subject: The Significance of Branded Events to Your Business [print this page] The Significance of Branded Events to Your Business
Why should branded events matter to you? They can help get your company's name out there, that's why you should make them a part of your marketing plan. Branded events allow your guests to learn about your company through a non-conventional and exciting way. These days, it isn't enough to simply advertise and send out direct mail. Neither is launching an internet marketing campaign, unless you have some kind of an event to support it.
What exactly goes on during a branded event? A branded event can be anything you make it it can be a basketball game, a charity ball, or a new product launching. Promoting your business isn't all about placing your products on counters so that people can browse around and look at what you have to offer. If you've ever watched the Super Bowl or the Final Four series, you've most likely noticed the banners around the arena and the television ads that promote the events' sponsors. These are examples of branded events they don't call for much planning, but they do require an investment.
Every business has a marketing budget, which may have allocations for traditional advertising, online marketing, sponsorships, conferences, and so on. There are several ways to market one's business, and you have to determine which you can and which you cannot afford. You have to evaluate what works and what doesn't in your marketing plan, so you can get rid of the ineffective and replace it with something else that is more effective. This is how you can free up part of your budget to host or participate in a branded event.
Your budget will also direct your planning. Obviously, its size will mean the difference between the expensive catering and the more affordable option; it will determine if you can hire the $800 per hour DJ or the one who charges $200 per hour. There are alternatives to everything, so you can cut corners if necessary in order to fund the areas of your event that are really important.
The work begins from the very moment the thought of hosting a branded event enters your mind. For your idea to become a reality, you will have to organize everything, from the venue and the catering to the music and the decor. Of course, you also have to decide how you're going to display your product.
As for guest speakers, do you want to have celebrity guests? If so, you need to come up with an itinerary first so your celebrity guests will know what they will be committing to. Since they are busy people, you should have everything already prepared before you invite them.
To make your branded event a success, be sure to ask yourself these questions:
Who are my customers?
What are their main characteristics?
What sets them apart from other people?
What do they want and need?
Why do they buy?
What do they want my product to do for them?
How do they perceive my brand?
Once these questions have been answered, you will be able to plan your event better. If you don't know some of the answers, you can look for existing market research on the internet or better yet, ask your customers yourself. Conduct polls to find out what they really think. From there, you can plan your event or sponsor one. The latter needs less planning and may be more economically feasible for your business, but both are great ways for your company to gain more exposure.
