A marketing event is a great opportunity to showcase your brand identity, values, and personality to your target audience. But how do you ensure that every aspect of your event is consistent, coherent, and aligned with your brand strategy? Here are some tips to help you keep your marketing event on-brand.
Before you start planning your event, you need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and how it relates to your brand. What is the purpose of your event? Who are you trying to reach? How do you want them to perceive your brand? How do you measure your success? These questions will help you define your event goals and objectives, and guide your decisions throughout the planning process.
To keep your marketing event on-brand, maintain consistency in planning and execution. Define your brand identity clearly and use it consistently across all materials and experiences. Incorporate brand colors, fonts, and imagery, and ensure staff embody your brand's tone. Prioritize alignment with your brand identity to effectively communicate your message and resonate with your audience.
Your event theme and format should reflect your brand personality and values, as well as your event goals and objectives. For example, if your brand is fun, creative, and innovative, you might want to choose a theme that is colorful, playful, and interactive. If your brand is professional, reliable, and authoritative, you might want to choose a theme that is sleek, elegant, and informative. Your theme and format should also suit your audience's preferences, expectations, and needs.
Your event's visual identity is the first impression that your audience will have of your brand. It includes elements such as your logo, colors, fonts, images, graphics, and signage. You should design a consistent visual identity that matches your brand identity and your event theme and format. Use your brand guidelines to ensure that your visual identity is coherent across all your event materials, such as invitations, website, social media, flyers, banners, badges, and slides.
Your event's experience is the lasting impression that your audience will have of your brand. It includes elements such as your content, speakers, activities, entertainment, catering, and venue. You should create a memorable experience that engages your audience and reinforces your brand message and values. Use your event objectives to ensure that your experience is relevant, valuable, and enjoyable for your audience. You can also use surveys, feedback forms, or social media to collect feedback and measure your audience's satisfaction.
People often don't remember what you said but remember how you made them feel. So an events needs to be an amazing experience for them. Try answer these questions: Can you teach them something in a different way? Can you invite expert speakers? Can the venue itself be an experience? Can you create connection between the attendees?
Your event's promotion is the way that you attract and communicate with your audience before, during, and after your event. It includes elements such as your marketing channels, strategies, and campaigns. You should promote your event effectively to reach your target audience, generate interest and excitement, and increase attendance and engagement. Use your brand voice and tone to ensure that your promotion is consistent with your brand identity and your event theme and format. You can also use hashtags, contests, or influencers to create buzz and awareness.
Promote your event where your targets are. I have previously posted on platforms and had no traction, but it was unsurprising given where I was posting! Looking for GenZ? Think Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok. Millennials? Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. If you're looking for audiences with specific skillsets, professions, or locations then explore targeted digital advertising/biddable media. You won't always get it right first time, so learn for yourself what's effective and take that forward to build on for future events.
Add anticipation and build up before the big event. You could even hold a virtual mini event as a taster of the actual event. Gather where your ideal clients are. Once is not enough, so be consistent at promoting it regularly. The more you do it, the more you could get really valuable insights and feedback from these virtual event
Your event's follow-up is the way that you maintain and strengthen your relationship with your audience after your event. It includes elements such as your thank-you notes, newsletters, testimonials, and referrals. You should follow up with your audience to show your appreciation, provide value, and encourage loyalty and advocacy. Use your brand personality and values to ensure that your follow-up is genuine, helpful, and respectful. You can also use analytics, metrics, or reports to evaluate your event's performance and identify areas for improvement.
This goes back to the goal and objectives of the event. Have a call to action for your audience, let them know what you want them to do. Is the event being used to sell your services or products. If so, you can use this opportunity move your audience on a transformational journey and realise that they need what you have to offer.
To keep a marketing event on-brand, I align all aspects with the brand's identity. From color schemes to messaging and visuals, everything reflects the brand's personality. Consistency in logos, fonts, and tone maintains brand recognition and reinforces its values throughout the event.