Event Marketing Now: 5 Ways an In-Person Event Can Spread Your Message

Is your business considering easing back into in-person events? Recently our MSP marketing clients, Entech and Intrust IT, pulled off their first live events since much of the world shifted to virtual meetings and remote work. Read on to learn how event marketing can contribute to your business while having some old-fashioned fun. 

1. Thank Loyal Customers for Their Patronage

In-person events are a ripe opportunity to thank clients for working with you. Treating customers to food and drink goes a long way when nurturing business relationships. Plus, meeting face-to-face can be beneficial for both your clients and your team. At Intrust IT’s 30 year anniversary party, employees met with company reps – many of whom they had only interacted with remotely. Plus, a portion of Intrust’s own team were meeting for the first time in-person. We suggest providing name tags to break the ice!

2. Show Prospective Clients Your Capabilities 

Dust off those bookshelves: In-person events can immerse clients in your environment to get a sense of your company culture. Prospective customers should tour your offices, meet with staff and feel out what it would be like to work with you. Be sure to show off what makes your company unique. For example, Intrust IT is studded with personality: Their workspace features  beloved action figures, whimsical artwork, a popcorn machine and framed photographs of the team. It was an ideal backdrop for their anniversary celebration and allowed clients to feel like a part of their home base. 

Also, an office tour can highlight any technology or resources your team uses to resolve daily problems. Backup servers, tech inventories, meeting rooms etc. are all examples of your company’s capabilities and strengths.

3. Share Industry News and Your Expertise 

Another client of BigOrange, Entech, hosted an in-person lunch to educate nonprofits on Microsoft Cloud advantages. Their Taco Tech Tuesday lunch and learn covered:

• Simple ways to manage volunteers.
• Protection of sensitive donor information.
• Cost effective technology solutions nonprofits deserve.
• Streamlined operations and activities.
• And more. 

Presenting your expertise on industry trends gives you the opportunity to forge relationships and show what you have to offer. Specifically, Entech’s lunch event helped nonprofits learn to work more efficiently, save money, save time and protect sensitive data. For those who couldn’t join the event in person, Entech offered a free webinar the following day. 

4. Capture Dynamic Images of Your Team

During an event, snap photos or videos of your team in action and interacting with clients. Hire a professional so you’re not worrying about missing any key moments. With event marketing, candid pictures are a great asset for your website and on social media. We have found that social posts that include authentic photos of people generate a higher engagement. Another idea to consider at events is conducting video interviews with clients. At the anniversary party, BigOrange asked Intrust employees and customers what they love about the IT company. It was a fun ice-breaker activity and created amazing testimonials for Intrust’s website.

5. Make a Bigger Impact In Person

After working from home for two years, an in-person event can make a powerful impact. Creating space to eat, chat and learn together creates an increasingly poignant face-to-face connection with your employees and clients. We’ve provided a few ideas below to consider for your next in-person event: 

• A team building event
• Product launch 
• Year end party
• Free workshops or courses
• Networking events
• Off-site team meeting

Curious about other ways to grow your company with event marketing or other inbound marketing strategies? Our team specializes in marketing roadmaps. We do this by crafting your brand messaging around the customer, making  them  the hero of the story. Book a meeting to learn more. Get live updates on our upcoming events over on the BigOrange Facebook page.