Event Marketing Plan: How To Run An Epic Promotional Event?

What is Event Marketing?

Event marketing is the process of developing a theme or idea around a particular product, service, person or organization and then creating an experience around that theme. Typically, the goal of event marketing is to increase brand exposure and foster long term customer loyalty. The event itself can take many forms from small, local occasions to large-scale activities spanning multiple days.

Why Does Event Marketing Planning Matter?

People are social creatures. We like to interact with other people and share our experiences. Events give brands the opportunity to create and share memorable experiences with their customers. When done well, event marketing can have a positive impact on brand perception, drive sales and build customer loyalty.

5 Tips to Run An Epic Promotional Event

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to planning a successful event. Marketing events are not just about creating a buzz; they should also be able to deliver results that help you achieve your business goals.

Here are some valuable tips to keep in mind as you brainstorm and start working on your event marketing planning.

1. Start with your business goals.

Determine what you want your event to accomplish before you put together an extensive game plan. Some of the key reasons for hosting an event might include:

• Generating leads and sales
• Launching, rebranding or refreshing a product or service
• Promoting awareness for a non-profit cause
• Recognizing employees, partners and customers
• Educating attendees about a trend or topic in your industry

Setting goals is one way to set up your business in the right direction. Let us have a prosperous 2022 by staying on track with this guide that offers some tips in determining your goals this year!

2. Determine the budget for the event.

There are many reasons why determining your budget is important in event marketing planning.

First, it helps you figure out how much of your time and resources will go into planning and executing this event.

Furthermore, knowing your budget makes it easier for you to negotiate prices with vendors and suppliers.

If you don’t have a budget, you can’t be sure what you can afford to do. Without a budget, you can’t be sure that you’re not spending too much money.

Here are more insightful tips from our team!

3. Identify the target audience for the event.

When planning an event, your target audience should be one of the top things you consider. Who exactly will you be targeting with your event? There are a few important reasons why determining your target audience is important in event marketing planning:

• To know who to market to and how to market to them
• To know how to set up your website for conversion
• To know how you should design your merchandise
• To decide on the type of event you should host, and where to host it

4. Decide on an agenda and what kinds of activities you want to have at your event.

Determining your agenda is important for several reasons.

First, it helps you stay on track and makes sure nothing falls through the cracks. Second, it ensures that all of your attendees have an opportunity to enjoy themselves at your event. Third, it gives you a solid framework to adapt if something unexpected happens.

To determine your agenda, start with your desired outcome and work backwards. What kinds of activities do you want to have? What kind of speakers would be relevant to your cause? How long are these activities likely to last? Add up all of these times and make sure that they fit within the timeframe for your event.

Once you know what needs to happen in the event and when these things will take place, you’ll find it easier to manage your time and resources.

5. Plan out how you will measure success after the event has happened.

The key to knowing how to measure your event marketing’s success is determining what your goals are for having an event in the first place. And these goals need to be much more than just “increase sales” or “build brand awareness.” You need to know what type of impact these events have on your customers and prospects.

If you didn’t establish any goals or benchmarks before planning your event, how will you measure success? Setting goals helps you stay focused on what’s most important for your business.

Pro tip: The key is to not only know the dates of your company’s special promotions but also to track other special dates like those celebrated by groups or individuals with whom you want to connect.

Special Dates to Look Out For!

When you’re planning your content for the year, you may be inclined to simply put all of your important dates on a calendar and take it from there. However, that can leave you missing out on tremendous opportunities.

To make it easier for you, we have gathered here the top 5 events in each month that you should look out for. Along with these dates are blogs where you can find custom promotional products that you can offer during your promotional event.

April

• April 2 – Children’s Book Day

We like to think of all marketing as a form of storytelling. That’s why we’re so excited about National Children’s Book Day!

It’s a day to celebrate the literary lives of children and the adults who support them. We think every day should come with a side of literature, but once a year, we take a moment to highlight the importance of books in our children’s lives.

Here’s a fantastic example from Cheerios on including books in your in-pack promotions. This strategy can definitely help in imposing the message of this national day as well as generating positive brand perception.

What Can You Do For Children’s Book Day?

Why not set up a local community event and invite children to dress up as their favourite book characters, read books and more!

You can also offer promotional giveaways to kids like promotional colouring book sets that feature popular characters from books and comics. Of course, you have to make them branded to ensure maximised visibility for your brand.

• April 7 – National Beer Day

National Beer Day is on April 7th. Known as the day Prohibition was repealed, it’s a day that celebrates beer and the joy it brings to people all over the world.

But what does National Beer Day mean for you? It means you can use this holiday to promote your business, products, and services.

There are many ways you can use this holiday to your advantage. Here are some of our favourite ideas:

• April 9 – Internet of Things Day

The Internet of Things Day is a global event that brings together communities from around the world to share ideas and learn about each other’s innovations.

It’s an opportunity for developers and consumers to get together, share ideas and build on the promise of better, more connected lives.

We’re trying to make it easy to be part of the Internet of Things by helping coordinate activities around the world.

• April 22 – Earth Day

Earth Day is a movement that is recognized and celebrated worldwide every April 22nd. The day is considered to be the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. It was created to educate the public on the environment and to demonstrate support for the protection of our natural resources.

On Earth Day, people around the world show their commitment to our planet by participating in events, demonstrations and activities that help raise awareness of environmental issues and promote solutions for a healthy planet.

With our commitment to Sustainable Marketing, the ODM team is continuously sourcing and producing custom eco-friendly products to change consumer behaviour and market trends. Check out our top picks here!

Learn more about how we take part and lead the change towards sustainable materials:

• April 30 – International Jazz Day

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has declared April 30 as International Jazz Day in order to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role in uniting people in all corners of the globe.

On this day, UNESCO invites all countries and jazz enthusiasts around the world to celebrate and learn about jazz and its roots, future and impact; raise awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding; and reinforce international cooperation and communication.

May

• May 1 — International Workers’ Day

On this day, people in many countries worldwide celebrate workers’ achievements and march in the streets demanding fair pay and better working conditions. But don’t let this celebration encourage your employees to march on the street, asking your company to treat them fairly. On this day, take the time to acknowledge all your hard-working employees.

Recognising individual achievements is a great way to help everyone feel like they’re part of something special. Offering something tangible will certainly make this rewarding moment more memorable for them, so we would love to introduce this creative ring stacker as your employee gift idea during the International Workers’ day celebration.

• May 5 — Hand Hygiene Day

The continuous effect of the Covid-19 pandemic makes this celebration even more important than ever. To prioritise clean hands in health facilities, people at all levels need to believe in the importance of hand hygiene and IPC to save lives.

As a company, it is your responsibility to promote health and cleanliness within your premises. Thus, installing such a hand sanitiser dispenser in every corner of your facility is much needed to guarantee your employee’s health and safety.

• May 8 — Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is observed on the second Sunday of May. It is a time to honour mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers for their contribution to family and society.

Traditionally, Mother’s Day marketing strategies were more feasible for flower shops, chocolate retail brands, and card shops. And if you’re not into these businesses, you might be worried about your Mother’s Day promotions. Fret not! These branded promotional gifts would surely help you market your brand during this special day!

• May 19 — National Notebook Day

National Notebook Day has always been observed annually on the third Thursday of May. This day is celebrated by notebook enthusiasts, who write in notebooks or planners.

Since notebooks are an essential part of people’s personal lives, this celebration is also a perfect avenue for businesses to showcase their brands! How about considering these custom promotional notebooks as part of your marketing for this occasion?

• May 21 — World Whiskey Day

World Whiskey Day is an annual, global day of whisky, which invites everyone to try a dram and celebrate the water of life. This special occasion is celebrated by whiskey lovers worldwide with tastings, events and gatherings. The only rule for this day is to drink responsibly!

If you’re in the drinks industry or any related business, this occasion is a perfect avenue to get more clients and increase sales. These custom whiskey gift set ideas can help you achieve these goals!

Unlike other ordinary ice cube moulds, this football designed promotional bar accessories would definitely appeal to your customers, especially those fond of sports. Moreover, the moulds come with a tong, and you may also choose from a set of 4,6 and 8 ice cubes.

This wooden whisky box is specifically designed to serve as a company gift idea. With its functionalities, there’s no reason for your clients not to appreciate this fantastic gift set idea!

June 

• June 1 — Children’s Day

This holiday is thought to have started as early as 1857 when a pastor living in Massachusetts gave a special sermon for and about children. But it was only in the year 1920 when the day was declared an official holiday.

Children’s Day in China is a day off from school that children can look forward to. This day is dedicated to honouring and protecting children. It is a day filled with fun and excitement for the little ones!

And talking about this special day, here are some promotional gift ideas you could offer to your children consumers.

This seven fun and educational promotional gifts will surely make children enjoy their special day. These include a wooden block set, baby teethers, furry plushies, children’s onesies, backpacks, mittens, and foldable chairs.

Each item is guaranteed safe for children; thus, parents shouldn’t have to worry about gifting their children with these cute ideas.

• June 3 — World Bicycle Day

On April 12, 2018, the resolution declaring June 3 as World Bicycle Day was unanimously adopted by all 193 member states of the UN General Assembly. The resolution was greatly supported by Turkmenistan and co-sponsored by around 56 countries.

Bicycling is quite a useful activity. The impact of the bicycle on society is quite transformative — even the poorest people get access to basic transport with the bike. Not just helpful for the people, this means of transportation is safe for the environment.

To help you promote your brand during this holiday, here are some innovative merchandise you may try.

For people who love to engage in outdoor activities and adventures, staying connected is not easy. This outdoor promo idea will allow your customers to hike, cycle, and have fun as long as they like without worrying about drained batteries or being tethered to the wall socket.

This bicycle merchandise is available in 2 designs – (1) cylinder style and (2) square style. You can choose the design and colour that will best represent your brand. Moreover, silk printing is used in customizing designs and logos.

• June 5 — World Environment Day

World Environment Day 2022 is the most significant international day for the environment. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually since 1973, it has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach. Millions of people across the world celebrate it.

As a business, it is also part of your responsibility to protect the environment. Taking initiatives such as promoting sustainable and green marketing is one of the best ways you can consider. Utilising and producing eco-promotional products below will not just sustain the environment but your business as well.

• June 11 — World Gin Day

Gin Day is celebrated every year on the second Saturday in June. Organised by Gin Monkey, the idea is simple: get people together all around the world and raise a glass to the brilliant spirit that is GIN!

The best way to celebrate this day is to gather with friends and drink some gin. Thus, it is also a perfect avenue for drink businesses to market their products. Here are some of our top pick promotional products to celebrate this drink event!

• June 27 — Sunglasses Day

Although the origin of National Sunglasses Day is unknown, the history of sunglasses stretches as far back as 14th century China, where judges used eyewear made of smoke-coloured quartz to mask their emotions.

People wear sunglasses as part of their outfits, different sunglass designs are now available in the market. But aside from being a part of someone’s fashion statement, sunglasses also help protect your eyes from harmful UV light.

And if you’re looking for the perfect sunglasses to promote your business during this occasion in style, check out this blog to help you decide.

Key Takeaways,

In today’s digital age, it’s easy to lose the human connection between brands and consumers. Event marketing helps to bring that back.

Event planning can be a make-or-break opportunity for your business. Whether planning a product launch, organizing a seminar, implementing in-store promotions or setting up retail activation, executing the event successfully is essential.

The Role of ODM

We understand that it can be challenging to find that perfect promotional product that makes your business stand out and is something that will fit perfectly with your event marketing.

So here at ODM, we’re working hard to ensure you get the best, exceptional branded merchandise that will put your brand at the top of your target audiences’ minds.

Together with our POS design agency, Mindsparkz, we ensure that we are always ahead of the game to guarantee that you will get new and innovative products for your marketing campaigns and promotions.

Contact us today to get started on developing a product that will go above and beyond your expectations!

We will also update this blog with more content so make sure to bookmark it.

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