Nothing makes a statement with quite the same grandeur as an event that seers itself on the memory of your clients and investors.
Ecommerce is a vastly diverse and intriguing line of work that entices countless recruits to its ranks every day.
Standing out can be difficult, but essential to make natural waves with your business.
Event marketing can be one of the very best ways to do this. Even if you have not thrown an event before, or you are only a fledgling company yet to make its big break, do not panic, events can be fun and hugely rewarding if you do them right, no matter how small or large your company happens to be.
Restrictions and health concerns are still massive issues in today’s climate, and convincing people to attend an event amid a pandemic is not always the easiest or safest route.
This is where the digital world comes into play. No matter how you decide to do it in the end, as long as you keep your goals in sight and find the perfect tone to set your event, you should be fine.
Here are some tips to help you throw the perfect ecommerce event to attract new clients and investors.
Make it Accessible
No matter how you decide to set up your event, be it virtual, in-person, or a hybrid mix of the two, any live content you present needs to be accessible.
For example, people should not be left out of the action just because they cannot benefit from audio. People who depend on a wheelchair to move around should not be prevented from entering your event just because of poor accessibility options.
By using the right tools, you can make sure that everyone can benefit from your event, no matter their situation and ability.
You could also think about introducing live captioning for events, an excellent real-time captioning service that can help ensure everyone benefits from your live content. Whether this is a virtual meeting, a presentation, a course, or countless other live iterations, making sure your audience can engage with your content in the first place is essential.
Set the Tone
What kind of company are you trying to present yourself as? This is a fundamental question when planning the event, as it will likely inform everything from your entertainment and food and drink to your venue and music selection.
Do you want to be an excellent and sophisticated company that emanates a sense of elegance? Perhaps you want to be a fun and carefree company that showcases event attendees with candy. Maybe you want to go for a mix of both, but whatever you choose, remember to keep your goals in plain view.
For example, if you want to convince new clients that you are the professionals to turn to for services, you might not want to make your event look too much like a night out on the town.
- A little detail can go a long way – people tend to notice even the most minor personalized information regarding events. It shows commitment, passion, and class, so do not write off those customized napkins if you can afford them.
Choose the Venue
Now you know what kind of tone you want the event to take, it is time to choose a venue. This may also influence your party’s style, especially if you ditch the physical world for an online event.
It is worth mentioning that virtual events have come a long way in recent years – they no longer have to be confined to the standard video conference setup, especially when you consider the possibility of using avatar-based event platforms.
If you are going for a real-world venue, be sure to check out their accessibility options, their COVID safety policy, and of course, the price.
The ideal venue should reflect what your brand is all about. For example, say you were an ecommerce company selling marine equipment; why not rent a marina or a boat to hold your event?
If you are a small local business that sells local produce online, why not invite other local companies to join your event and help you host it? This might be a perfect way to form business partnerships while cutting costs and doubling your resources.
- It is worth noting that depending on what you want to achieve with your event, your venue might need to be slightly more accessible and local, particularly if you want to engage with as much of your audience as possible.
Get the Right People on Board
If you are not a natural event planner yourself, or even if you are, hiring a professional to help you take care of everything could be one of the best ways to go.
This can be expensive, however, and there is nothing to stop you from doing it yourself or with your employees, but whatever you decide to do, make sure that you surround yourself with the right people.
This means enlisting the help of those who are committed to making the event work, are interested in your company’s success, and know how to make their event goals materialize.
- Events can be immensely stressful to plan – anyone that has ever thrown a house party will likely be aware of the stress and anxiety that comes with it, except this time, there is much more on the line. Making sure you have the right team with you can help eliminate some of this stress and stay on your top game, avoiding burnout and driving your event toward success.
Stick to the Budget
If you break the budget and go way overboard, there is no guarantee that your efforts in event marketing will pay off quickly enough for it to be worth it.
Sticking to the budget and only spending what you know you can afford is an excellent way to keep your goals in sight and not become too hung up on other event elements.
For example, say you wanted to create a chilled-out atmosphere and create a space for your customers and clients to ask you and your employees questions – you do not need to hire a DJ to help you with this; make a playlist beforehand, plug your device into the PA and save yourself one thousand dollars!
Market Your Event
If no one turns up at your event, you have probably wasted a fair amount of money. In this regard, marketing your event is one of the essential parts of the whole process.
For people to show up, they need to have heard about your event, and they will struggle to hear about it if you put very little time into marketing.
This can be tricky, as the marketing needs to reflect the event’s tone. It should perfectly capture what your event is about, from its aesthetic to its tone.
It should sufficiently outline its goals and purpose, too – is it a networking event? Is it a product launch party? What can the attendees expect to get out of attending? Will there be a bounce house? Food and drink?
People like to know what they are signing up for. Otherwise, they might have a hard time committing.
Conversely, if you wanted to create an enigmatic sense of mystery and wonder, this might also work as long as it reflects your brand.
Here are some fundamentals to keep your eye out for when you market your event:
- Use Social Media – An event that makes the rounds on social media and gains traction can snowball into a highly desirable occasion in no time, so use your social media accounts to the best of your ability.
- Create Content – Content that shows off your event or indirectly promotes it in some way can be a tremendous leveraging tool. You can also use this content to start a conversation online with your social media campaign.
- Dedicate an Area of Your Website to the Event – If people can easily access your event via your website, you may be able to grow interested a little faster. It might even be a good idea to purchase a temporary domain and set up a site for your event.
- Word of Mouth – News of a good event spreads like wildfire, so don’t underestimate the value of word-of-mouth marketing.
Google Ads For Events
Google Ads for events makes it easy to target potential attendees in your area—or even around the world! You can specify criteria such as location, age, gender, interests, and more so that your ad only reaches people who are likely to be interested in attending your event. This helps ensure you don’t waste money on ads that won’t result in ticket sales. Another great benefit of using Google Ads is that it offers detailed analytics so that you can measure the success of each campaign and adjust accordingly.
Ultimately, the success of your event will depend at least somewhat on your ability to market it correctly. Still, if you stick to the plan and have some unique ideas, your prospective customers should come rolling in.
