How is Your Event Marketing Strategy Measuring Up?

Going global is nice but there is strength in the local.

Host your next event at The Victorian in Santa Monica! (This is the side patio)

In this day and age, we are constantly flooded with information on the importance of social media to get the word out there to potential consumers. But did you know that while social media is key, there is an even better strategy that a business should begin to regularly employ if they want to gain traction in their local community? What is it you ask? EVENTS! Yes, events. Hosting an event, sponsoring an event, or contributing some of your products to an event is actually the most effective channel for local marketing.

It is understandable why social media is first in mind when it comes to marketing - it’s free (unless you’re doing paid advertising) and you can quickly and easily reach millions of people. But, are these millions of people turning into paying customers? Not likely. Having a bunch of likes or followers on your social media account is like having a party with a bunch of guests, it’s great for your self-esteem (because you feel like everyone likes you) but it does nothing for your bottom line! When you are running a business, you don’t just need guests, you need customers! Why not focus in on where you live, those you serve, and provide something of value to them? It’s the best thing you can do for your business. Now, I’m not at all discounting the importance of social media - but use it as a tool for promoting your event, for getting people excited about the event, encouraging them to engage before, during, and after the event!

How should you start including events in your marketing strategy? You can start small - if you’ve got a brick and mortar store that sells products, host a small meet and greet and display some of your products (or if you’re a clothing brand, you can host a pop up that is planned with some fun activities to lure customers in). If you’re say, a yoga studio, you can have a “Yoga + Friends” night - open up your studio for your current customers to attend with one of their friends and also invite 1-2 other small businesses to partner with you to create the event. Regardless of the type of business, turn it into an experiential event for your customers. Promote the event on social media, encourage your followers to attend, reach out to local bloggers and local media to share information on the event.

If you don’t want to host your own event, you’re in luck because there are THOUSANDS of events where you can attend and get a booth to display your products or services. Look for ones that are in line with your brand, your vision, and where you believe you will get your ideal customers. Think quality over quantity. Then, latch on to their social media promotions about it - use that events hashtags (especially if it’s a large event) so that people following that hashtag will be aware of your presence at that event! In addition to attending local events, you could also consider sponsoring local nonprofit events. It’s a great way to get your brand in front of a new group of people.

You, as the business, have control over the experience you give your guests. Make it memorable.  The goal is to connect with your ideal customers in real time and then continue to engage with them via social media. Done right, you could be benefiting from this investment for years to come!