Event marketing is a strategic way to target an identified key audience and also a cost effective one, both for the organization that participates in event marketing and for the organization hosting the event. The host company can whittle down transportation costs at an event, and the organization participating can up its marketing ROI. That’s great news, but it gets even better—there are many varieties of event marketing and as many ways to accomplish it.
Before we consider event marketing, let me define it: The activity of designing or developing a themed activity, occasion, display, or exhibit to promote a product, cause, or organization. That’s fairly broad, so within the context of the services ETA offers, event marketing is reaching a target audience through transportation sponsorships. These typically include:
- Motor coach advertising wraps
- Variable message boards
- Signs and banners
- Motor coach seat covers
- Special staff uniforms
- Brochures, refreshments, or small giveaways on buses
- Moving billboards
Why do organizations engage in event transportation sponsorships? Several reasons, all of which have the potential for the organization to increase return on investment (ROI). Opportunities exist to:
- Extend your brand through audience awareness. Businesses can establish or extend their brand with a select audience, sharing your image in the exact manner you wish.
- Generate leads with a group of prospects who are already interested in your organization.
- Engage with existing customers and create the opportunity to upsell. Your organization achieves its biggest ROI by retaining existing customers. Event marketing allows you the opportunity to “mingle” with customers and remain top-of-mind with them.
- Educate your customers. Build goodwill by sharing insights that are valuable to your target audience. Creating goodwill goes a long way in the mind of a consumer.
Having a plan is key to event marketing. You’ll want to ensure you set objective, measurable goals to understand your organization’s ROI. Of course, if you also measure new prospects, that provides a strong basis for calculating cost per opportunity.
And then ensuring you present your brand in a way that will capture the attention of event visitors is paramount. Is your brand conservative, leaning toward traditional marketing and advertising? Then advertising on a motor vehicle that visitors use to get to or from an event allows the brand to reach the target audience and keep its image intact. Or is your brand funky and fun? In that case, your organization could offer a surprise to event visitors in the form of a flashy and memorable giveaway, again, in keeping with your organization’s branding.
Ready to talk more about event marketing, or get started? Let’s talk!