If you have never organized any type of bigger gathering of people in your life, then it might seem simple enough. Notify the right individuals, get a venue, map out the activities, and you’re basically done, right?
But I’m sure you regularly attend corporate events.
A business event is a strategic marketing and communication tool for any organization whose intent is to launch a new product, a new service, a new office location, communicate about its non-profit programs, or just seek media fanfare.
Does Your Company Host Business Events?
Hosting a corporate event benefits an organization in getting media coverage and promoting its brand and services.
I haven’t attended any but wish to attend digital marketing events, including MozCon, Search Marketing Expo, or PubCon. Such events offer a networking opportunity for professionals to gather and make connections.
But moving on to the core topic of discussion, if your brand has several corporate events on the horizon – how do you plan a social media strategy for event promotion?
You spend a lot of time and energy putting together a special launch of your company’s newest product. You book the venue, order catering, buy a Step and Repeat banner, and countless other decorations.
Everything seems ready to go.
But… when all is said and done, are you sure you’ll create a lasting buzz?
Maybe “NO.”
And that’s why planning and managing a corporate event should also include conceiving and planning a proper social media marketing strategy.
Key Aspects of Social Media Event Promotion
You can spend a lot of money and resources on pre-event marketing via offline channels, but social media event marketing is never coming to a PAUSE even after your guests enter the venue.
Social media adds a bit of a ‘human element’ to your business. People love to purchase from companies that seem to have a face. If you look at some of the social media profiles of the largest companies in the world, they have all been ‘humanized’ as opposed to being just an opportunity to advertise. If you interact with your customers, answer their questions, respond to their concerns, etc. – then the chances of you making a sale will shoot up.
FOCUS on Product
If your business only sells one specific product, and that’s your bestseller, go through a deep study and know all the related things about this.
On the other hand, if you have to market a large product catalogue, study and identify which of your products are most worthy and should be at the core of your advertising and communication efforts.
- Is there a specific attribute that makes your business product or service stand out?
- What features or benefits should be highlighted?
- What sets you apart from the main competition?
Act as Event Reporters
Sure, there will be photographs for you to post the day or maybe a week after. But when the flowers are all dried up and your audience has moved on to the next party – who will be keeping your product’s “buzz worthiness” alive?
Making a lasting impression through digital posts is the role of social media correspondents. These are reporters who show up in real life but report via social media channels, usually their own. Many times the correspondents are also influencers. People who have much clout and thus seem extremely credible and “influential” to their social media audience.
Videos & Commercials Production
Small businesses can have a head start with video production. Videos, along with the use of social networks, can bring many benefits to small businesses.
Socializing with clients can bring many benefits – among them all, client retention could be one of the most important ones, but it should be done correctly.
The key is to tone down the corporate presence and give customers a voice and a place to connect with others like them, and then let them handle the traffic. The power of Videos should not be underestimated when it comes to small businesses. They are a great tool for the promotion and expression of the brand:
- The audience loves the glimpse behind the scenes. During the pre-event promotion, reveal bites of what your visitors can look forward to in the event.
- One of the quickest ways to boost your video’s rage and draw in large numbers of views is to add voiceover to your videos. Voiceover artists can transcend the video to add an “emotional connect” with the viewers.
- Having a great promo or buildup with a stellar voiceover can also help you raise ticket sales and attendance.
- Reveal behind-the-scenes shots and videos of your event’s venue, speakers, and information about sessions, and generate pre-hype.
Hire Social Media Correspondents
Social Media correspondents are professional curators of real-time content. They know that will look good “on timelines.” These digital reports will collect “content” (aka photographs, video, written interviews, etc.) and then drip them out on social channels over the next days, weeks, months, and even maybe a year. They keep the discussion percolating.
Here are some examples of how social media correspondents are used:
At the premiere of a film, they post about the pre-screening excitement, post a few images from the screening, and then (perhaps) upload the “Q&As” with the directors and cast following the conclusion of the film.
Instead of uploading all of this content at once – there will be a slow roll–out to keep the relevancy of the event lasting longer.
To track the impact of the posts, the correspondent(s) should use a hashtag – such as #YourFilmPremiere. Read more about the importance of hashtags. This is essential in knowing about the impact of the postings. And… who is listening – thus amassing demographic data “gold.”
Content Distribution
A social media correspondent knows that one social media platform isn’t enough. Typically each correspondent has an individual preference, such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. But, an expert correspondent knows it isn’t about their comfort zone, but where will the information be received the best? Most of the time, the social media correspondents will distribute the content across platforms to maximize audience engagement and brand awareness.
Monitoring Engagement
Here is something really important – monitoring the impact of content uploaded about your event is imperative. Data collection can be invaluable.
- Using good analytic programs, such as Sprout Social, Klear, or Keyhole, you can determine the effectiveness of the social media objectives.
- However, ROI is not promised by social media correspondents. It is much more realistic to know that these professionals provide key brand awareness.
Combine Sales and Marketing for the Best Results
If you want to have a truly successful business event, you have to combine different elements that make it worthwhile, specifically using marketing and sales to achieve the best results.
Your event management efforts should work towards improving your lead generation and public relations, and help with your market research and brand awareness, among many other things.
When you’re organizing events, make sure you make the most of them so that you get a proper return on your investment.
