Does Events Marketing Actually Work?

Events marketing is used by a lot of companies as a way to raise brand awareness and attract more customers. But with so many businesses now using events marketing, can it be effective for you?

The digital revolution has massively changed how people do business, but there's still value in face-to-face networking, which is why industry events can be hugely successful for companies of all sizes. However, there are certain things you can do to ensure you get the most out of your events marketing.

A key part of your wider strategy

Research has shown that consumers are likely to repurchase a product they've seen at an event after their first purchase. However, a key element of this success is understanding what your consumers want and using the event to showcase it to them.

Events can be a fantastic way to boost your brand, but it's important that you consider how each one fits into your wider marketing strategy. Attending every event that comes your way could undermine your authority, and waste your time and money. Looking at how each date in your work calendar aligns with your other marketing goals will also help you to identify the potential consumer opportunities.

Collect data

On average, large signature events generate 1,398,359 mentions on social media, meaning the potential for exposure and engagement is huge. However, you need to be able to measure whether this is turning into leads or not and many marketers cite this as a key problem.

Ensuring you have the right marketing analytics in place before your event is a key step towards determining whether it's been a worthwhile pursuit for your business. Although many marketers don't use them, new referrals, quality of leads, deal closure, value of sales, and cross-sell/upsell opportunities can all be used to measure ROI after an event.

Connect with consumers

Research has shown that consumers value face-to-face interactions with companies and events can provide you with the perfect opportunity. The same figures show that, even in the digital age where online branding is essential for companies, the value of human interactions is only increasing.

However, like other marketing efforts, you need to make sure you and your team are prepared to deal with questions and queries about your company or service. Events give people the freedom to initiate a conversation with whoever they want, but a lack of knowledge or confidence in a certain area could jeopardize this engagement.

More than two-thirds of B2B marketers consider in-person events effective so it's wise for you to invest in them and reap the benefits.