By definition, An event is a noteworthy happening or a social occasion/ activity.
Events can be of different types depending on the requirement/ occasion. Following are some of the common types of events-
- A speaker session (a guest speaker presentation, panel discussion, etc.)
- Networking sessions
- Conferences
- A seminar or half-day event
- Workshops and classes
- VIP experiences
- Sponsorship
- Trade shows and expos
- Awards and competitions
- Festivals and parties
A Guest Speaker Event
A speaker presentation is one of the most common forms of B2B event marketing. When it comes to your time and budget, you typically don’t have to invest as much when inviting a single speaker to present.
If you’re just starting out, invite a speaker who is a leader in their industry to give a presentation. They should be speaking about a topic which is valuable to your customers and prospects.
Sometimes people pay for a speaker, but it’s not always necessary, especially if you’re starting out in event marketing. The goal is to find someone who can bring value to your customers and prospects.
If someone in an expert on their field, and they have knowledge your audience wants, you’ve got the basis for a speaker session! You could find people through coworkers, friends, family members, or even customers – as long as your customers aren’t all in competition with each other! Most events include time for networking after the event. (Sometimes before as well!) Networking is usually when catering is provided. You may even choose to add a meal to your event. I recommend organizing a breakfast or dinner, as it’s harder for your guests to leave the office in the middle of the day.
Networking Event Sessions
Every business professional knows the importance of networking. It can benefit your current job or your career as a whole. A networking session doesn’t require the educational element –- no speakers required! This means all you need on the event day is a space and some catering. (If you’re nervous meeting people, having a glass to hold and sip can make all the difference!
Conferences
Conferences are often used by B2B marketers. They require a lot of work (and budget!), but bigger events also hold the opportunity for bigger gain. People plan to attend conferences well in advance; they are often calculated into a manager’s budget under education and training.
Conferences feature a number of speakers, which means attendees have multiple leaders and potential topics they can learn from and about. As you can imagine, the costs add up. All those speakers, their travel costs, the rooms to hold speakers and attendees, the food to feed the people…you get the idea. This is why conferences often come with a big price tag.
Some conferences are held on a larger scale. Instead of just one room, attendees can choose from many rooms and speakers. Keynote sessions, often at the beginning or end of the day, will feature the most well-known speakers in the biggest room the event space has. A keynote speaker will share insights that are valuable to all conference attendees.
Other sessions, on specific topics, will be in smaller rooms. These are often called “breakout sessions,” so they are held in (you guessed it!) breakout rooms. This type of conference will also often have a specific area dedicated for attendees to meet with sponsors, such as a sponsor hall.
A Seminar or Half Day Event
Instead of a full conference, some businesses may choose to host a half day event. This offers some of the same advantages of a conference, without the high cost.
For example, a half-day event will still give attendees multiple speakers. This gives a breadth of knowledge within a short period, without the high ticket price of a conference.
Workshops and Masterclasses
Instead of a speaker talking to attendees, without any “hands-on” interaction, businesses may also offer workshops or classes.
Imagine you are trying to grow business for a small yarn shop. You want to bring people into the shop to increase sales. You could bring in a guest speaker and offer a free class. Then, you can give students a limited-time discount to increase your sales.
Perhaps you offer them a 20% discount if they buy the day of class, or 10% if they buy within that month. After attending the class where knitters can get excited about their new projects, they will be in a great mood for shopping! Plus, by offering them a free class, you have the opportunity to establish a relationship with your potential customers. You are also building brand loyalty, and making them comfortable in your store.
A B2B marketing company could do something similar and offer a class with free training on its product or service. Alternatively, it could bring in a guest speaker to teach on a topic its users all care about, such as marketing metrics and analyzing campaign success. You may or may not choose to charge for a masterclass. Aside from covering the costs of any food, space, and other supplies, you may need to pay a speaking fee and travel costs for a top-notch speaker.
VIP Experiences
A VIP event is highly targeted on a company’s decision-makers. It’s all about providing an experience which is exclusive, and makes people feel acknowledged and appreciated for their leadership.
Anything which is exclusive has an aspirational quality to it, making these high-level executives more likely to attend. It is also an opportunity for them to interact with their peers, giving them the opportunity to “rub shoulders” with other elite professionals.
If you are offering an educational element, those at the vice president and CMO level want to know it will live up to their knowledge level. (No one wants to be bored or waste their time!)
For this type of event marketing to be successful, it must live up to that “VIP” feel. What makes this event so unique? What are will attendees get out of this event that they can’t find anywhere else?
You need to give these leaders something different, something they can’t go out and do themselves on any given Saturday. Some companies will host an invitation-only dinner at a fancy restaurant. Others will go a bit, out of the box, shall we say. Or rather, out of the (hypothetical) airplane, with events such as indoor skydiving.
Event Sponsorships
Sponsorship can be a form of event marketing, but not all sponsorship is event marketing. In most simple terms, think of it like this: Sponsorship is usually a form of event marketing if the brand has more than its logo present at the event. What does that mean?
Well, if there are any of these elements, it is indeed event marketing:
A booth at a B2B event where attendees can interact with your sales and marketing teams.
You are selling your product.
Samples of your product are given away.
People can interact with your product
You are collecting people’s contact information. Perhaps they have a name badge you scan when they visit your booth, or maybe they give you their email address in exchange for a freebie.
That last one is important if you are a B2B marketer. The whole point of sponsoring that event is to get sales; without getting contact details, you cannot nurture relationships. This is why many people give away swag at events. (aka, “stuff we all get,” aka freebies.)
FREE is one of the most powerful words in the English language.
Trade Shows and Event Expos
As mentioned above, many events, especially conferences, feature a specific “sponsor hall” or “expo hall.”
The difference in a trade show? Those sponsor booths are the event!
There are often still workshops and classes, but the “main event” (so to speak!) is meeting with a whole bunch of sellers in a specific industry. The fact that they are “industry-specific” means that they all have a specific target market.
Award & Competitions
Awards and competitions are a great way to get people talking. Winners love sharing their successes – you don’t even need to ask them to share on social media!
Aside from nominees and winners spreading the word, awards are a great opportunity for press coverage. Invite the media and you’ll help them do their job, by giving them something to write about.
Awards
Awards are utilized by both B2B and B2C companies. Presenting them establishes the hosting company as an industry leader, helping build brand reputation and sell their products or services.
B2B awards focus on giving their customers an opportunity to shine. However, where there are winners, there are losers. It is imperative to make scoring criteria transparent. When people don’t win, they need to understand why. Scoring criteria helps minimize any hard feelings. The point is to get more customers – not lose them!
Competitions
Some awards happen with live-action competitions, rather than a written submission. Winners are decided right then and there, rather than by a group of judges before the awards.
B2C companies may do this by hosting industry-specific competitions for those who use their products. For example, it is common for surfing brands like Roxy, Quiksilver, and Rip Curl to host surfing competitions.
Festivals & Parties
Festivals and parties are all about creating a fun experience for your customers and target market.
A B2B event may have a more focused audience – you would specifically invite partners, customers, and valuable prospects.
B2C events such as festivals will often reach out to a much bigger audience to grow brand awareness. This is especially true if there is a cost for entry.
Festivals, for example, are open to anyone and everyone who wants to attend!
A festival could be a small event for the local community, or a large scale event by big brands.
Parties are held for a number of reasons – what have you done that you want to celebrate? Examples include celebrating an anniversary for how long your company has been in business, opening a new office location, or launching a new product. In addition to celebrating your company’s success with a party, you can invite customers, potential customers, and partners. It raises awareness of your company, and gives customers the opportunity to share in your success. Which is a good thing – since you they are the very reason you are successful!