Professional events are an excellent opportunity to drive visibility and sales, generate more leads, and retain top customers and talent. So, whatever your goals may be, live events are one of the most effective channels to accomplish them and support your road to success. Conferences, trade shows, and other events can help you develop genuine, lasting connections since they allow people to relate in a personal way.
Although public events are still forbidden in many countries due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the majority of businesses have simply moved online. Events are also being hosted on the web, with online formats providing benefits like saving money and opening up to more people. To maximize your experience, whether virtual or traditional, learn about seven ways you can use events to grow your business.
Choose the Audience You Would Like to Reach
Your attendees are the focal point of the event, so you will need to determine who you would like to reach. Focusing on bringing a lot of guests may not be the best strategy if those attendees are not your ideal customers or relevant industry professionals. Instead, concentrate on attracting people that have the potential to increase the visibility of your brand and drive your business. Once you’ve decided on your audience, you can tailor the program to their interests and needs.
Think About Your Goals
Before you begin with planning the event, define what you want to accomplish. It might be developing long-term relationships with your customers, building your customer base, or simply driving a certain amount of sales. Doing this will help you determine the type of event that will resonate with your audience the best. Also, consider why guests would want to come to your event and use that as a planning starting point. Meeting high ranking industry professionals or learning new skills might be the focal point of your event if it fits your attendees’ interests. Make sure to clearly define your goals so you can easily assess the success of the event once it’s over.
Let the People Know About Your Event
When planning a business event, create a buzz early in the process to generate excitement. Start spreading the word a month or even two in advance to provide your guests with enough time to prepare. Social media is an essential part of promoting your event, so make sure to post reminders about the event on your social networks. This, in conjunction with original and outstanding advertising and marketing campaigns, will help you boost your brand visibility and make your business stand out from the rest. Post the information about the upcoming event on your website, and also let your subscribers know about it.
Use Lighting to Enhance Your Event and Reinforce Your Brand
Proper lighting not only sets the tone for an entire event, but it can also enhance the beauty of the venue and bring a wow factor to your event that your audience will remember. Lighting allows you to create a fantastic experience for your guests, help them feel cozy, and engage more in the program. With a little help from skilled event lighting consultants, you can use the lighting to showcase your brand’s personality, reinforce the theme of your event and your brand’s message. Lighting with brand colors will not only transform the space, but it will also increase brand awareness as you can display various images, project your company’s logo, and even change the room between sessions in the same venue to go from a conference feel to a more relaxed, cocktail atmosphere.
Network and Don’t Forget to Collect Customer Data
Your event is the perfect opportunity to expand your network by meeting potential customers and making meaningful connections. This is because a conference, professional event, or trade show provides you with a possibility to collect email addresses for your subscription list. A wise way to collect these contacts is to let people sign up for a prize, and award one or two attendees from your new list of contacts. You can also talk to your guests, and find out what drew them to your event, or what they are looking for in your industry. By doing this, you can gain valuable insight that will help you establish long-term relationships with your customers and also drive your sales.
Improve Your Retention Rates
A professional event gives you a chance to encourage your attendees to return in the future by saying “thank you” to key people, like your staff, partners, clients, or suppliers. Gratitude goes a long way, so a personalized, handwritten notes or a video thanking your important people for contributing is a personal touch that will surely leave a lasting impression and make your associates feel special. Consider creating a VIP treatment for your veteran attendees or important clients and partners. Providing your audience with a bonus experience like a workshop on how to brew their own beer (or whatever resonates with them) is another awesome way to thank them.
If your event is top-notch, your attendees will think the same about your business and its offerings, so make sure to plan effectively around your audience’s expectations and interests so that you and they can get the most out of the event.
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