It is important to highlight what makes a good marketing strategy and how to better plan an event and negotiate sponsorship. Key points not to forget are:
Image from thhp.co.za
Planned events represent things to be marketed and a means of marketing things.
Find what people want and give it to them in the most original and unexpected way so emotions are also engaged.
Every event is different, so each one should be individually approached and planned.
Sponsorship should be an integral aspect of the marketing mix.
Find out what your sponsors need to make it part of the sponsorship package.
Know your audience and the channels to reach them.
Public Relations not only handle community relations but also bad publicity.
Guerrilla marketing is ok as long as you don’t break any laws.
Look at your competition to learn from them.
Image from primoevents.com
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” – Vince Lombardi
Event marketing is fun and rewarding when is done correctly. The future of events will be shaped by technology, but the essential nature and role of events will basically remain the same.
When planning an event for kids or teens we need to do research about our target audience just like we do with every other event. Our theme should be something appealing. It is no secret that they spend a lot of time on their phones either playing videogames or following “influencers” on social media. We need to use this information to reach our audience, create expectation, and even sell our tickets.
“An event shouldn’t be just an experiential thing, it should be an emotional thing.”
― Amit Kalantri
Let’s say we are planning a Halloween themed event. We should begin with a campaign on Snapchat, a very common communication app among teenagers. We shouldn’t try to make your website or ads serve both pre-teens and their parents. Kids this age want to sense that they are discovering something new and don’t want to feel like their parents are deciding for them.
Influencers like James Charles or Shane Dawson can create a thread with anyone planning on attending the event. We can have them send a code to those who purchase an entry ticket, so they can unlock pictures or video messages from these idols. This will help create expectation and promotion at the same time.
In the actual event we could include popular video game characters cosplay like Fortnite, so the kids can take pictures with them that can be posted on their Instagram feed with a hashtag so friends not attending can also see the event. Just like Comic-Con San Diego appeals to guests of all ages, our event will be successful because everyone wants to see their favorite characters come to live.
The easiest part is finding a venue. Any outdoor space will serve this purpose, so we can have a DJ with loud music and laser lighting to end the night on the dance floor.
Becca's point of view 