There is no doubt that marketing your brand is important. And how you get your branding message out to your audience depends on a variety of factors, but ideally, it will contain ways to directly connect people to your product or service.
Live events
Experiential events provide an avenue for face-to-face interaction and a direct line of communication to your consumers. They also create entrepreneurial opportunities, lead-generation avenues, social media interaction, live streaming content, and hands-on experiences for attendees. When people engage in live face-to-face events, they are able to interact with like-minded individuals who, in turn, share their knowledge and ideas, sparking creative inspiration and innovative concepts.
In the current climate, expectations for planners to deliver experiences that hit all the marks are paramount. Learning, networking, fun – these are the qualities of live events that spark innovation. According to the American Express Meetings and Events’ 2019 Global Meetings and Events Forecast, planners are continually finding new ways to engage attendees for the best possible event outcomes. This includes focusing on all aspects of the event, such as location, technology, networking, content, and interaction.
Face-to-face
It’s no secret that many large corporations combine virtual technology and face-time with their consumers to ensure brand loyalty through the use of in-person experiences. Using technology such as mobile apps, social media, and texting is part of our everyday lives. In the event world, we use those same technologies, along with others such as video conferencing and virtual meetings, to increase attendee engagement. Technology has a significant place within the live events space, but there is no replacement for the tangible benefits achieved from connecting people in person.
When people meet face-to-face, those interactions become catalysts to spark their innovation, creativity, and inspiration. Live event experiences get the creative juices flowing and increase personal interactions, allowing attendees to meet with new people and potential clients, and to build and cultivate relationships. Through these types of interactions, audiences not only become inspired themselves, but are also able to inspire others with their creativity.
Gwendolyn Y. McNutt, CSEP, Director of Board of Governors, International Live Events Association, [email protected]