Online Event Marketing Strategies

• Placing a sales message in front of a qualified prospect is always a marketing goal. one way to accomplish this is through event marketing, in which a company is associated with a special event. this can work well when the company products closely tie in with the event. the key to this strategy is finding or creating an event that opens prospects minds to the marketing message.

Traditionally marketers have thought event marketing as sponsoring a sporting event, industry conference, or even special cause or project, here is these efforts can be translated online;

• Advertise on a site associated with a major event. take a look at what sort of advertising you could do that would tie in with an upcoming sporting event. for example ,the kentucky derby web site offers several advertising opportunities for companies

• Sponsor an organizations online event. sponsoring an event that is closely related to your product or company has advantage of being seen as helping make an event or activity possible. this could be a community-service project that includes an informational web site.

• Donate to a nonprofits auction. fund-raising activities help many nonprofit organizations and donations from businesses provide many of the products sold through auctions.

Online Event Marketing Strategies

• Tie into a product. Dole, the fruit and vegetable company, has a product tie-in promotion with the zany brainy chain of toy stores and e-commerce web site. this association helps consumers see dole as being interested in helping kids grow mentally and physically.

• Create a content site .Many times, it is possible to create a content site that educates and informs customers about your product category and leads the audience back to your web site. Dole 5 A day web site provides educational materials and lesson plans for teachers, information for parents, and activities for kids.

Exhibit Marketing Mistake: Ten Tips on how to avoid them!

• The key to great exhibiting is marketing. but marketing is a very inexact science that leaves room for a multitude of errors to occur. that following are 10 of the most common marketing mistakes that exhibitors often make. learn to avoid them and you will increase your chances for a successful tradeshow.

Have A Proper Exhibit Marketing Plan

• Having both a strategic exhibit marketing and tactical plan of action is a critical starting point. in order to make tradeshows a powerful dimension your company‘s overall marketing operation, there must be total alignment between the strategies marketing and your exhibit marketing plan. Tradeshow should not be a stand-alone venture. know and understand exactly what you wish to achieve-increasing market-share with existing users.

Have A Well-defined Promotional Plan• A significant part of your marketing includes

promotion pre-show, at-show and post-show. most exhibitors fail to have plan that encompasses all three areas. budget is naturally going to play a major role in deciding what and how much promotional activity is possible. developing a meaningful theme or message that ties into your strategic marketing plan will then help to guide promotional decisions. know whom you want to target and then consider having different promotional programs aimed at the different groups you are interested in attracting.

Use Direct Mail Effectively

• Direct mail is still one of the most popular promotional vehicles exhibitors use. from postcards to multi-piece mailings, attendees are deluged with invitations to visit booths. many of the mailings come from show management lists and as a result, everyone gets everything. to target the people you want visit your booth ,use your own list of customers and prospects- it’s the best one available

Give Visitors an incentive to Visit Your Booth

• Whatever promotional vehicles you use, make sure that you give visitors a reason to come and visit you. with a hall overflowing with fascinating products/services, combined with time constraints, people need an incentive to come and visit your booth. first and foremost their primary interest is in ‘’what’s new!’’ they are eager to learn about the latest technologies, new application ,or anything that will help save them time and/or money.

Have Giveaways that Work

• Tied into giving visitors an incentive to visit your booth is the opportunity to offer a premium item that will entice them. your giveaway items should be designed to increase your memorability, communicate, motivate, promote or increase recognition of your company.

Use Press Relations Effectively

• Public relations is one of the most cost-effective and successful methods for generating large volumes of direct inquires and sales, before the show ask show management for a comprehensive media list, and find out which publications are planning a special show edition. send out newsworthy press release focusing on what’s new about your products/service, or highlighting a new application or market venture.

Differentiate your Products/Services

• Too many exhibitors are happy to use the ‘’me too’’ marketing approach. Examine their marketing plans and there’s an underlying sameness about them. with shows that attract hundreds of exhibitors, there are very few that seem to ‘’stand out from the crowd.’’ since memorability is an integral part of a visitors show experience ,you should be looking at what makes you different and why a prospect should buy from you.

Use The Booth as an Effective Marketing Tool

• On the show floor your exhibit makes a strong statement about who your company is, what you do and how you do it. the purpose of your exhibit is to attract visitors so that you can achieve your marketing objectives. In addition to it being an open, welcoming and friendly space, there needs to be a focal point and a strong key message that communicates a significant benefit to your prospect.

Realize that Your People are Your Marketing Team

• Your people are your ambassadors. they represent everything your company stands for, so choose them well. Brief them beforehand and make sure that they know; why you are exhibiting; what you are exhibiting and what you expect from them. exhibit staff training is essential for a unified and professional image. make sure that they sell instead of tell; don’t try to do too much; understand visitor needs; don’t spend too much; and know how to close the interaction with a commitment to follow-up.

Follow-up Promptly• The key to your tradeshow success is wrapped up in the

lead-management process. the best time to plan for follow-up is before the show. show leads often take second place to other management activities that occur after being out of the office for several days. the longer leads are left unattended, the colder and more mediocre they become. it is to your advantage to develop an organized, systematic approach to follow-up. establish a lead handling system, set time lines for follow-up, use a computerized database for tracking, make sales representative accountable for leads given to them, and then measure your results.

How to Prepare for a Fundraising Event

• All you really have to do is figure out what type of fundraising event you want to host and how much you should charge your attendees. while there are many different choices for a great fundraising event, many people simply choose to host a fundraising dinner because they are an excellent way for attendees to meet the politician and socialize amongst themselves.

How to Organize a Shining Event

• An event is any activity that requires you to make arrangements before the program can actually take place. it may be anything from an introductory meeting to a conference. no matter how small or easy an event may seem some forethought is required. A successful event is the result of a major investment of time and sound planning. since many dynamics and factors are involved working with assumptions has to be avoided. the following are the ingredients of a successful event:

Have Good Event Pre-planning Processes

• Have a clear vision for the event. there is need to create a vision for what the event will look like. in pre-planning(planning that is done before the event commences) one should:

a. Declare the event’s purpose. in other words be clear about why you are having the event. The event purpose will help you from drifting off.

b. identify the key driver of the event and stick to it.[it can be to wed to people,or get peoplesave etc.]

Have a clear picture of the people, resources and activities in the event.

a. Decide who will be involved and assign specific responsibilities to each volunteer in the committee. all key areas of responsibility have to be monitored and supervised regularly. there might be a need to have subcommittees for different areas.

b. Determine the amount of available funds and the amount you are willing to spend. consider and contact potential co-sponsors for your event and decide each co-sponsor’s responsibilities

c. Know who your intended audience is and determine a realistic expectation of event attendance in terms of numbers and the type of people

d. Identify potential location where the event could be held apply for and sure to receive a written confirmation that the event spaces you want are available for you to use.

e. Begin developing an effective advertising campaign

Have means of measuring and monitoring event progressa. Develop a realistic timeline for beginning and

completing the various components of the planning process

b. The 7questions: what, why, how much, who, how, when, where must be asked at all times in the planning process to ensure that all areas are covered and justified for

c. The three key factors of an excellent event: time factor, quality factor and cost factor have to be closely monitored and controlled effectively through the event planning process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a good event is a result of proper pre-planning and it is easy to run and control. Proper monitoring and evaluation of an event will distinguish a successful from an unsuccessful event. An event with properly monitored processes will always shine out. finally, investing quality time in pre-planning, avoiding making assumption and dealing with all key issues will guarantee that you will have a successful, shining event

Reduce Event Management Cost with Online Registration

• In today’s events industry, with the rising price or materials and services, it can be a real challenge to grow your event and maintain the quality experience that your loyal attendees have come to expect. if inflated costs are contributing to a slow-down the thing you need to streamline administration and do more with the human resources and budget you already have. here are some ways that online registration software can help streamline event management.

Reduced Printing Costs• It used to be that all event registration, marketing and

communication were done on paper. The event would print advertisement and post them all over town, the attendee would fill out a paper registration form, the event staff would mail a paper confirmation back to the attendee and after the event was all over, the event organizer would send out a flyer to his attendees with an announcement about following year’s event. taking your event online with event management software will easily cut your printing costs and paper consumption in half pre-event marketing can be done with email advertising campaigns that have been proven to be more effective than post.

Reduced Staff Hours• As mentioned above, one of the great advantage

to offering event registration online is that your participants will receive an automatic confirmation email immediately following the submission of their data and payment. this is not only eliminates the event staff’s need to print and mail a confirmation but also puts the registrant’s mind and ease. event management software will also dramatically cut the number of hour your staff spends manually entering participant data into a spreadsheet or event database.

Reduced Over-purchase of Merchandise and Food

• Collecting event participant data by way of paper form means that there is lag time between when the form is received by mail and when that data is available in your database. in those last few weeks before the event, the speed at which you are able to get your participant data updated in the database is crucial. in conclusion, growing your event without an increase in staff payroll, and hours in the office is possible! cost efficiency without a cut to the services you offer the attendee is the smart way to grow your event. A good event management system will help you streamline the logistics involved in planning your event and enable you to get more done with the money and staff you already have

Planning Your Fundraising Campaign-How Nonprofits Raise More Funds Online in a Global Recession

• Fundraising for your nonprofit or charitable organization should be a positive happy experience, right?

It’s about helping a great cause-sending kids to a national competition, improving a community, finding medical cures, saving animals and more. these are important issues in our lives, but times have become more and more challenging for fundraisers.

Here are two challenges fundraiser now face when planning fundraising events & activities to raise more

funds:1. We deal with uncertain revenue streams, escalating overhead,

and generating new interest from patrons and donors. Now as were experiencing one of the worst recession in decades, you may not be sure how plan your fundraising. what can you expect from donors? will they be there for you? even if they want give, do they want what you’re offering

2. Another big challenge is the way we’ve approached the job in the past. usually the process is shared by parents, kids and small business professionals. We “fan out” with our products and ask for the sale or set up sites for donations. then, since most of us don’t like to actually ”sell stuff,” we put it off. ultimately, many people on the team end up buying “the stuff,” only to give it away or store it in the garage-again

So How Can Nonprofit and Charitable Organization Rise More Funds Now

• One innovative alternative has evolved and is getting lots of attention. The concept is based on the rise and undeniable appeal of global e-commerce. according to independent business researchers at Forrester research, online retail sales reached $175 billion in 2007 and are projected to grow to $335 billion by 2012 in the united states. e-commerce has consistently grown by double digits each for many reasons like convenience, variety and savings. And , most importantly, online shoppers seem to be less sensitive to adverse economic conditions than the average U.S consumer.

How Can Nonprofit Organization Raise Money Online

• Your organization can send donors to a professionally designed and managed website that displays your charity’s identity .people could shop be in a commissionable position without having to do anything! No recruits to find. No doorbells to ring. No inventory to manage. Just checks to cash. with the growth of e-commerce, successful businesses are emerging that distribute merchandise to online customers. this opens the door for others like you earn commissions by bringing consumers to the online stores and malls.

Here are 4 benefits of raising money for Nonprofit Online Using Auction Sites

1. It’s a win-win fund raising option for you and your donors

2. You will start an excited buzz among patrons of your organization which means one customer can bring in many more

3. It’s a possible source for tremendous revenue for your nonprofit organization

4. Its an inexpensive system with hands-off maintenance

10 reasons Meeting and Events are Important in Tough Times

• When the powers that be come swinging the axe towards your event or meeting, here are ten points to make so they think twice. The arguments below are similar to those offered by advertising professionals over the years when advertising is looked at as an unnecessary expense by the cost cutters. These arguments take a different twist, however, since they were developed with input from meeting planners. stand firm and just might be able to convince the powers that be that it is still necessary to hold your meeting or event!

1. Companies that do hold meetings set themselves apart from the masses that are slashing and cutting back. they will have an edge when economy picks up again.

2. Holding off-site meetings and conventions sends the message that ‘we’ as a company are solid

3. We can have meeting, but we will keep it low key. its not politically correct to do something extravagant right now.

4. ROI(return on investment) is always tricky to measure but for meetings and convention, we can prove they boost the bottom line: solidified relationship are more important now than ever.

5. Sharing information with all who need it at the same time is critical to the success of our new project or new product launch.

6. Meetings create enthusiasm that is contagious.

7. Hearing an outside voice makes the message more memorable. enlisting the support of an industry expert will give our content more impact.

8.Using a trained facilitor assures that all points of view are aired and considered.

9.Many members of our organization rarely see other-productivity will rise from being able to solve common problems that are never broached in e-mail exchanges

10. For motivation, there is nothing better than face time.

How to Run Stress-Free events

The Ingredients of successful Events

The final Word

• Organizing and attending events where you’ll meet new people and expand your mind is crucial to stay ahead in both your personal and business life. The world is constantly changing and you need to change with it. Fresh input gives you different perspective. Its very easy to stay in your comfort zone. however when you expand your mind, you’ll enrich your own life and can help others to do the same.

How to Get the Most Out of networking Event

• Net working events take place all over the country. from small towns to big cities, networking is a part of any business model on the planet. perhaps the biggest part of networking is convincing yourself to be social and nit just a wallflower. the next time you attend a networking function consider the following tips to help you become more successful and bring in more business

What to do before a Networking Event

• Before you attend the event write down what your strengths ,attributes and special skills are .this way you will know exactly why someone should be interested in what you to offer. keep these strengths in your head in order to boost your confidence and remind yourself of why people should be talking with and listening to what you have to say. another great idea is to picture the room in your mind and picture yourself shaking hands and talking with people. by visualizing everything you will be doing it can really help even they most shy individuals. visualization is a powerful tool used by many successful people whether it is in business, sports or entertainment.

What to do during a Networking Session

• When you need to get down to business have some question prepared to ask people in order to find out what their needs are and if your services will help people. you don’t have to be pushy, rather soft sell yourself and build interest. this will make people more receptive to be helped by you.

• talking is only half of the event .when it comes your turn remember to repeat the individuals name back to them, actively listen to what they have to say and keep a mental database of as many details you can about the person to whom you re talking.

What to do after a Networking event• Then when you return home be sure to write out

information on the back of the card or a sheet of paper that can be stapled to the card. this way you can maintain and build and rapport for a future meeting, email or phone call. everyone likes a person who remembers them. within twenty four hours be sure to email everyone you met and say you enjoyed meeting them. Its also good to mention a detail you remember and suggest that they keep in touch with you.

• By incorporating these simple tips and strategies into your next networking event not only will you enjoy yourself more but also bring in more customers to your business

How to Plan a Successful Corporate Event

• A successful corporate event is very important for your company. when it leaves a memorable experience for your guests, it can help to increase your company goodwill and branding therefore, it is very common to se corporations investing their money to hold annual events to help boost up their branding awareness

Some points to consider when planning out your corporate event are:

1. What is your event’s intention? is it a thank you party for clients and vendors? or are you planning to reveal a new service or product to your potential clients?

2. Set time of your event.often,3 hours is appropriate for a corporate event. then prepare your guest list and send out invitation to them

3. If you intend to serve alcoholic drink, you should hire a bartender.

4. Think about your menu option and discuss with your caterer. are your preparing a buffet style or a sit down dinner for your guests? also ,consider your guests that may have special dietary needs

Short Changing Your Trade Show ROI by Not Planning

• It seems to be a fact of life –we are poor planners.• And it is surprising, especially when we talk about

planning for various marketing activities which have high price tags.

• Trade shows have proven to be an effective tool for making marketing.still, there are far too many exhibitors who rush into the activity,throw money at it, and then leave wondering where their money went.

• The planning process is part of the marketing function and is comprised of multiple tasks and responsibilities leading up to the event. this include planning your booth space, graphics, booth personnel, communications, media exposure, white papers, lead criteria sheets, and on and on. You’ve got to rehearse.

• this kind of investment of time, human recourse, and material means that last minute planning for trade shows ha to stop.

Make sure these meetings about the upcoming trade information and then action items, so that the entire team is well versed in what will take place at the show.

Step 1- go over the last trade show facts and figures to assess what was great about it, as well as where there were areas that could use improvement?

Step 2- outline what will take place at this show and how it can be different from the last experience. what are the major reasons for this show? do you have all parties involved in the planning process?

Step 3-assign team members various tasks concerning the show activity. one might be responsible for the booth designs, graphics, etc. while another for the communications strategy involving customers and prospects. for each aspect of the show tasks, a person should be assigned to that task and held accountable.