Leverage the Power of Events to Elevate Your Communication Strategy
In today’s digital world, it is more important than ever for brands to have a strong communication strategy to stay ahead of the competition. However, with so many channels available to connect with customers, it can be challenging to where to stand out and capture their attention. It’s crucial for brands to keep innovating their communication strategy to find new ways to engage. And one of the most powerful ways to do that is by leveraging the power of events.
Live events offer a unique opportunity to connect directly with your target market to create memorable experiences that build brand loyalty and advocacy. Whether it’s a conference, trade show, product launch, or customer appreciation event, events can be a game-changer for your communication strategy.
Our experience as an event agency has demonstrated the power that events can bring to your communication strategy. We’ve seen the impact up close, across over 300 events that we’ve produced for over 100 clients in the past 3 years. Here, we’ll share the 3 main takeaways of why live events are such a valuable tool to strengthen your communication strategy.
Events create emotional touchpoints.
One of the most powerful benefits of live events is their unmatched ability to create emotional touchpoints with your audience. Events uniquely transport attendees into your brand’s universe. There, you can immerse them in an experience that connects them with your values and mission on a more personal level. This is something that cannot be replicated through other marketing channels. The lasting impressions created through these experiences make events such a valuable tool for building relationships with customers.
When planning an event, even the smallest details are important. Every aspect of the experience should be designed to show attendees that you value them. This includes everything from the venue selection and decor to the catering, entertainment, and swag bags. By creating a cohesive and engaging experience, you’ll make attendees feel like they are part of something special, and they’ll be more likely to remember your brand and share their positive experiences with others.
Ultimately, the emotional connections that events create is incredibly valuable for brands. By providing an experience that speaks to your customer’s needs and desires, you’ll create impressions that drive loyalty and advocacy. By paying attention to the details and creating opportunities for personal connections, you’ll show your customers that you value them and their experiences. So if you’re looking for a way to take your communication strategy to the next level, consider leveraging the power of events to create emotional touchpoints with your audience.
Events Help You Reach New Target Groups
In addition to creating emotional touchpoints with your existing customers, events can also be a powerful tool to reach new target groups and connect with potential customers in new and meaningful ways. The announcement of a new event creates a valuable opportunity for marketing, and the event itself becomes a new venue and destination for brands to attract new audiences. No matter their location, in-person, hybrid, or digital, events allow brands to extend their presence, either physically or virtually, to create new touchpoints to connect with their stakeholders.
One of the advantages of digital elements in events is that they allow you to reach people who may not be able to attend in person. Whether it’s due to physical distance, financial constraints, or other factors, there are many people who would love to attend your event but can’t. By incorporating digital elements, such as live-streaming, virtual booths, or interactive online sessions, you can make your event accessible to a wider audience and create new ways to engage with potential customers.
Once your event is made accessible, you can then engage your audience through new and innovative ways, designed specifically for these target groups. For example, by using gamification, social media contests, or other interactive elements, you can encourage attendees to engage with your brand in fun and exciting ways. This can help create buzz and excitement around your event, attract new customers, and build brand awareness. By incorporating digital elements and creating new and innovative ways to engage with your audience, you can create a memorable experience that drives loyalty, advocacy, and brand awareness. So don’t be afraid to get creative and explore new ways to leverage the power of events in your communication strategy.
Support your 365° communication with event content
Events can also be a powerful way to generate valuable content in support of a comprehensive 365° communication strategy. The many emotional touchpoints and content created at events can be used to engage with your audience long after the event is over.
Well-designed events provide a wealth of content opportunities, often many more than participants can take part in during the event itself. Creative marketers can transform past keynote presentations, panel discussions as well as live demonstrations and behind-the-scenes footage into valuable material to support ongoing communication efforts. By recording your event content, you can recycle and share it with your audience on a variety of channels at a later date.
Producing regular video content in support of a 365° communication strategy can be expensive and challenging to produce. However, by repurposing your event content into blog posts, social media updates, and email newsletters, you can provide extra value to the event itself. Get creative with your recorded material by featuring highlights from the event, edited clips of keynote speeches and panel discussions, as well as behind-the-scenes footage to give your audience a glimpse into your brand’s culture and values. Each of these types of material allows the event to live on and become more impactful, refreshing attendees’ memories, or creating a sense of “FOMO” for your next event in those that were unable to attend.
By generating content from your events, you can also create a sense of continuity and momentum in your communication strategy. It helps you to remind your audience of your brand’s expertise and thought leadership, keeping their engagement over time.
This way, events become valuable creators of content at the heart of any successful 365° communication strategy. By capturing and sharing these unique touchpoints, you can engage with your audience long after the event is over, build emotional connections and establish your brand as a thought leader and trusted source of information and inspiration.
The bottom Line
In conclusion, live events are a powerful tool that can significantly strengthen your communication strategy. By leveraging the unique benefits of events, brands can create emotional touchpoints with their audience, reach new target groups, and generate valuable content to support a comprehensive 365° communication strategy.
The ability of events to create emotional touchpoints is unparalleled. Through immersive experiences, brands can connect with their audience on a personal level, fostering a sense of loyalty and advocacy. Every detail of the event, from venue selection to entertainment and swag bags, should be designed to show attendees that they are valued.
Moreover, events offer a valuable opportunity to reach new target groups and connect with potential customers. Whether through in-person, hybrid, or digital formats, events serve as a new venue and destination for brands to attract new audiences. Digital elements in events can expand reach, allowing people who may not be able to attend in person to engage virtually. By incorporating live-streaming, virtual booths, or interactive online sessions, brands can create new touchpoints and innovative ways to engage with a wider audience
Furthermore, events provide abundant content opportunities that can support ongoing communication efforts. Keynote presentations, panel discussions, live demonstrations, and behind-the-scenes footage can be repurposed into valuable material for blog posts, social media updates, and email newsletters. By recycling event content, brands can provide additional value to the audience, reinforcing the event’s impact and creating a sense of continuity and momentum in the communication strategy.
In a world where capturing attention and standing out is a challenge, events offer a powerful solution. They enable brands to create emotional connections, reach new audiences, and generate valuable content that resonates with their target market. By embracing the power of events in your communication strategy, you can elevate your brand’s presence, drive loyalty and advocacy, and establish your position as a trusted source of information and inspiration. So, take the leap and leverage the power of events to transform your communication strategy and achieve remarkable results. And if you need any advice on how to get started, don’t hesitate to reach out to us, we can help!
Written by:
Clélia Morlot
PIRATEx Digital Marketing Manager