As in-person interactions between brands and users become more valuable, more companies realize the importance of event branding. While different marketing channels certainly contribute to raising brand awareness, it is the live events and experiences that are taking the center stage when it comes to connecting the brand with the audience.
Here’s how you can ensure your next live event immerses the attendees and provides a unique brand experience.
Set clear goals from the start
Before you start planning and organizing the event, it is important that you are clear on what you are trying to achieve with it. Surprisingly enough, many event organizers make the mistake of skipping this step. In doing so, they actually make it more difficult for themselves to tell whether the event was a success.
In contrast, a clearly defined set of objectives makes the event success measurable. If you have trouble setting event goals, start by asking yourself what kind of message you want to send to your audience and how do you want the attendees to perceive your brand after this event. Consider the role this event has in changing their existing perception of your brand.
Also, think about the actions you’d want your attendees to take after attending the event, as well as all the possible outcomes, both positive and negative ones. Doing so will provide you with a clearer vision and allow you to look at the bigger picture, so you can decide whether you should host a similar event again in the future.
Use this opportunity to get creative
Hosting an event is a great opportunity to promote your brand, raise awareness, and attract new potential clients. It’s also a chance for you to showcase your creativity and make your brand stand out from the rest.
Elements such as food, drinks, venue decor, and lighting can all be employed to appeal to attendees’ senses and really immerse them in the experience. Aim for authenticity, introducing innovations and pushing the boundaries while making sure that the chosen elements feel like the brand and that the message truly speaks to your target audience.
Of course, the event design color palette, imagery, and other brand elements will vary depending on the venue, event objectives, and time of the day. You should also make sure that those elements resonate with the audience, keeping in mind the demographics as well as the lifestyle and interests of your audience so that they are fully engaged in the event.
Engage the attendees visually
Making sure that the attendees are visually engaged in the event is another thing you want to keep in mind when aiming to create a unique brand experience. As an event organizer, you want to be able to communicate your message in a way that is impactful and inspirational, and for that to happen, you’ll need to find the ideal stage set for your event that will enable visual engagement.
Creating the right environment for people to connect in can be as effortless as renting or hiring prime staging for live events by Media Powerhouse professionals and relying on the behind-the-scenes experts to work their magic and realize your vision for the event. With the right staging equipment, you’ll be able to deliver the content in a creative setting. The carefully selected staging construction and design will contribute to your event feeling much more professional, regardless of whether the setting is traditional or a little more special.
Be cohesive and consistent
The color palette, the brand’s logo, and message you want to convey are all constants that should appear in different aspects of the event. From emails and invitations to promotional material and onsite signage and decor, maintaining consistency is key in ensuring a unique brand experience and providing your attendees with a sense of familiarity.
A good example of this is using the same colors online and in your live event that you use in your brand’s store (online or retail). Finally, make sure that those elements work well together, envisioning the end result and making any changes that are necessary in order to create a sense of cohesiveness.
Make sure your event is share-friendly
While focusing on your primary audience and appealing to their needs is crucial, you should also keep in mind your secondary audience. We live in a digital age, so attending an event doesn’t necessarily mean being physically present. For example, having 500 people on-site participating in the live event could mean having another couple of thousand people sharing and ‘attending’ the event through social media.
So, instead of spending all your energy solely on those 500 people participating in a live event, dedicate the same amount of time and effort to appealing to your secondary audience. This could be achieved by making the event share-friendly or relying on user-generated content by creating hashtags, thus spreading your brand message beyond the confines of your live event.
Wrapping up
Sometimes, telling your brand’s story successfully is a matter of coming up with a well-thought-out event design. It’s all about delivering your message in an engaging and interactive way while at the same time combining everything that’s unique about your brand and promoting it.
Rely on the tips above to use the immense power of live events to promote your brand in a captivating way and achieve your business goals.