Hosting an event is always an exciting time! It’s a great opportunity to provide a valuable experience to your attendees while also showing off your brand. The question is, how do you promote your organization’s brand effectively?
This is where the importance of branding really comes into play. So, what is branding exactly? Branding is using different elements of your organization (i.e. colors, values, slogans, etc) to create and promote one cohesive brand that represents your company. When people see one of these elements, they should instantly think of your organization.
Branding is a strategy that you should always have at the back of your mind, especially when hosting events. This can be tricky sometimes, but luckily, we have three tips to keep in mind when you’re branding your next event!
1. Keep Your Volunteers in the Loop
Events need lots of hardworking volunteers to keep everything running smoothly and on schedule. And volunteers are one of the first faces attendees see when they arrive at your event. First impressions do matter!
You want your brand to be represented well and that includes event volunteers. To accomplish this, talk and communicate to your volunteers before and during the event. Is there a specific branded shirt they should be wearing for the event? Certain messaging and tone they should be using? Maybe specific activities they should encourage attendees to go to? All of these are important concepts to keep in mind before your event and when undergoing pre-event training with volunteers.
2. Social Media is Key
In the digital age that we live in today, social media is one of the easiest ways to market your company and/or event. It’s a great platform to promote your brand while also showing off all of the fun your attendees are having at your event! When posting on social media during your event, you want the posts to be slightly different, yet still have some consistency within your branding. How can you accomplish this?
When posting, use wording that’s consistent with the tone of your brand. Going along with this, create one event hashtag, use it consistently and promote it to your attendees to use too! Also, create branding opportunities at the event to show off on social media. For example, create a background for attendees to pose in front of that showcase your brand/event logo and colors! Then encourage attendees to post their picture on social media, showing off your brand image and the fun they are having at YOUR event! Best of both worlds!
3. Use Every Opportunity to SHOWCASE Your Brand
A company event is an opportunity to show off your brand in every way possible. Every aspect of the event should showcase the organization in one way, shape or form. The sky’s the limit on all the different ways you can do this: use it to your advantage! Get your own conference event app. Incorporate the company logo onto event materials you distribute to guests. Hand out swag that includes your brand’s colors or slogan! Offer activities and networking opportunities that directly relate to some of your values!
An event is a prime branding opportunity, so don’t waste it! Try to use every branding opportunity you can (tastefully, of course!), so that after the event, attendees have a strong image of what your brand represents and they leave feeling a sense of that. That’s what branding is all about!
Branding is simultaneously becoming easier and harder right now with all of the digital avenues for brand promotion. Use branding at your events to set your organization apart in a more physical, personal way. The better and more thorough your branding, the more your company will stand out from the rest and be memorable to your preferred audience. Our guide, Event Marketing: Promotional Tactics to Amplify Attendance, includes marketing tips to help market your brand. Check it out below!
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