There are a lot of moving parts that go into planning a corporate event. Each step is just as important as the next when it comes to ensuring everything goes off without a hitch. But, in the hustle and bustle, some event planners overlook what happens after the event is over. When the last drink is served, the last parting gift has been given, the doors are shut and the lights go out. Then what? Wouldn’t it be great if the purpose of your event spread beyond the day or days it took place?
Your Event Activation event has an important purpose: brand awareness. Surely by the time your event is over, you will have achieved that with the people in attendance. But how do you stay at the top of their mind? Make them want to tell their friends and family about you? The following strategies can help exponentially improve the effects of brand awareness at your event activation.
Event Activation Brand Awareness Gallery
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Photo Booths – What do people love more these days than photos of themselves? Give guests something to share after the event by providing a photo booth. This could be a paid photography service or a modern booth that includes digital and printed takeaways. Be sure to include your logo or event name on each photo for maximum brand awareness.
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Charitable Involvement – Doing something good can make a real mark on people. Associate your brand with this impact and it’s a win-win. Charitable activities are also very shareable as people love to promote the ways in which they are doing good in the world.
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Swag – “Stuff we all get” can have a good or bad connotation. That’s why it’s important to only use high quality giveaways that are actually practical and usable. In other words, don’t go cheap or it will end up in the trash and that is not where you want your branded items. Swag that is actually used increases how many eyes are seeing your brand. We’ve put together a list of event gift bag ideas that may spark some inspiration.
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Freebies and Samples – Different than Swag, these allow guests to sample a piece of your brand. For example, if you’re Tide and are releasing a new laundry detergent, provide a free sample size with an information card. Use of your products later on will improve brand awareness, give them a chance to try what’s new, and encourage them to think of the event with each use.
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Encourage App Downloads – If you have an app, make it your goal to get downloads at your event. This is a way people can continue to engage with you on their mobile device for some time to come.
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Immersive Campaigns – Creating immersive experiences coupled with a hashtag does two things: gets people’s buy in and gets them to share it.
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Capture Emails – Some event apps to do this for you, but sometimes all you need is a pen and a pad of paper. However you do it, be sure to collect the emails of engaged attendees so that you can share your message with them down the road.
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Post-Event Survey – A post-event survey is not only a way to get feedback, but also to get your brand in front of the attendee again. There are several survey creating services online that allow you to tailor questions based on the information you’re trying to glean.
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Personalization – Whether you’re a makeup company offering to tailor a makeover to a particular skin type, or Coca Cola with its custom “share a Coke” campaign, personalized offerings get remembered.
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Retargeting – Set a cookie for everyone who visited your website or app during the event, and then create a retargeting campaign to engage them for 30, 60 or even 90 days after the event.
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Event-Only Offers – Entice guests with specials and deals that are only available if they attend the event. This will help drum up interest in your brand and get people to try your products or services, leading to more word of mouth.
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Provide Great Entertainment – Every Brand Activation should have some draw for attendees. This could be as simple as the strategies above but could also mean hiring a top notch entertainer. Something that really “wow’s” attendees is likely to be shared on social media and remembered for a lifetime.
The goal of any brand event, but especially a brand activation, is to create brand awareness. Using these brand awareness strategies at your next event activation will make it easy for your guests to remember you. They’ll have a good impression of your brand and will not only turn to you for their needs, they’ll recommend you to others.