Branding is an important aspect of any business. It is basically to create a name and an image of the business in consumers’ mind. When it comes to event organizing, event managers will find that branding plays a significant role to attract and retain attendees. Do you like an event with a forgettable name and that you can barely paint a picture of it in your mind? When I think back on past events I have attended, only a few of them gave me much to remember afterwards. Even fewer got me to think of them immediately when I want to find an event to attend or recommend one to my friends and colleagues.
If that’s the goal you are aiming for – your event to be the name that people will think of first when they talk about events in the same field, you’d better get reading the rest of this article, and find out how you can do branding for your event like an expert (almost!).
#1 What’s its name?
I’m amazed at the fact that so many event organizers neglect the power of a good name for their event. Let’s say if one day you open your mailbox and see 5 emails inviting you to attend Inbound Marketing webinars (which is a reality to me), will you pay a little bit more attention to the “I.M Superman! Boot Camp” (“Inbound Marketing Superman”) than the rest? I will. Sometimes, the only difference between two products is just the name.
That said, some events require a conventional name. Your alternative is to create an interesting name to go together with the less fun official name. A short and memorable name will also be helpful when you create social hashtags and event page URL.
#2 How does it look like?
Visuals are crucial when it comes to attention and memory. Your event page should be a book with great illustration. You won’t want it to be flooded with images but selected images, colors, and illustration that are consistent in delivering a theme.
When was the last time you saw anything blue with the brand name Grab on it?
The answer: never. Blue is the color of its competitor, Uber. For event planners, this means that every single piece of marketing material you create must adhere to a common style template of colors, logos and typography.
#3 What’s it like?
The short introduction. The tagline. That basically summarizes the spirit of your event. Remember that emotion goes a long way. If you can touch people’s hearts, you win. Let’s go back to the Inbound Marketing webinar case, my favorite webinar is claimed to be “The secret gathering for super-marketers”.
A tagline is a verbal identity of your event, and likewise, it should be consistent with the event theme including name and visuals. Think of IMAX’s “Think big” and PlayStaytion 2’s “Live in your world. Play in ours.” A short and catchy tagline will do an excellent job.
#4 A logo for the event
Can I use the company logo? Yes. But it would be much nicer if you can make a twist to your usual logo. Here is an example. HauteRobe changes its logo whenever there’s a big event coming such as Christmas Sale and New Year Sale.
#5 What’s your event’s branded element?
My company annual parties will always start with a stand-up comedy show. The show content will be about the company’s and staff’s milestones, issues and achievements – all conveyed in a humorous way. Likewise, you can always serve best Mexican food in town at your events. Look for something like a trademark of your events. It is something so original that people won’t find anywhere else. Even if they do afterwards, they will still be reminded of you.
#6 Sorry. It’s only for the VIPs.
“This is a private event for members only…”
“You are specially invited as…”
People love exclusivity, and they love to be VIPs. If you can create a sense that (1) their presence is important and valued and (2) only a very limited “better” people can attend the event, the registration rate will rocket.
#7 Brand Ambassador
“Hi, I’m Jennifer L. and I use GEVME for all my company events.” – Jennifer L.
So, if Jennifer L., the celebrity, mentioned Gevme, there must be something cool about it and some people will probably check us out. It is no surprise that most big brands nowadays get endorsements from celebrities, especially in the beauty industry and fashion industry. The same principle can be applied to your event branding. If a celebrity is going to an event, why not check it out when you’re also invited?
We have complied a list of crucial pointers in finding that perfect candidate for your brand ambassador.
#8 I don’t want to miss out.
If “80% of event planners worldwide are using this app to boost their productivity…” so should you, right? We are constantly looking for good stuff but we need social proof. Actually this kind of proclaims are not too hard to make. You can get the numbers from your list of current attendees and past attendees. Divide them into groups (of companies, industries, occupations, etc.) and draw a true statement for each group. Then you can target different people related to different groups accordingly.
#9 You’re a part of us.
I liked how my name could be on a coke bottle. Even though my friends and I weren’t very into coke, we did queue to get our names on the bottles as souvenirs.
That is a good example to show how you can make your attendees feel they are part of your brand. Another example. If an event manager is invited to a conference for “the high-achievers in the events industry”, he/she will be likely to attend it as it sounds just like him/her. *wink*
Jokes aside, if you can connect your attendee with your brand, you will have a loyal attendee for the next events.
By the way, here are 5 more ways to keep loyal attendees.
We hope that you found the 9 tips above helpful with great event branding that attracts a bigger crowd of attendees. However, remember that it’s not just the number of people attending but who they are that makes a show.
Coming up soon: How to attract the right crowd for your event.
Stay tuned! If you have any questions, let us know in the comments or tweet us @gevme.
