3 major event marketing challenges and how to overcome them

A marketing plan, if planned to perfection, can bring a whole lot of wonders to your event. It is the marketing plan which hits the perfect needle related to your customers’ needs and aptly pulls the trigger to transform your potential attendee into a prolonged customer.
However, to derive a perfect plan you need a dedicated team working day and night over it. But, what if you don’t have a big team or huge manpower for your event? Here, we list down three major event marketing challenges and how one must counterattack them.

1. Limited Resources

An event runs on the three major factors, “Budget, Budget and Budget!” Be it a magnum opus or just a mid-sized event, allocation of marketing budget can be very tricky some times. So, whenever you plan your marketing expenditure, taking informed decisions, which culminates into a detailed plan always helps in planning your budget effectively.

Here are the two major resources where you must prioritise your expenses to generate maximum traffic.

a. Brand Partners: Partnering with big brands not only helps your event receive additional exposure but also hike up your brand image in the market. Such associations are very valuable in the pre-event promotional campaigns as they create a clear pathway for more footfalls on your event date.

b. Sponsors: You don’t need a big budget to execute a larger-than-life event. All you need is a unique concept, a comprehensive plan and, most importantly, a financially sound sponsor to invest. A budding company or a start-up can be an ideal sponsor for your event, and this should be your first choice. Such companies are always on the lookout to promote their brand name publically, and could be more pro to pitching in for additional marketing to acquire that visibility.

2. Lack of Manpower

Events weren’t, aren’t and will never be a one man show. However, while some of you may have a strong team to execute big events, if that isn’t the case, you can any day opt for the options listed below to ensure hassle-free execution.

a. Use the 80/20 rule: This rule simply suggests that you prioritise and focus on tasks that create the maximum impact. Plan and set your time and resources in a way that activities – social, digital or ground-based – that will generate the maximum buzz are planned to a tee.

b. Automated marketing: This is a special tool that allows you to perform the task of several marketers for you while you focus on the major sections of event planning.

3.Time is Money

Even the biggest of event planners aren’t invincible. They endure unimaginable risks across various sections in order to execute a flawless event. But how can they be smart and play safe in monetary ways? In short how can they find adequate amount of time to spend on marketing needs? The answer is simple.

a. Invest in part-time co-ordinators: Delegation is a key factor; hire part-time co-ordinators who can look after your minute on-site requirements while you focus on designing the major marketing gimmicks.

b. Keep your ticketing/invite easy and simple: Whether you go for a ticketing procedure or even an exclusive RSVP format, make sure your attendees are able to book their seats for your event easily. Simply put, keep it simple!

The beating pulse of an event is marketing. It’s purely suggested to have a well-versed marketing plan in place two to three months prior to the event, because, remember, it’s not what you propose but how you propose that brings alive the magic.