Event Marketing 101: Plan an Event that Drives Value

In case you’ve ever been to a Salesforce occasion, you in all probability know that we take our enjoyable fairly severely over right here. We like to host wonderful, memorable experiences, however creating these moments of pleasure takes months of occasion administration and execution. 

Occasions have the facility to generate an enduring influence in your viewers that extends effectively past the reside expertise. At Salesforce, occasions assist us construct our buyer base and speed up enterprise. They account for greater than half of our inbound leads annually. When a prospect from a gross sales alternative attends an occasion, that deal is about 5 instances extra prone to shut.

Occasions are on the coronary heart of each main launch second and announcement. They provide alternatives to attach with clients, offering experiences that develop loyalty. They usually assist attendees talent up by way of product workshops and insights out of your firm’s specialists. 

The fundamentals of occasion advertising and marketing

So how do you construct an expertise that excites, educates, and engages attendees – each in individual and nearly?

Step one is to record out the objectives to your occasion: why are you doing it, who’s your viewers, how do you attain them, and what do you hope they take away.

At Salesforce, we do that by a V2MOM, which stands for, imaginative and prescient, values, strategies, obstacles and measures. This clear framework establishes a North Star to information your occasion planning. It’s a vital train even should you’ve accomplished one million occasions.

Now that you simply’ve acquired your base, listed below are 5 ideas that may enable you maximize the influence of your occasions. The muse comes from a chapter in our co-CEO Marc Benioff’s guide, “Behind the Cloud.” Marc has at all times had a transparent imaginative and prescient about how occasions join with clients and drive outcomes. 

1. Occasion advertising and marketing caters to the attendee

Bear in mind, you’re designing experiences for people. Not for seats in a breakout room. Not for registration numbers. For dwelling, respiratory folks. Put them on the heart of every part you propose.

For instance, TrailblazerDX is a Salesforce occasion for our developer and admin customers. Throughout that occasion, we amplify issues that matter most to that viewers, similar to hands-on activations, hackathons, and deeper-level demos. We need to join with this distinctive group on a private stage.

Additionally, occasions are about connection – and reconnection. They’re an opportunity to meet up with buddies you haven’t talked to in years. Be sure that to curate area for networking in your agenda, each as standalone mixers and inside programming. Attendees can share their experiences, resolve hypothetical challenges collectively, and construct relationships by your services.

And hey, don’t overlook your digital attendees! If there’s a networking mixer onsite, arrange a method to your digital viewers to affix in actual time too. Slack and in-platform chats are nice methods to foster neighborhood connection.

2. Let your clients do the speaking

At Salesforce, we’re laser-focused on the success of our clients.

Since day one, we’ve let our clients personal the highlight, talking to how our services have modified their companies. Sure, your staff have a task to play (usually as a moderator). But it surely’s far more highly effective when a buyer shares their experiences throughout keynotes, classes, demos, and activations.

And keep in mind, it’s not simply talking alternatives. Create standout bodily experiences to your occasion that spark dialog and wow your attendees. Our reside demos exhibit our clients’ success and provides attendees an opportunity to check how they could unlock their very own wins.

For instance, at Connections 2022, there was a small Crocs Buyer Success Expertise that displayed the footwear and had a demo of Crocs’ Salesforce use case.

3. The occasion is the message

Occasions are an expression of your model and may replicate your tradition and product mission. They’re an excellent alternative to immerse your attendees in who you’re as a enterprise. The whole lot from the occasion advertising and marketing, venue choice, audio system, signage, and demos ought to replicate what your organization is all about.

You don’t want a large finances to do that. The purpose is to ensure your model shines and embraces your genuine spirit throughout each small and large touchpoint.

For instance, look no additional than Dreamforce, Salesforce’s flagship occasion. It’s a real manifestation of our clients, tradition, merchandise, and staff. In our occasion advertising and marketing, we make certain there’s constant messaging all through the expertise. From pre-event positioning to most important themes, from the way in which we greet attendees to the lanyards they put on, our model is on full show. 

4. At all times be related

Need to create a newsworthy occasion? Effectively, then it’s essential to have information. Align the timing of your large bulletins, product improvements, and launch moments to your occasions calendar.

Salesforce’s mantra is “at all times be launching.” This enables us to remain related and is a compelling cause for our clients to attend. Attendees come to study concerning the newest improvements and listen to breaking information about merchandise. 

As a part of your annual planning, product and occasion advertising and marketing groups ought to collaborate to align your launch and occasion calendar.

5. Have enjoyable and create magic

That is a straightforward one, and maybe a very powerful. What’s an occasion with out enjoyable?! Making your attendees chortle, and possibly even sing, will depart an enduring impression.

There’s a cause why Dreamforce is named “the household reunion.” There are epic concert events (howdy U2 and Metallica), model characters who work together with attendees, infinite picture opps, and “easter eggs” hidden in onsite signage. You’ll be able to’t underestimate the facility of bringing a smile to your attendees’ faces. 

Bear in mind, occasion advertising and marketing is about constructing a enjoyable and thrilling ambiance. That is by each large and small moments, from the thrill of the total present to little experiential touches all through the occasion. 

So take into consideration what’s taking place across the showroom flooring as classes, demos, and activations are taking place. What is admittedly going to excite folks? We’ve performed forest sounds as attendees stroll by our “campground” space. We additionally make certain there are put in backgrounds to snap cool photographs when an attendee runs into somebody they haven’t seen in years. No element is simply too small.

Once more, don’t overlook your social and digital viewers! Consider their expertise as watching an awards present on TV. Deal with them with social-first, digital-only moments, similar to behind-the-scenes entry and reside interviews. It will make them really feel valued as effectively.

We broadcast our main occasions on Salesforce+ and make high classes accessible on-demand after the occasion. These digital-only moments make them really feel particular and valued, which permits us to scale the magic globally. 

So there you may have it – a blueprint to creating your personal model occasion. Now get began in your V2MOM and go have some severe enjoyable!