Event Marketing

Event Management involves studying the:

=> intricacies of the brand, => identifying the target audience, => devising the event concept, => planning the logistics and => coordinating the technical aspects before actually executing the modalities of the proposed event. Post-event analysis and ensuring a return on investment have become a significant drivers for the event industry

Marketing Tool
Event management is considered one of the strategic marketing and communication tools by companies of all sizes. From product launches to press conferences, companies create promotional events to help them communicate with clients and potential clients. They might target their audience by using the news media, hoping to generate media coverage which will reach thousands or millions of people. They can also invite their audience to their events and reach them at the actual event.

Services of Event Management Companies

Corporate events (product launches, press conferences, corporate meetings and conferences) Marketing programs (road shows, grand opening events) Special corporate hospitality events like concerts, award ceremonies Film premieres, launch/release parties Fashion shows Commercial events Private (personal) events such as weddings, anniversaries, birthday parties, gatherings, etc.

Clients hire event management companies to handle a specific scope of services for the given event, which at its maximum may include all creative, technical and logistical elements of the event. (Or just a subset of these, depending on the client's needs, expertise and budget).

Event as an Industry
Event Management is a multi-million dollar industry, growing rapidly, with mega shows and events hosted regularly. Surprisingly, there is no formalized research conducted to assess the growth of this industry. The industry includes fields such as the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events), exhibitions, conferences and seminars as well as live music and sporting events. The logistics side of the industry is paid less than the sales/sponsorship side, though some may say that these are two different industries.

Technology and Events

Software companies service event planners with a complete solution including Online Event Registration, Event Marketing Tool, Hotel Booking Tool, Travel Booking Tool, Budgeting Tool etc

Career Opportunities
Event Management Event Management Consultancy Hotel, travel and hospitality Industries Advertising Agencies Public Relations Firms Corporations News Media Integrated Marketing & Communications Event Budgeting and Accounting

Categories of Events
Leisure events e.g. leisure sport, music, recreation. Cultural events e.g. ceremonial, religious, art, heritage, and folklore. Personal events e.g. weddings, birthdays, anniversaries. Organizational events e.g. commercial, political, charitable, sales, product launch, expo.

What is Event Marketing?

There are certain strategies to follow which are applicable no matter what the size of the budget in these are:
Identifiable target market Accurate positioning Good channels of distribution An effective launch strategy Category domination Sustaining power Delivery of a promise

 It's your creative thinking, not the limit to your spending power that determines your success. A major marketing tactic employed in the Event Marketing strata are:
The need to use multiple channels of distribution- Gone are the days of relying solely on receipts. Videocassettes, cable and network television and foreign sales are all diverse sources of revenue. The importance of synchronous launch- Forget about launching a product market by market, consumers have short attention spans and multiple entertainment options. The aggressive use of credible endorsements- if someone raved about your product, let everyone know. Consumers are generally influenced by third party testimonials

Entertainment and Event Industry has taught some tough lessons the hard way. For e.g.- dont let your costs run high that returns on your investments is impossible and never advertise or distribute your product when everyone is releasing theirs.

 Event marketing involves the setting of prices, packaging, advertising, distribution and merchandising of just about any form of entertainment or event available for public consumption.

What can marketers do to reach this position?

While it is true that the public has a voracious thrust for some new event, simply producing a product or event no long guarantees success. Prior to risking thousands or even millions of rupees promoters, producers and entrepreneurs must determine exactly who their audience or target audience is and how best to reach it. Reaching your target is half the battle won. Convincing them that it is the best thing that has happened requires marketing prowess. Whether you call it marketing or hype, great advertising is a kind of art that can often help propel your product towards a very profitable existence within its short life span.

Marketing Your Event

Marketing an event, means creating a brand in the shortest amount of time possible. Advertising, publicity, promotion in some cases, research are the tools of effective event marketing. Project should be armed with a good poster, press kit, lots of promotions and a creative campaign and sometimes the event, nobody can predict an event's success or failure. At the same time not even the most provocative and powerful marketing can save a bad event. Prior to beginning the marketing process for your event, it's a good idea to take a check of the saleable qualities of your product/event before you market it. Ensure that you are properly equipped to proceed.

 You should be able to answer the following questions about your product/event before you market it:
Is it a strong and a unique event? Have there been similar events of the same genre that has been successful? Do you have any notable cast in your event? Do you have a target audience? Is the key art powerful? Does the product/company connected with the event have a marketable track record? Is there a merchandising capability?

The remainder of the process deals with the challenges and issues these questions raise.

Creating a Budget
There is no set formula when setting a budget to market an event. Several variables has to be looked upon before generating a budget:
What is the potential of your event? Who is your audience? What is the gross of similar events held in the past? You will also need to find out how many markets should be included in the release of your event. (Markets here means cities)

The other approach to budgeting is targeting your audience and determining how best to reach out to them. This can be very tricky, since making a mistake by targeting the wrong market can destroy an event. The way to ensure a strong opening is to create an awareness frenzy as the premieres. Depending on the genres, you need to generate a lot of publicity, press releases and a breakthrough campaign to isolate your product amidst in the clutter. The most essential and effective tool is in building awareness for any event in a campaign.

Positioning your Event

Long before the creation of your campaign begins, the positioning of your event must be decided. The positioning of the genre of the event decide the type of audience you will reach and exactly how you will posture the event to the press, who will write about it long before the consumer will ever see it. Once you have determined who your audience will be, you can then start to research their characteristics and model your campaign.

Creative Checklist
This section describes the creative elements necessary for the development of the key art and promotions required to sell your event.

 Publicity is used to legitimize the claims that you are advertising about your product/event. Publicity is carried out to direct the public's attention to your event. The publicity process should begin the minute a deal is signed to produce an event and it should be continuous throughout the release. During the pre-production period, stories regarding the event, its cast, the actual event, special effects should be regularly fed to the press. Here are a few points on how to generate a good publicity:
Assemble and distribute a comprehensive press kit to journalists and critics. Secure major stories with newspapers and magazines. Ensure these stories break around the time of your event release date. Distribute your electronic press kit to television studios, clips of the product, event and interviews with the creative team. Arrange screenings for opinion making groups that will help spread the word. Get local celebrities to attend premiere screening and also attach a radio, television and/or newspaper sponsor to the premier screening.

Thank You