When it comes to creating an event marketing plan, one size never fits all.
Every organization has its own goals for its content. Every team is promoting their webinar or webcast to audiences with different requirements. So, what works for one brand will not produce the same results for another.
The trick is to tailor your event marketing strategy according to what you can offer, what your audience needs from you and what you want to achieve internally.
That said, some basic principles will boost engagement and sign-ups for any business, in any sector. With that said, you might be in need of some event marketing ideas that can improve digital engagement and participation.
So, here are three of the best event marketing ideas, including B2B marketing ideas, that will help you raise awareness of your online event. (They’re just as effective for promoting in-person and hybrid experiences, too.)
1. Create a central reference point that your potential attendees can explore at their own pace
People need to know what they can expect from your event. They also like to discover and engage with content related to the event on their own time and on their own terms.
So, whether it’s a blog post, a specialized landing page or a dynamic content hub, you should work to create a central reference point for would-be attendees. With this organizing content, you can provide the information prospects need to evaluate your digital experience and opinion.
It’s not enough for this reference point to exist, though. It needs to add value to your entire digital event experience.
Let’s say you’re going to create a separate landing page on your existing website. You’ll need to:
- Make consistent use of your brand colors, typography and imagery throughout the page to give the design a professional feel.
- Provide specific event information, including the time and date of the session, who it’s suitable for and what attendees will get when they sign up, such as access to prerecorded sessions or an exclusive Q&A panel with a key opinion leader or host.
- Place your main call to action above the fold.
- Make sure the page is easy to navigate, and it doesn’t link to any dead ends.
2. Use content marketing to spread the word
Sending out relevant and engaging content ahead of the event will help to build anticipation and allow your attendees to build a picture of what they can expect from your session. Some B2C and B2B event marketing ideas regarding content include:
- Behind-the-scenes content work particularly well; everyone likes to feel they’re getting an exclusive, after all. To give your attendees a taste of what’s to come, try recording or transcribing interviews with your keynote speakers that dive into their training, their careers to date and their thoughts on trending topics.
- Produce blog posts that delve deeper into your event’s theme. Use your articles to take a closer look at a statistic or an industry prediction or provide a solution to a common problem.
- Share speaker quotes, interesting stats and event updates through your social channels. Doing so gets your message out there and encourages followers to interact with your content. You’ll get bonus points for asking your audience questions and starting pre-event discussions — and you could even use your social media presence to gather questions for your presenters ahead of time.
3. Plan a robust nurture email marketing campaign
Nurture email campaigns involve sending out several messages to remind recipients of your event and get them to explore your content before your session starts.
You can use your nurture campaigns to:
- Share all those brilliant blogs, videos and other assets you’ve been producing within your event content marketing strategy.
- Increase conversions. Nurture emails can act as a reminder that on-the-fence recipients still have time to sign up for your event.
- Share important event information, including timing or event agenda changes.
As part of your event marketing plan, we recommend sending out three nurture emails in the two weeks running up to your event. The final email should be sent on the day of the event to capture any last-minute attendees. Each email should highlight a different aspect of your agenda, giving recipients a well-rounded view of what’s on offer.
Remember: you’ll often get better results when you segment your audience and target specific users with specific content. For example, if you know one of your event speakers will appeal to attendees with a specific role or specialty, highlight this speaker’s presence in an email segment for users with similar professional needs and interests.
Though the ins and outs of your event marketing plan will vary depending on your content and your objectives, one thing’s for sure: you need to get your attendees excited about what’s to come – and we hope that you use the event marketing ideas outlined above to help you do this. We’ve created a ton of marketing strategy guides to help you on your way.
