Take a second and think back to the last event you attended. Were you at a professional conference? Did you attend a launch party for a product? Whatever the event may be, we understand that they’re all different. Yet, every single event that you attend always has a shared goal in mind: to entertain and engage the attendees.
In a consumer-driven world, businesses must seize opportunities that allow them to build relationships and earn trust from both current and prospective clients. That’s why it is critical to create an experience that resonates with them.
KM&A was recently approached by Anthem Blue Cross to host an event that will celebrate and recognize their top sales team members nationally. At our initial meeting, we capitalized on the importance of creating a streamlined process that allowed us to accomplish and create distinct messaging and event branding that represented their event.
Our first plan of action for the Anthem Blazers event was to develop a creative concept. As a full-service agency, we were able to work together to figure out the marketing collateral with our team for design and messaging purposes. While many events will be planned and the marketing comes after, we reversed our approach so that we could position the event from a strategic standpoint.
Not only did our team lay the groundwork, but we also assisted with securing the talent and activities the Anthem employees would participate in. Our job was to create an experience where people could come together around a common theme and leave with an impressionable event.
At KM&A, we approach event marketing to capture the event narrative. As we have finalized the event schedule and look towards the future, we understand the importance of supporting a client’s goal for an impactful experience. Below, we share essential tips that we know will set up your next event up for success.
1. Be on the same page about goals
Just like everything in business, you must be on the same page about the goals you intend to accomplish, as this determines how you’ll strategize. Do you want to create brand awareness during and after the event? What kind of impression do you want to leave on your guests? How do you want to bring value to the attendees?
As we planned the Anthem Blazers event, we understood the importance of establishing a unique brand identity that reflected their theme. Our design team created a brand and marketing materials that fit into the event theme and supported all of Anthem’s goals. Not only did we utilize our design team, but we also brought in other departments to meet each objective.
2. Align your event details
When people are invited to an event, they look at all elements and immediately generate an opinion about the event. When it comes to your event website, invitations and marketing materials – what do you want attendees to take away and remember?
Having stated earlier, our efforts were built around a cohesive message and brand. When first approached by Anthem, we capitalized on the importance of making sure everything was clear for the attendees. We evaluated brand guidelines, focused on certain themes and ultimately went the extra mile to make everything consistent that aligned with the corporate brand.
3. Evaluate your event’s success
How many people attended the event? What was the actual attendance rate? What was the feedback? While goals are set in the beginning, it’s important to meet after the event and come up with a plan to gather feedback during or after the event to capture specific data that measures the event’s success. At the end of the day, it’s important to hyper-focus your attention on what went wrong and what went great.
When planning an event from a marketing perspective, there is much more that goes into the execution than one would think. Event marketing is a lot of strategy, attention to detail and engagement with your team. If you’re looking to plan an event and need assistance by creating a marketing strategy to fit your previously planned event, allow us to step in. At KM&A, we have the ability to elevate your brand and align your event for success.
