Is Events Marketing dead?

The short answer? Absolutely not.

This was PAX East 2024:

130,000 attendees filled a sold-out Boston Convention Center. Does that sound like events marketing is dead to you?

Absolutely not!

The pandemic hurt a lot of businesses with lockdowns, travel restrictions, and other complications. Many people predicted that with remote working, and changes, that these events would be a thing of the past.

Obviously, this could not be further from the truth.

The reality is this: events marketing is still one of the most powerful things you can do. Whilst the upfront costs can be intimidating: the benefits are massive.

It's not just the fact that you're maximising visibility to a relevant audience, but it's the fact that you're able to get face-to-face feedback, can instantly see what the competition are offering, and network with suppliers and B2B clients alike.

I first started working events around 2009, and have since worked major conventions like PAX East and Minecon and smaller scale events like Rezzed and Tate Art Gallery - After Hours.

But how to make sure you're getting your RoI at an event?

Well it depends on the industry and your audience but here are some general tips.

Set out your objectives

What does your business need to achieve? Do you need to get visibility on a new product?

Do you need to get sales? What do you want to get at the end?

Set this out in your strategy at the outset.

Plan well in advance

Most exhibitors start planning a year, or more, in advance of a convention or expo. This is for good reason, as far more goes into planning your stand than you think.

Identify your target audience

Who do you want to reach? And why?

You should already know this in your overall marketing strategy, but it's worth remembering before launching into an event.

Choose the right event for your business

This is the most important aspect, you have to know that you're going to reach the right people. Do your research into the event (and don't just trust the event's own website! Check the reviews!) and see who exhibits, and who attends.

Be wary of scams

Some events try to trick potential exhibitors into signing onto their event (often multi-year contracts) with "register your interest" forms. Always be very careful to read these before completing, as they can be nasty bait and switch traps. Other events claim to have certain types of attendee before they have any confirmation of this information - and sometimes just register anyone they can.

Plan what you're showcasing

This massively varies by product and service, but you need to know what you're doing.

Are you showcasing a product? Do you want people to test your product? Will you be trying to conduct B2B sales? Get everything down on paper.

Plan a "lead magnet"

This term is typically used for websites, but you want to have something that grabs attention and brings people to your stand. I see far too many businesses fail to do this, and they fin that their event doesn't go nearly as well as it could do.

During my edutech days we used to use a VR experience to draw people in. But there can be a wide range of options to get people interested in your booth.

Plan your booth's layout.

Even on a small booth this is crucial. You need to know where you'll be on the showfloor, and plan how you want people to flow through your booth. Far too often I see booths without this kind of planning and people walking away out of frustration, confusion, or because they missed something important.

What do you need?

Remember events will often charge a fortune for internet access, electricity access, shell schemes, and even the carpet you stand on. So make sure you know what you want and need and that you've budgeted for these things.

And don't underestimate what you need either! E.g. Often a venue's free wifi (and mobile phone signal!) isn't sufficient for the number of attendees. So if you need internet to demonstrate your product or service (or for your point-of-sale) then you may need to suck up the cost.

I can also tell you now not to underestimate the benefit of having carpet vs a hard floor under your feet. By day three this can really hurt. Comfortable shoes can help with this.

Check the safety requirements!

A rookie mistake that many exhibitors make, especially for larger stands, is that they forget to bring safety gear like steel toe boots and high-vis jackets.

Many venues require this during the build up and pack down stages - even if you have a very simple stand - as it is essentially a building site during this phase.

So don't forget!

You also need to make sure anything you're bringing onto the show floor is compliant. I know a lot of exhibitors that like to use a motor-vehicle like a bus - but forget that you're not allowed any fuel in the tank! You need a plan for how you're going to get everything onto the show floor.

Organisation!

Be organised. Have a load of cables you need to set up your complicated rig? Make sure that their stored in an organised manner, and labelled!

Make sure you have all the necessary equipment to make sure no cables are loose or a tripping hazard.

Have plans B, C, D and E

One of the challenges with events is that things don't always go to plan. Sometimes there can be a delay in your electricity and internet coming online. Sometimes your computers can be late. Sometimes your login doesn't work. Sometimes there's a problem with the printing.

So you need to have a contingency plan for how you're going to demonstrate things.

Having a plan and preparation for things going wrong is essential.

Plan your post-show marketing/communications BEFORE the event

The time immediately after the event is crucial for your marketing efforts. The event is fresh in people's minds and you need to retain their interest. Failure to do this, or to follow up on leads, will absolutely result in people losing interest in your product or service.

Grab the opportunity and don't let your efforts go to waste!

GET COMFORTABLE SHOES

Seriously, find shoes that are comfortable. You'll be on your feet for hours at a time and these events can be gruelling on your legs and feet. So wear comfortable shoes. Fashion is great - but your most important assets during an event are your personality and words, and suffering will only hurt that.

===

I can go on, but those are my initial tips, events marketing is here to stay so don't get left behind. Take the leap!

Need help with your next event? I'm here to help. Book a consultation today.