Event marketing mistake #5: no unique personality
Your event and company branding are crucial for helping you stand out from the crowd. Attendees are only likely to remember one or two noteworthy and memorable brands, so if you come across as ‘just another company’ it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impression.
Solution #5: establish a professional brand identity
Create a solid brand identity using professional graphics, videos, logos, promotional material and unique images that reflect your brand’s identity and values. You don’t have to go to a huge expense to get photos taken at the event; you can delegate photography responsibilities to someone who knows how to use good-quality camera gear. The point is that all these deliverables can work harmoniously together to create a strong brand identity. Don’t let yours suffer through poor planning.
Event marketing mistake #6: failing to follow-up
One huge mistake that marketers make is ignoring post-event research and marketing. Just because the event finishes does not mean that the work is done. Quite often this leaves businesses with very little evidence to show that their event was a success.
Solution #6: stay in touch with your attendees
Nurture those relationships with your attendees. Send follow-up emails, thank you cards, or feedback surveys, to build strong long-term relationships with your audience. They will be more likely to remember and recommend your event this way.
Event marketing mistake #7: thinking data is unimportant
Too many marketers don’t implement a strategy where data and metrics are adequately captured and measured. Whether it’s social media engagement, attendance figures, pre-event sales, or any other form of number-crunching, don’t expect these to autonomously and magically record themselves. Without data, how can you expect to improve your event in the future?
Solution #7: track key metrics
By tracking and measuring important event marketing metrics, you can continuously improve your event marketing strategy. Building on this allows you to address areas of improvement and optimisation, as well as learn from any past mistakes or errors. Take the time to understand what worked well and what could be improved.
Events are complex and, in today’s digitally-connected world, they are changing. Avoid these mistakes and your event will stand a greater chance of success, creating a positive and long-lasting impression on your attendees.
