AI in Event Marketing: Avoiding the Cookie-Cutter Trap

With Halloween only a few weeks behind us, I couldn’t help but notice all of the similar sounding social media posts that flooded my feeds - I mean how many times did you see a social media post or email include the line, “no tricks, all treats!?” or something along those lines?

This all got me thinking about how if we aren’t careful, events may fall into the same trap, uniformity - or at least sounding like they are all the same online. AI is here to stay and it’s become a powerful, I would argue essential, tool for event planners.?

We can’t lose sight of the fact that people attend events for human connections and experiences. If the marketing for the event sounds robot-like, your audience may not be as interested in the event as they would have been otherwise. Here are a few thoughts on using AI in planning your event theme. (Stay tuned for future articles on how else you can use AI as an event planner).?

The Problem - Similar Prompts, Lack of Information = Sameness.

As AI tools continue to grow and be used,? there's more of a risk of event themes, session names, and marketing communications related to events becoming similar across the board. Why? Because just as I do, many event planners are turning to AI to help. The key is to make sure you don’t fall into the trap of using it to replace your own creativity, likely one of the reasons you became an event planner in the first place.?

The Power of a Good Prompt

Here are a few examples to show you how different prompts have different outputs.

Bad Prompt Example - Generic Prompt with Generic Output

Prompt - I am having a sales meeting in September. Our customers will be attending. The point of the meeting is to share the programs we have available in 2025 for them to use. It’s going to be in Chicago, Illinois for three days. Give me up to 5 ideas for what the theme for my meeting could be.

Output - Here are 5 theme ideas for your sales meeting in Chicago:

1. "Windy City Horizons: Charting Your 2025 Success"
2. "Chicago Skyline: Elevating Your Business in 2025"
3. "Deep Dish of Opportunity: Serving Up 2025 Programs"
4. "The Chicago Loop: Connecting You to 2025 Solutions"
5. "Bridging to the Future: Chicago's Blueprint for 2025"

Better Prompt - Detailed Prompt with Better Output

Prompt - We are having our National Sales Meeting in September. Our customers, who are promotional products distributors and suppliers will be attending. They sell promotional products to organizations and corporations. During the meeting there will be a few sales related keynote speakers as well as roundtable discussions, speed dating sales sessions and panel discussions that will focus on how they can increase sales in 2025 by utilizing sales & marketing tools our company offers. This is a time where they can network and also learn what is working for their peers in the community. The event is going to be in Chicago - I'd love for the theme of the event to tie in with the City but also the main reasons they will be attending. Help me come up with up to 5 ideas for what the theme for my meeting could be.

Output #1?

Here are 5 theme ideas for your National Sales Meeting in Chicago:

1. "Chicago's Sales Symphony: Orchestrating Success in 2025"
2. "Windy City Momentum: Propelling Promo Sales Forward"
3. "The Chicago Connection: Linking Tools to Triumphs"
4. "Elevate in the Second City: Rising Above in Promo Sales"
5. "Chicago-Style Networking: A Recipe for Promo Success"

Output #1 The themes I got in output #1 are long winded and still had some words that sounded AI like. I added a prompt asking it to help me use more words that someone would say in a casual conversation.

Output #2

While not perfect, this got me a little closer to a theme that doesn’t feel as cookie cutter or cliché.?

1. “Orchestrating Promo Success in 2025"
2. "Windy City Momentum: Driving Promo Sales Forward"
3. "The Chicago Connection: Linking You to Winning Tools”?
4. "Chicago-Style Networking: A Recipe for Promo Success"
5. "Level Up Your Promo Sales in 2025

Be Specific

While Output #2 above isn’t perfect, it’s better than the generic output. Remember to be specific when you are writing your prompts. Instead of providing a generic description of your event and asking for theme ideas, provide context about your audience, the industry trends, and unique selling points of the event itself.

Don’t Settle for the First AI Output

AI-generated content often lacks the human voice that resonates with your attendees. Here are a few things I have made a regular practice of.

1. Cut the Fluff: AI tends to add lots of fluff. Read through the outputs you get and trim all of the unnecessary words and phrases. If you don’t say it in normal conversation don’t?use the word.
2. Add Personality: Make sure your or your brand’s voice and tone are part of the content. (Hint: in your prompt you can add your website url and tell them you want it to sound like your brand voice)
3. Make it Conversational: Rewrite content to sound more natural and engaging.

AI is a Starting Point, Not the Finish Line

AI should not be your end game. When it comes to events, use it to generate initial ideas, overcome writer's block and outline presentations. But always apply your own creativity and industry knowledge to the final copy.

Don’t use AI as a Replacement for Your Own Creativity

AI in event marketing is here to stay, but it's up to us to use it correctly. By being intentional with prompts, using AI-generated content as a starting point, and always prioritizing making sure the copy sounds human, we can continue to create events that people want to attend.?

Remember why you became an event planner - likely because you are creative and you enjoy the feeling of bringing people together. Embrace AI in your event planning life, but don’t use it as a replacement for your own creativity.