How to Create an On-Brand Event That Attracts Attention
To get the attention of the media and the public, you need to create something truly unique.
Whether you’re planning a company-wide event or want to run a conference for your customers, the most effective way to get people excited about attending is to create an event they can’t pass up.
As marketers, we often get people to hear us or see our ads. However, if we want to engage our target audience, we should focus on creating an event where our brand can shine. An event is a special occasion that we create to draw attention to our brand.
People love events because they feel like they get to participate in something exciting and fun. You can create events on a local level or a global level. They can also vary from a one-time occurrence to an ongoing series of events. They can be big or small, but they all have one thing in common: they are something that people want to attend.
This article will talk about how to create an on-brand event that attracts attention and gets people excited. We’ll show you how to set up an event, the best ways to invite people, plan the perfect event, and promote it, so it gets maximum attention.
As we move into the holiday season, it is time to think about how to attract attention to your event or conference for marketing purposes and ensure a more productive event experience.
Table of Contents
1 – Brainstorm
An on-brand event means anything that you hold on behalf of your business. For example, a trade show is an on-brand event for any business that holds one. However, an event for the brand itself would be a trade fair.
Now think about all the different ways you could put on such a meeting. Are you going to use it as an opportunity to promote your business? Or to showcase your products or services? What else could you do?
There are many options for on-brand events, but you only have many hours to hold the meeting and many dollars to spend. Try to think about what those options are and how you can best utilise them to achieve the objectives of your meeting.
2 – Define Goals
What do you want your attendees to take away from your on-brand event? What is the goal of the event? It should be a little less than a one-page document (or a series of documents) that clearly states the goal and what you hope to accomplish at the event.
3 – Define the Audience
So how do you know who’s your target audience for your brand event? Most brands tend to focus on the audience that aligns most closely with their brand personality. That’s usually a big mistake.
A genuine brand event should appeal to a broad cross-section of people—so you need to determine who your core audience is and then expand that audience to include all those who are likely to attend.
4 – Determine the Location
Determine location by looking at market data. For example, suppose your business specialises in selling outdoor equipment, and you’re hosting an outdoor equipment show. In that case, your ideal location should be somewhere that is outdoors (e.g., a camping destination) and has much activity in your niche (i.e., lots of people, lots of other outdoor activities, lots of people who can buy from you), and a reasonable distance away from your competitors.
You can use Google to search for cities, states, and zip codes near your competition and see what shows up. Or, check out your state’s tourism board and see what kind of outdoor activities are happening in the area where you’ll host the event. Then, make sure there are hotels nearby.
5 – Identify the Date and Time
Whether it’s a physical event, a webinar, or a video conference call, the date and time your event takes place is critical information to ensure that people know when to plan accordingly.
It’s vital for marketing purposes, but even more importantly, it gives a sense of urgency to those planning to attend the event.
6 – Select a Theme
Choose a theme that matches your brand’s personality and tone. If you choose an event theme that isn’t right for your audience, it could result in low engagement. Think about the audience you’re trying to reach and what type of themes they like.
On-brand events are a crucial part of your branding strategy. They’re an opportunity to express your brand’s personality through marketing and communications.
They also provide you with a platform to showcase your business’s most attractive aspects. But if you’re thinking of throwing an on-brand event, how do you know which theme will work best for your event?
7 – Establish a Budget
You know how you always hear those stories of the businesses who throw lavish parties, only to watch their hard-earned money float away on a tide of bad decisions? Not cool. And it’s not just lousy PR; it can also impact your bottom line.
One of the first things you should do if you’re planning to throw a party (or any event) is to determine your budget.
While you can certainly have a free event, certain expectations and norms accompany hosting an event, especially if it’s an on-brand event for your company.
8 – Plan the Show
You should tailor an event planned for your brand for that particular audience. The purpose is to make the experience interactive, exciting, and memorable. The key is to keep it fun, relevant, and personal. The key is to make it a show, not a sale.
Planning is an integral part of every event. The more organised you are, the better you’ll be able to plan, execute, and promote your event. Don’t forget to plan for attendees, too.
To get the most value out of an event, you should be thinking about the experience of the people who will attend. How do they need to feel? What emotions should they be feeling? This is why content marketing is crucial for B2C brands—the more people know about your brand, the better they understand it, and the more likely they are to trust you.
9 – Set the Stage
Event marketing is a great way to get people excited about something you’re doing or promoting. It’s not just for trade shows anymore—event marketing is about getting a message out to your customers to bring them closer to you.
You can host an event that’s a little more personal—like a company picnic or a holiday party—or a big corporate-wide promotion like a major software upgrade or a product launch.
10 – Build Guest Lists
Guest lists are a great way to connect with industry thought leaders and decision-makers. There’s a reason why they’re so valuable to businesses who hold events: They build relationships with people who will help bring new customers to your business.
A guest list lists people you’ve invited to an event who have committed to attend but haven’t RSVP’d yet. It’s a way to get a head start on a big party. It also gives you a chance to talk to your guests about what kind of party they want to attend.
This strategy has three benefits
- You get to build your brand’s reputation before the big day.
- You can gauge interest in your brand.
- You can test out your branding.
11 – Choose Your Host
When choosing a speaker for a presentation, event, or workshop, you need to choose someone whose opinion you respect. This should be someone who shares your core beliefs, goals, and passions.
If you want to bring the world to your brand, pick someone who shares your values and vision for a better future. Make sure this person is also someone you would want to grab a drink with after the event.
12 – Sell (or Distribute) Tickets
You can sell tickets for events you want to host, but you need to make sure that they want to come if you want people to come. One key to selling tickets is to have a very clear idea of what the event will entail and what attendees should expect when they attend.
This means having an idea of what will happen during your event—what are the highlights? What’s the difference between your event and others? What’s unique about it? Do attendees even know what they’re getting into when they decide to attend your event?
13 – Prepare the Event
When preparing your on-brand event, the first thing you should consider is your brand. It would help if you had a clear understanding of the event’s purpose.
- Is it to raise money for charity?
- Promote a new product?
- Launch a new company?
- Or perhaps it’s a combination of all four.
Whatever the case may be, know what you’re going for before planning your event. Next, you need to decide what type of event you want to run. Are you hosting a workshop or a seminar? Do you want your event to be more of a party or a meeting? Think about the tone you want to set and whom you want to attract. How do you want people to feel after the event?
14 – Open Your Show
This is your opportunity to show off your brand and business to your clients and prospects. This is a big deal for many entrepreneurs who don’t have the luxury of attending events with larger groups.
By bringing a smaller group of clients, prospects, and other businesspeople along, you’re giving yourself a chance to impress. If you can create the opportunity for you and your clients to connect in meaningful ways, you’ll make a great impression.
15 – Close Your Show
One of the keys to successfully closing deals at branded events is to be prepared. And be prepared to adapt to unexpected situations, says Michael A. Katz, CEO and founder of The K2 Group.
While planning your pitch, consider who will be attending the event, who will be on the selection committee, and which influencers or VIPs may be present. Knowing who is present ahead of time will help you decide how you’ll approach them afterwards.
16 – Evaluate the Event
Whether you’re planning to attend a conference or sponsor a fundraiser for your local charity, evaluating whether the event is on-brand is essential.
On-brand events include those you hold at your company, such as a holiday party or a happy hour; they also include conferences you attend, such as SXSW or BlogHer.
Evaluate all elements of your event—from its message to its food. Are the colours, fonts, and messages you use consistent? If you’re attending a conference, do the people look like they represent your industry? Are there any signs of your company’s branding?
17 – Create Follow-Up Promotional Material
After a branded experience, follow-up material like email newsletters, social media updates, and other promotional content is crucial.
It helps people remember and tell others about their experience with you, and it helps keep your brand top-of-mind to people who may have been exposed to your brand but don’t necessarily remember it.
18 – Repeat As Necessary
Brand events like press releases, conferences and other large-scale events serve as excellent platforms to engage with audiences your brand may otherwise be unable to reach.
However, once the initial buzz surrounding the event has died down and your brand’s audience begins to forget about the event, don’t be afraid to repurpose the event into something else entirely.
For example, if you run a conference aimed at women and you release a report or infographic during the event, you could post it online and create a new email list for the event.
Conclusion
To create an event that attracts attention and generates results, you need to be prepared and build a plan. This includes knowing your target audience, what motivates them, and what they care about.
Once you know these things, you can create events tailored specifically to them. Remember to think outside the box. The more creative your idea is, the more impact it will have.
Finally, it all comes down to your brand. Think about your image, style, and what makes you different from others in your field. This is where your brand becomes your ticket to success.
If you’re looking to create an on-brand event that people will remember, these 18 tips will show you how to get the most out of it.
