Event Promotion, Marketing Strategy, Social Media Marketing, Website Design

Event Promotion and Strategy Part 2: Customer Appreciation Events

Why hold a Customer Appreciation Event?

Customer Appreciation Events are a fantastic way to retain business, impress new clients, and thank loyal customers. Just like other marketing events, a successful appreciation party requires smart planning and agile coordination.

Your event should be a celebration of your business and its clientele. It’s not a time to up-sell clients or pre-sell a new product. An exceptional event will solidify your relationship with your customer base, and it will remind them why they do business with your company in the first place.

How can I create a memorable event?

Planning – Start planning your event at least three months before the event date.

  • Define your goals and ask yourself why you are having the event. Will you be celebrating a holiday, a business milestone, or making a big announcement? Even though you are thanking clients, it helps to plan the event around a secondary theme or cause – charitable or not.
  • Find collaborators – either professional or within your organization – to help you coordinate every detail.
  • Set a budget and the date.
  • Hire a professional photographer and videographer.
  • Decide on whether or not you would like to bring sponsors into the mix to augment prizes and giveaways.
  • Select the venue, caterer, and decorator (if necessary).
  • Choose what role you want your employees to play. Will they mingle with the guests or will they serve as hosts?

Advertising – If no one shows up, the event will be a bust.

  • Prepare the guest list. If you can afford it, ask clients to invite friends. Inviting suppliers may also be astute; they will sing your praises as they mingle with guests.
  • Hire a skilled company to design your invitations. We recommend sending both printed online invites point guests to a link on your website to RSVP.
  • Send out reminders for the event – at least two – so that no one forgets.
  • Design giveaways and thank-you gifts that are cohesive with your business and branding.
  • Send out thank-you notes after the event to show your appreciation.

Flow – Even the best venue can have bottlenecks when it comes to moving clients throughout the experience you have planned for them.

  • Make sure that every person encounters the event in a way that makes sense and targets special places.
  • Put gifts and other marketing materials in spots that are visible and easily accessible.

Entertainment – Most venues don’t come with their own entertainment. When hiring an act, make sure that you keep your client demographic in mind.

  • Think outside the box. Customers have different tastes in music, so it’s often best to find another method of entertainment. Consider wine or beer tastings, scavenger hunts, carnival games, or a movie night.

Tracking – If you want to know if your event is successful, you have to set up a way to track its return on investment (ROI).

  • Require RSVPs. If you don’t know who is coming, then it will be impossible to judge your ROI.
  • See how sales stack up with guests who attended the event every quarter versus those who didn’t.
  • Record new customers that stemmed from friends brought to the event or through referrals of attendees.

Customer Appreciation Events are an integral part of every marketing strategy. Just be sure to make a good impression! Bad events can turn customers away just as easily as good ones can make clients loyal for life.

Checkout the 30th Anniversary customer appreciation event we helps to organize and promote for Sunrise Landscape + Design … it was a lot of fun!

Branding, Event Promotion, Marketing Strategy

Event Promotion and Strategy Part 1: Trade Shows

Trade shows are an excellent way to market your business.

Why trade shows?

Trade Show Booth that conveys technology and data security, marketing strategiesAudience – There may be no better way to reach your target audience than at a trade show. Your customer base comes to you; they are tailored to bring in a specific set of people.
Impact – Trade shows allow you to make a first impression on a lot of prospects at one time. If you do it right, you will be able to make a lasting impact on potential customers … far greater than what a flyer or postcard could accomplish.
Credibility – Your trade show booth is a representation of your company as a whole. Being able to show that you are a qualified, legitimate business in person is much more influential than anything a customer may see online or in the mail.
Leads – There is no better way to get high-quality leads than at an event that is focused on your business niche.
Networking & Investigating – Trade shows are a great way to meet other players in your industry and develop professional relationships. On the flip side, it is also a great way to see what your competitors are doing.

Here’s what you need to create a successful trade show booth

Not only are they great at reaching a particular group of people, but they can leave a lasting impression. One crucial element to a successful trade show endeavor is your booth – you want that first impression of your business to be a great one.

Theme & Design – Booths designs need to be purposeful and cohesive. Ask yourself:

  • Does the design reflect my business?
  • Does the design fit the event?

Marketing Hook – It’s important to figure out how you are going to draw people into your booth as you are designing it. Ask yourself:

  • What would my customers be interested in that also represents my business?
  • What can bring customers to see me versus my competitors?

Booth Flow/Design Implementation – Once you have chosen a hook and an overall theme, consider how you want people to flow through your space. Ask yourself:

  • How should I prioritize my information?
  • How do I ensure the flow?

Media – Using different types of media in your booth will garner much-needed interest. Ask yourself:

  • What can I do to set myself apart from other booths?
  • Are there any restraints on the technology I can use?

Giveaways – Giveaways are a critical component to every trade show. Even if someone doesn’t need your service or product at the time of the show, your giveaway may sit on their desk until a day when they do need it. Ask yourself:

  • What type of product would my audience be interested in?
  • What type of product represents my competitive advantage in the marketplace?

Positive People – It may seem simple, but having upbeat, friendly employees at your booth can be the difference between a successful event and a failed one. Ask yourself:

  • Are my employees attentive and welcoming?
  • Have they dressed appropriately?
  • Are they knowledgeable?

Don’t be overwhelmed by all the details. Hire a professional marketing company to help you plan out your booth, produce promotional items, and design marketing materials. Trade shows are an invaluable way to reach potentials clients, so start taking advantage of them now.

Conveyance Marketing Group is a marketing and web development company with a passion for delivering strategic, sustainable and affordable marketing and web solutions to start-ups and small businesses. Our service offerings include video, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), inbound marketing, graphic design, logo design, advertising and web design. Our creativity is limitless, let us help accelerate the growth of your company! Contact us today for more information on how we can help you.