Post-event marketing refers to any actions or steps that you take to market a product, company or individual to a group of consumers after a major event. One example is the launch of a new sports drink. The company behind that product might throw and exclusive party that brings together stars of the sports world with Hollywood celebrities to make people want to sample that drink. With some examples of post-event marketing, you can get an idea of what to do after that party.
Thank You Cards
When you host a smaller launch party that welcomes guests from the local community instead of the Hollywood elite, you can put out a simple guest book and encourage guests to sign that book and leave behind an email address or home address. You can then use those addresses to send out small cards that thank those guests from stopping by and celebrating with you. Those small cards go a long way towards making potential customers feel like you actually care about them and that you look forward to seeing them again.
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Create and Use a Hash Tag
Creating an exclusive hash tag for your event is a great way to get people talking about that event. You can encourage guests to post pictures they take and to use that hash tag on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Anytime that someone searches for that tag or clicks on that tag, the searcher will see all related posts. This also lets you see who attended and what they thought about the event later. You can then tag those guests and potential customers to thank them for coming out.
Send Out Invites
With the addresses and information that you collect at the event, you can send out invites to upcoming events. You might throw an exclusive opening night party that takes place the night before your store officially opens and hand out free gifts, food and drinks to those who attend. If you already had an opening night celebration, you might throw a holiday party around an upcoming holiday that takes place after your shop closes for the night.
Hold a Drawing
An easy way to increase the excitement surrounding the launch of your product, the opening of a new store or any other type of event is with a simple drawing. Give away one large prize like an all-inclusive vacation to a tropical island or a weekend trip to a nearby amusement park. You can give away other small prizes like gift cards to your shop and other stores, meals at local restaurants or even inexpensive promotional items. Ask guests to fill out an entry form that includes a physical address, email address and phone number. Though you might host the drawing weeks after the event, you’ll get contact information that you can use for all those potential customers.
Offer a Discount
The American Marketing Association recommends offering some type of discount after that event. This professional marketing organization suggests sending out a letter that you customize in some way for each individual and that you include some type of special promotion. You might offer a digital coupon code that customers can use when making a purchase from your website, or you might send out a buy one get one free or half price coupon that customers can use in your store.
Marketing a new product or business often requires the use of some type of special event that gets people talking. Don’t assume that the work ends when the party does though. You can use post-event marketing ideas like discounts and drawings to keep customers talking.
