Let’s face it, there are tons of brands that don’t exude glamour or excitement. Sure, if you’re in the business of selling luxury cars or virtual reality technology, you’ll probably find that it’s easy to persuade people to engage with your content or attend your event.
But what if you work in a so-called “boring” industry? Does that mean your dreams of having a successful and exhilarating event are permanently dashed?
Absolutely not! All industries can produce content that’s relevant for their target audience and use it to generate anticipation for their events. Read on to learn four ways on how event marketing can make your industry shine:
Own your Niche
It’s important to remember that while many industries may not appeal to the general public, there’s always someone out there who is incredibly interested in your area of expertise.- An industry like pest control isn’t particularly exciting to those without a pest problem, but for someone who’s struggling with a home termite invasion, it’s the most relevant topic of conversation in the world.
Increase Transparency with Social Videos
There’s no denying that video is taking the social media and event marketing world by storm. Video content is more visual and personal than written content – a winning combination for less popular industries. Videos are also a great way to generate pre-event excitement, and all you need is a webcam or smartphone to make it happen.- Offer a teaser video showcasing your ability to solve a problem. While food isn’t likely to be considered a dull topic in most circles, cooking can sometimes be seen as complex or difficult to learn. Tasty does a phenomenal job of highlighting easy recipes with few ingredients, and their step-by-step cooking videos have accumulated millions of shares. Steal this tactic for yourself by creating quick teaser-trailers of a solution you’ll talk more about at your event.
- Go live before and during your event. Periscope, Meerkat, and Facebook Live are all great tools for hosting a pre-event pump-up video, Q&A sessions or sharing behind-the-scenes footage with your audience during the event. Generating social buzz before your event is huge, but it’s just as important to post regularly during the event, too (in fact, 55% of American marketers use real-time marketing tactics to promote their events).
Invest in Compelling Visuals
Calling all Californians, did you stumble upon Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day kitchen sink display in San Francisco? Thanks to some out-of-the-box thinking, the cleaning company was able to convert San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square fountain into a massive kitchen sink, complete with mega-sized versions of a cup and saucer, a sponge, and a bottle of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day detergent. White balloons represented soap suds, and inside each balloon was a free sample for a passerby to pick up. During this two-day event, Mrs. Meyer's was able to generate more than 30,000 impressions and pass out more than 2,000 samples of its product. And all it took was a fun, unique, and interactive visual! There’s no need to take your event visuals to quite this level, but keep in mind that well-thought-out campaigns can tell customers about your brand in a single glance, so invest in them wisely.Co-Host your Next Event
Believe it or not, when a brand from a less attractive industry partners up with a more engaging one, serious magic can happen for both businesses involved. Clorox and Huffington Post recently paired up to create their “Don’t Stress the Mess” program. It’s a clear win for Clorox, which gets to inject its name and area of expertise (cleaning) into a popular culture website seen by millions. But Huffington Post wins, too! Thanks to Clorox, they’re able to provide relevant, real-world advice to their audience, helping to round out and diversify their content. There are plenty of unlikely combinations of businesses out there that could make fabulous event partners:- An appliance business that sells freezers + an ice cream company
- A home security systems business + a travel agency
