Executing an Event Marketing Plan

1. Executing an Event Marketing Plan EXECUTING AN EVENT MARKETING PLAN HOW-TO GUIDE

2. 2 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide Event Marketing is used to support a variety of marketing programs and initiatives. Deciding what types of events to attend and/or host, identifying the content you will present, initiating promotion to attendees, and evaluating every detail of your event(s) are just a few components of the overall event marketing process. Meticulous planning and effective promotion of your event will ultim- ately lead to ease of execution and, in turn, a positive response. This How-To Guide is designed to provide practical advice on planning, promoting, and executing your event marketing plan. This guide outlines the event planning process, provides tips to promote your events, and explains how to execute a successful event. After you have committed to an event or an event strategy, you will enter a planning phase. To make the best possible impression, events require extensive planning. Here are some items that need to be considered. When considering tradeshows and industry conferences to choose from, there are some key factors that should influence your choices: HOW-TO GUIDE Selecting Events The types of events your customers and prospects attend Which events show reputation and quality The presence of competitors Cost Executing an Event Marketing Plan What Does the Event Marketing Planning Process Involve? If you plan on attending a trade show, use Demand Metric's Tradeshow Evaluation Matrix to determine the best fit. Download the Demand Metric Event Marketing Playbook to leverage event marketing best practices. 2 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide Event Marketing is used to support a variety of marketing programs and initiatives. Deciding what types of events to attend and/or host, identifying the content you will present, initiating promotion to attendees, and evaluating every detail of your event(s) are just a few components of the overall event marketing process. Meticulous planning and effective promotion of your event will ultim- ately lead to ease of execution and, in turn, a positive response. This How-To Guide is designed to provide practical advice on planning, promoting, and executing your event marketing plan. This guide outlines the event planning process, provides tips to promote your events, and explains how to execute a successful event. After you have committed to an event or an event strategy, you will enter a planning phase. To make the best possible impression, events require extensive planning. Here are some items that need to be considered. When considering tradeshows and industry conferences to choose from, there are some key factors that should influence your choices: HOW-TO GUIDE Selecting Events The types of events your customers and prospects attend Which events show reputation and quality The presence of competitors Cost Executing an Event Marketing Plan What Does the Event Marketing Planning Process Involve? If you plan on attending a trade show, use Demand Metric's Tradeshow Evaluation Matrix to determine the best fit. Download the Demand Metric Event Marketing Playbook to leverage event marketing best practices.

3. 3 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Executing an Event Marketing Plan Determine the optimal staffing requirements to ensure success. Elements to consider include: Determine your technology requirements and ensure the event venue is able to accommodate them. Aspects to consider in your planning include: Internet availability, mobile phone coverage, equipment (PCs, displays, and/or other demo devices), electrical/power requirements, and the availability of a lead capturing system at your venue. Determine what promotional items and marketing materials are needed to provide for event atten- dees. Promotional items and collateral may include branded giveaways, contests and/or draws, and marketing materials. Keep in mind that tradeshow attendees throw away much of what they get before heading home. Provide basic product and company information, and plan to follow-up after the event to provide more details. Staffing your Event Technology Requirements Promotion Items and Collateral Staffing Level — At tradeshows, staff for peak traffic flows to ensure prospects aren't waiting or passing by because your team is busy. Set-up — Create a team just for set-up and take-down to allow staff involved in the actual event to focus on the purpose of the event and potential clients. Length — At day-long events, plan to have enough staff at peak times and schedule breaks accordingly. Type — Bring customer-facing staff (sales, marketing and support) to the event. Person- able and/or outgoing team members are generally best. Consider other amenities your event may need and plan for them. Amenities can include, but are not limited to, catering, decorations, booth design, and signage. Amenities When choosing a venue for your event it is important to consider: Choosing a Venue (if Hosting) Capacity Amenities Parking Pricing/Fees Storage Availability Maintenance Food and Beverage Technical Requirements 3 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Executing an Event Marketing Plan Determine the optimal staffing requirements to ensure success. Elements to consider include: Determine your technology requirements and ensure the event venue is able to accommodate them. Aspects to consider in your planning include: Internet availability, mobile phone coverage, equipment (PCs, displays, and/or other demo devices), electrical/power requirements, and the availability of a lead capturing system at your venue. Determine what promotional items and marketing materials are needed to provide for event atten- dees. Promotional items and collateral may include branded giveaways, contests and/or draws, and marketing materials. Keep in mind that tradeshow attendees throw away much of what they get before heading home. Provide basic product and company information, and plan to follow-up after the event to provide more details. Staffing your Event Technology Requirements Promotion Items and Collateral Staffing Level — At tradeshows, staff for peak traffic flows to ensure prospects aren't waiting or passing by because your team is busy. Set-up — Create a team just for set-up and take-down to allow staff involved in the actual event to focus on the purpose of the event and potential clients. Length — At day-long events, plan to have enough staff at peak times and schedule breaks accordingly. Type — Bring customer-facing staff (sales, marketing and support) to the event. Person- able and/or outgoing team members are generally best. Consider other amenities your event may need and plan for them. Amenities can include, but are not limited to, catering, decorations, booth design, and signage. Amenities When choosing a venue for your event it is important to consider: Choosing a Venue (if Hosting) Capacity Amenities Parking Pricing/Fees Storage Availability Maintenance Food and Beverage Technical Requirements

4. 4 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Collaborate internally with sales team and executives to identify ideal attendees. Determine advertising strategy: invitations, print ads, social media, email, other. If using invitations, build the guest list and design invitations. If you require an RSVP, have a follow-up plan to ensure attendance. Make sure that accepting an invitation is as simple as possible. Provide all event details in your promotional material: time, place, duration, transportation, etc. Maximize the number of impressions you get. Have the impressions you get represent your brand well. Capture significant "impressions" as leads Executing an Event Marketing Plan When it comes to event planning, the promotion strategy deserves special attention. You can tend to all other details ofevent planning, but if you don't promote your event properly, it can easily fail. This section will cover three steps of event promotion. Impressions are valuable opportunities to create and build relationships with potential leads. Make sure your presence at an event takes full advantage of these opportunities. Promote your presence prior to a trade show by incorporating the following activities into your promotional strategy: Before you kick-off your upcoming event, follow the steps below to help increase attendance: If your objective is to obtain impressions (encounters with attendees/leads), your goal is to: Pre-Event Marketing and Promotion for Tradeshows Pre-Event Marketing for Events you Produce At Event Promotion Promote your attendance via your website, blog, eNewsletter, and social media channels. Obtain registration lists from show organizers and develop pre-event communications to attendees such as direct mail, email, or both. Help attendees qualify themselves in your communications by positioning your company or featured solution. Indicate your booth number or location and provide an incentive for people to visit ("register to win", "stop by to pick up swag," "see a demo" etc.). Key Steps of Event Promotion 4 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Collaborate internally with sales team and executives to identify ideal attendees. Determine advertising strategy: invitations, print ads, social media, email, other. If using invitations, build the guest list and design invitations. If you require an RSVP, have a follow-up plan to ensure attendance. Make sure that accepting an invitation is as simple as possible. Provide all event details in your promotional material: time, place, duration, transportation, etc. Maximize the number of impressions you get. Have the impressions you get represent your brand well. Capture significant "impressions" as leads Executing an Event Marketing Plan When it comes to event planning, the promotion strategy deserves special attention. You can tend to all other details ofevent planning, but if you don't promote your event properly, it can easily fail. This section will cover three steps of event promotion. Impressions are valuable opportunities to create and build relationships with potential leads. Make sure your presence at an event takes full advantage of these opportunities. Promote your presence prior to a trade show by incorporating the following activities into your promotional strategy: Before you kick-off your upcoming event, follow the steps below to help increase attendance: If your objective is to obtain impressions (encounters with attendees/leads), your goal is to: Pre-Event Marketing and Promotion for Tradeshows Pre-Event Marketing for Events you Produce At Event Promotion Promote your attendance via your website, blog, eNewsletter, and social media channels. Obtain registration lists from show organizers and develop pre-event communications to attendees such as direct mail, email, or both. Help attendees qualify themselves in your communications by positioning your company or featured solution. Indicate your booth number or location and provide an incentive for people to visit ("register to win", "stop by to pick up swag," "see a demo" etc.). Key Steps of Event Promotion

5. 5 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Executing an Event Marketing Plan A successful event is a product of meticulous planning and flawless execution. The more care and effort invested in planning, the easier the event is to execute, and the more likely it is to succeed. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind. Anyone who has managed an event will tell you that if something is likely to go wrong, it will. For this reason, best practices for managing event execution include: Events usually require the participation of internal and external stakeholders. A few tips for managing participants include: Focus on details Manage the participants Work your Plan — check and double-check your plan, then work from it. Clarify Roles — make sure that everyone who has a role understands their specific responsibilities. Anticipate Problems — expect the unexpected. Come up with a plan of action for potential problems or issues so you're ready to deal with them quickly and efficiently, and avoid any disruption during the event. Set Expectations — In addition to clarifying roles, communicate exactly what is expected from every participant, and get acknowledgement of acceptance and under- standing. Send Reminders — Don't assume that participants will remember their role. Communi- cate their responsibilities and confirm their commitment before the event. Be Specific — make no assumptions. Any aspect of your plan that lacks sufficient detail risks being misinterpreted and executed incorrectly. Show Up Early — give yourself plenty of problem resolution time. Communicate Proactively - communicate with everyone involved to ensure roles and responsibilities are well understood. Essentials To Successful Event Execution 5 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Executing an Event Marketing Plan A successful event is a product of meticulous planning and flawless execution. The more care and effort invested in planning, the easier the event is to execute, and the more likely it is to succeed. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind. Anyone who has managed an event will tell you that if something is likely to go wrong, it will. For this reason, best practices for managing event execution include: Events usually require the participation of internal and external stakeholders. A few tips for managing participants include: Focus on details Manage the participants Work your Plan — check and double-check your plan, then work from it. Clarify Roles — make sure that everyone who has a role understands their specific responsibilities. Anticipate Problems — expect the unexpected. Come up with a plan of action for potential problems or issues so you're ready to deal with them quickly and efficiently, and avoid any disruption during the event. Set Expectations — In addition to clarifying roles, communicate exactly what is expected from every participant, and get acknowledgement of acceptance and under- standing. Send Reminders — Don't assume that participants will remember their role. Communi- cate their responsibilities and confirm their commitment before the event. Be Specific — make no assumptions. Any aspect of your plan that lacks sufficient detail risks being misinterpreted and executed incorrectly. Show Up Early — give yourself plenty of problem resolution time. Communicate Proactively - communicate with everyone involved to ensure roles and responsibilities are well understood. Essentials To Successful Event Execution

6. 6 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Malfunctioning demo technology Speaker/presenter no-show Inclement weather Booth display or materials fail to arrive at show site Flight delays or cancellations Executing an Event Marketing Plan Consider "worst case senarios" and have a contingency plan for each one. Examples to consider: Plan for contingencies Events can have a large impact on your brand's overall perception. By outlining every detail of your event(s), advertising your presence, and executing your event(s) flawlessly; attendees will take away, at a minimum, a positive experience associated with your brand and company. Potential clients and partners will remember those positive experiences when considering doing business with your company in the future. Bottom Line 6 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide HOW-TO GUIDE Malfunctioning demo technology Speaker/presenter no-show Inclement weather Booth display or materials fail to arrive at show site Flight delays or cancellations Executing an Event Marketing Plan Consider "worst case senarios" and have a contingency plan for each one. Examples to consider: Plan for contingencies Events can have a large impact on your brand's overall perception. By outlining every detail of your event(s), advertising your presence, and executing your event(s) flawlessly; attendees will take away, at a minimum, a positive experience associated with your brand and company. Potential clients and partners will remember those positive experiences when considering doing business with your company in the future. Bottom Line

7. 7 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 Begin the Planning Process Promotion Execute and Attend Evaluate and Measure the Results Work with your team to plan for tradeshows, conferences, webinars, or any other events you are planning to attend or host. Action Plan STEP 1 - Begin the Planning Process Leverage Our Playbooks for Every Event A few tools that may assist you in the planning process: our Webinar Program Playbook and Event Marketing Playbook. Webinar Program Playbook V I E W R E S O U R C E 7 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 Begin the Planning Process Promotion Execute and Attend Evaluate and Measure the Results Work with your team to plan for tradeshows, conferences, webinars, or any other events you are planning to attend or host. Action Plan STEP 1 - Begin the Planning Process Leverage Our Playbooks for Every Event A few tools that may assist you in the planning process: our Webinar Program Playbook and Event Marketing Playbook. Webinar Program Playbook V I E W R E S O U R C E

8. 8 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 Begin the Planning Process Promotion Advertise your events to ensure you get enough attendees to justify the investment in your tradeshow, conference, and/or webinar. Action Plan STEP 2 - Promotion Execute and Attend Evaluate and Measure the Results Advertise Right with the Marketing Calendar Template V I E W R E S O U R C E Marketing Calendar Template 8 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 Begin the Planning Process Promotion Advertise your events to ensure you get enough attendees to justify the investment in your tradeshow, conference, and/or webinar. Action Plan STEP 2 - Promotion Execute and Attend Evaluate and Measure the Results Advertise Right with the Marketing Calendar Template V I E W R E S O U R C E Marketing Calendar Template

9. 9 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 Execute and Attend Now that your planning and promotion stages are complete, you can attend your events and ensure everything runs smoothly. Action Plan STEP 3 - Execute and Attend Begin the Planning Process Promotion Evaluate and Measure the Results Leverage the Event Marketing Checklist Event Marketing Checklists V I E W R E S O U R C E 9 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 Execute and Attend Now that your planning and promotion stages are complete, you can attend your events and ensure everything runs smoothly. Action Plan STEP 3 - Execute and Attend Begin the Planning Process Promotion Evaluate and Measure the Results Leverage the Event Marketing Checklist Event Marketing Checklists V I E W R E S O U R C E

10. . 10 Executing an Event Marketing Plan How-to Guide 1 2 3 4 Evaluate and Measure the Results Action Plan STEP 4 - Evaluate and Measure The Results Begin the Planning Process Promotion Execute and Attend Event Results Are Clearest with These Event Dashboards Our Key Marketing Metrics Dashboard will help you track and assess the results from all of your event marketing efforts. V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Key Marketing Metrics Dashboard Event Marketing Metrics Dashboard

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