Event branding is no different than branding for a product or service. We’ve got three basic must-haves when it comes to building your brand:

1. Connect with your target audience.
2. Convey what you’re event is all about.
3. Live consistently across all marketing channels.

How to Create a Brand for Your Event

Whether you’re creating your event’s brand yourself or engaging a marketing company to do the heavy lifting, you’ll need to start with these steps.

• Define your audience. Who are you trying to attract? Is your event for senior-level professionals? Creatives of all ages? Are attendees all from a particular industry? Will it be formal or casual? Why will they want to attend your event over another? Once you define your audience, you can make sure the brand appeals to those people.
• Create a toolbox of brand elements. With your audience in mind, create your brand!

Event Brand Elements

Think through the following brand elements:

• Logo: Keep in mind how your event logo looks in a variety of sizes. It may be featured as small as an app button, or as large as a banner in a ballroom. When in doubt, keep your logo simple and legible. You can add pizzazz to your brand using color, imagery, and tone of voice.
• Color: Use color thoughtfully to appeal to your target audience, and get inspired browsing endless palettes on Adobe Color. Think about how you use color to organize your event too – do all attendees in a certain track get a specific colored name badge? Should they look for a particular color banner when on-site?
• Typography: Typography should never detract from the clarity of your message. But in small doses, a “display font” can add character to your message where needed. Browse hundreds of free fonts on Google Fonts.
• Imagery: Sure, you’ll want to include imagery in your event’s marketing. But how you treat that imagery can change the tone of it! Serious, formal event? Choose quiet imagery and try monochromatic tones. Playful, energetic event? Use high saturation colors and images with a lot of movement.
• Voice: If your event was a person, how would they talk? The tone of voice your event messaging takes must speak uniquely to your attendees. Will your event be formal? Exclusive? Inspirational? Comedic?
• Keep it all consistent. It is said that it takes an average of 7 interactions with a brand for a person to remember it. Ensure your audience will recognize your brand across different channels by using the same visual cues and tone of voice. Keep graphics and messaging consistent from your registration website to social media channels to printed collateral, before during, and after your event.

Implementing Your Event’s Branding

Once your brand is built, there are endless ways it can come to life:

• Marketing: Be sure to deploy a consistent brand feel across your registration site, marketing emails, social media, print ads, and any promotional materials.
• On-site branding: Start with the large elements: think about how your brand feel is communicated on-stage, in large wayfinding signs, and in any animated graphics on-screen. As you get smaller, you can bring your brand to life on badges, SWAG, and handout materials.
• Digital branding: If you are using an event app, be sure it has a healthy dose of your logo, color scheme, and chosen fonts.

Did you know our event pros spend on average 50 hours per event helping planners like you leverage your event’s brand? Since 1995, we’ve provided the conference and tradeshow industry with innovative technologies designed to improve and simplify event planning, powering more than 12,000 events around the world. Get in touch if you’re looking for on-site or behind-the-scenes help.

The post Guide to Event Branding appeared first on A2Z Events.

2021 did see the re-emergence of in-person events, but each new Covid-19 variant offered us a new curveball. Despite the recent concerns around Omicron, we believe the events industry is eager to come back bigger and better than ever. This enthusiasm has driven new trends that we see developing over the coming months in 2022. 

During a live webinar, “22 Association Event Trends for 2022,” Personify’s marketing leaders, Erin Sullivan, MBA, and Rich Vallaster, CEM, DES, recently spoke to more than 800 association professionals about this widely discussed topic. 

Here are the 2022 event trends they delved into during the discussion: 

Trend #1: The Big “O” 

Vallaster stressed that other variants such as Omicron would continue to impact our lives, and we must react quickly. 

“Given the desire to react quickly, our attendees and exhibitors will be impacted as policies change at the local, regional, state, national, and international level,” explained Vallaster. “We all have to adjust faster.” 

Trend #2: Virtual Scars 

Sullivan mentioned that shortly after the pandemic hit in 2020, virtual attendance increased due to convenience and flexibility. “But let’s face it, in 2022, we are all exhausted from virtual events,” Sullivan added.  

A recent study found a negative 48 net promoter score from exhibitors regarding their experience at virtual events.  

In addition, it is difficult for exhibitors to engage at virtual events, so it is no surprise that many people are turning their attention to hybrid and in-person events, which historically drive significantly more revenue. 

Trend #3: Hybrid Redefined (Again) 

For most organizations and events, cost, ability, desire, audience needs, and demand will prevent subcutaneous events from occurring online and in person. 

“Due to the costs, I think what is going to happen is hybrid will focus on community and the online experiences surrounding in-person events,” said Vallaster. 

For example, a keynote speech may be recorded and later shared but not broadcast live due to monetary constraints. 

Trend #4 Economic Pressures 

Inflation, wage increases, “the great resignation,” and supply chain challenges will not only impact your event but will also impact everyone involved with your event. 

“I encourage you to think about the levers you can pull to adjust to some of those pressures,” Sullivan said. 

Some ideas introduced were to reduce your food and beverage expenses and select a smaller venue space to make up for some of the differences you may see in attendance revenue. 

Trend #5: DEI 

As event organizers, we must be careful to maintain a consistent level of professionalism and quality throughout all parts of the event. Everything we do, from the content to our team – both accuracy and quality – needs to represent our audiences. 

“It’s critical for businesses to examine their DEI processes throughout the planning process for 2022, and not simply commit to them but also follow through on them,” Vallaster added. 

Trend #6: Politics Play a Bigger Role 

Another 2022 event trend discussed was the role of politics. And not COVID-19 politics, but laws in your event state and location. 

“If there are controversial laws where your event is, some attendees and exhibitors may walk with their dollars,” Sullivan said. “This is troubling because many events are planned way in advance, but new laws may take effect fairly quickly.” 

It’s more vital than ever to keep an eye on the situation in your event’s host state and prepare for contingencies. 

Trend #7: Agile Everything 

Never has budgeting and planning for various scenarios been so important. 

Vallaster and Sullivan stressed that content needs to be timely and adjusted to reflect current conditions. In addition, marketing and communicating to your audience must be a cross-functional effort with the ability to change at a moment’s notice. 

Trend #8: Association Complacency 

On the next trend, Sullivan talked about how associations now may be facing new and unexpected competition. 

“Show organizers are entrepreneurial by nature, and you may find yourself in an unexpected situation,” Sullivan added. “It’s important to be aware and prepared for that scenario.” 

Trend #9: Irrational Pricing 

Despite increased costs, price sensitivity concerns for exhibitors and attendees are driving less than optimal increases in pricing. 

While event organizers may lock in the price of their venue, they have no idea what the price of a sandwich might be a year from now. 

“We must be sensitive, yet we must also communicate that expenses are going up,” Vallaster added. 

Trend #10: Streamlining Efforts 

To make the most of our time, Sullivan stressed the importance of utilizing technology to save time and simplify our life. 

Due to simplified paperwork, organizers will have more time to focus on relationships and engagement. Sullivan recommended not wasting your time filling out paper contracts; instead, calling your exhibitors. Then, send them an online contract to complete after the call. 

Trend #11: Three Attendee Types 

Both Vallaster and Sullivan approached the three attendee types next: 

• Hard No (They will not be attending an in-person event this year.) 
• Maybe (They are on the fence.) 
• Hell Yeah (They will be there for sure.) 

“You have to put your attention on the ‘maybe’s,’ regardless, ” Vallaster said. “They’re undecided. It will be crucial to a successful event if you can persuade them that it is safe, and they will make the decision to participate.” 

Trend #12: ROTI (Return on Time Investment) 

There is no doubt that the pandemic has forced us to pay greater attention to work-life balance than ever before. And, because of recent events, your audience members are looking for ways to make the most of their financial and time resources away from home. 

“Make sure you are giving your attendees a compelling reason to come,” Sullivan said. 

Trend #13: Just in Time 

We need to adjust our marketing and event timelines. You need to incentivize registering for events early. You need to think about your registration policies too. 

People sign up later and make their selections closer to the event, so your procedures must adapt to this new mindset. 

Trend #14: Print Shrinks (Again) 

Print Week reports that paper alone has increased 8-15% this year along with increased shipping, ink, labor, etc. 

Change is occurring at a quicker pace. Your print is outdated if your keynote speaker gets COVID-19 the day before the event. Sullivan advised attendees to embrace digital and mobile technologies. 

Trend #15: Listening 

In this ever-changing environment, the ability to respond quickly and in-flight (if feasible) is essential, from social listening to market research and focus groups. 

You must consider your communication strategies and adapt to continual changes. 

Trend #16: Bespoke Approaches 

Exhibitors and sponsors now want custom-designed approaches. You need to work with them on what they want to do at their event. 

“I am a firm believer in collaborating with them so that you can comprehend their needs,” Vallaster continued. 

Trend #17: Harness Community 

A significant trend is to continue developing event communities and engaging your audiences year-round, and this will increase satisfaction, in-person revenues, and attendance. 

Consider your online community like an ATM, where your attendees have access to your exhibitors at any time of year. Engagement can happen even after the event. 

Trend #18: Showcasing Value 

Vallaster said that your event offers the complete buyer journey in a few hours to a few days. Vallaster continued that events bring people together intelligently and curated access. 

“Events create an environment where it all happens at that moment. That exploration, all that value, happens at that event,” Vallaster added. 

Trend #19: Solution Messaging 

Solution messaging has become so critical in the past two years, and it is imperative that you communicate how you solve your audience’s challenges. Identify the problems and offer comprehensive solutions. 

Trend #20: Focus on What Matters 

Streamline (or cut) the frills. Many are going unnoticed. 

People are cutting things that people aren’t noticing. People are so focused on networking that they care less about frills. 

“Do it the best that you can with budget constraints,” Vallaster added. “Focus on what matters, and that will ultimately drive up your satisfaction scores.” 

Trend #21: Rethink Success 

Both Vallaster and Sullivan agreed that we must alter our definition of success. Fewer attendees do not equal less for the exhibitors/sponsors/speakers etc. 

“I think it’s critical to take a step back and rethink success,” Sullivan added. “Think about quality versus quantity. The people who choose to attend your conference are more likely qualified buyers.” 

Trend #22: Incrementalism 

Most attendees are just trying to get back to the new normal. It’s a lot of the same, however. It’s essential, though, to be realistic, be bold, and be confident. 

It’s vital not to waiver in your commitment to show that you can, and you will safely return to in-person events. 

That’s a Wrap 

As we continue to face uncertain times, remembering the importance of in-person events is more important than ever. They provide an opportunity for us to come together and share our knowledge, experiences, and ideas. We hope these 2022 event trends will help you plan your events successfully in 2022 and the years to come. 

Click here to watch a recording of the webinar. 

The post Event Marketing Trends appeared first on A2Z Events.

That’s where their employer comes in! But, a potential attendee asking a tight-fisted manager to release funds without clearly outlining the costs and benefits will get questioned very quickly – so help get your audience to your event by providing an attendance justification letter template.

With the help of a template, potential attendees can easily craft a convincing letter. The biggest question your audience must be able to answer is: What’s the ROI (Return On Investment) of my attendance? ROI is traditionally expressed as an equation, but all it really means is that the participants need to prove that what they’ll bring back from your event will at least match the amount of money invested into their trip. To help justify the expense, their letter should include:

• Event Details: The employer will want to know the basics — a description, where the event is located, dates and length of the event, etc. — before diving into anything else. Help your potential attendees give their employer a quick overview of the event to start off.
• Expense Summary: They need to present all of the fixed and variable expenses that come with attending. Registration fees are one thing, but depending on the nature of the event there could also be food, housing, airfare/gas mileage to consider. If food (or anything else) is included with registration, be sure to include this information!
• Benefit Summary: This is the important part! The benefits of attending the event need to be clearly articulated, and related back to the potential attendee’s current role. Some examples include:
  • Continuing Education Unit: CEUs are often necessary to keep professionals in practice. If you’re offering them for attendance, your participants will have a much greater chance of getting that funding.
  • Networking opportunities: The chance to obtain new clients or source a better vendor can often loosen a tight corporate wallet.
  • Technical training and best practices: Will your attendees come away with better habits and a wider knowledge base that they could put to use for their employer?
  • Career path: If your attendees’ organization promotes career paths for their employees, your event could assist them in reaching professional milestones.
  • Knowledge transfer: One attendee could potentially pass what they’ve learned to an entire department, making their participation more valuable to their employer.

Here’s a letter template we put together to get you started on creating your own. (Bolded words in all caps are for the potential attendee to fill in, lower case are for you!)

When I get back from [event name], I’ll share my takeaways with the team, including the ones we can implement immediately and an action plan for how we can make that happen.

Below is a breakdown of approximately how much it will cost for me to attend [event name]:

The post [TEMPLATE] How to Help Conference Attendees Justify Event Cost appeared first on A2Z Events.

Those who work on large-scale events or for event planning companies are likely used to building out this kind of content, but event planners working for a university, nonprofit, or business may not know where to start. Check out our list of what you MUST include on your event website:

1. How to register or buy tickets

This one is a no-brainer! It should be immediately apparent to any website visitors where they click to officially sign up or buy their ticket. Be sure that some kind of registration call-to-action is prominent in your event website’s main navigation and even homepage.

2. The event date and location

Not only should it be front and center when people land on the homepage, but you’ll want to repeat the date and location throughout the website to keep it top of mind. This could be as easy as having it prominently displayed on the header image that’s carried throughout the website.

3. An “About” section

Tell the story of your event! With its own website, you have all the room you need to really tell your audience what it’s all about. Really spell out for attendees the “why” of your event, what attendees will experience, and (most importantly) what they’ll gain by attending.

4. Pictures and videos from previous events

Written descriptions are helpful for being straightforward and clarifying any confusion, but pictures and videos will really demonstrate the excitement and energy of your event. Focus on pictures that show your event at its best, and keep these “marketing moments” in mind while working with photographers on-site.

5. Testimonials from previous attendees

Even more powerful than your own words, pictures, or videos are the experiences of past attendees. Social proof gives validation to your event, so be sure to use it! (Tip: consider asking attendees for a quote in your follow-up survey.)

6. The agenda

This is where you REALLY demonstrate the value of attending and empower attendees to get the most out of your event. Having a website dedicated to your event gives you plenty of space to lay out exactly what activities attendees can expect, when they’ll take place, and what they’ll have access to based on their level of admission. (VIP, All Access, General, etc.)

Note: It’s ok if you don’t have everything set in stone right away. Try to release as much as you can at first, but adding more things here and there as you get closer to the event will actually give you more marketing material. Just be sure to include some kind of “subject to change” notice on the page, just in case.

7. Showcase your sponsors

Give sponsors some extra love by highlighting them on a “Sponsors” page. This is another great way to play with sponsorship value, too — real estate on your event’s website is valuable alone, but consider including more for your big spenders. (For example, a link to their website or a small description of their business.)

8. FAQ

It’s an event, so people will inevitably have questions. Create a page specifically for addressing what typically comes up, or what you anticipate might. If you’ll have attendees from out of town, this is a good place to include directions, accommodation recommendations, and even things to do in the area when they have down time.

9. Your policies

You’ll want to have, at the very least, a cancellation/refund policy stated clearly on the website to point back to when those types of requests come up. Consider also displaying information regarding transferring a ticket, and if you have to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances or weather (depending on your event). Attendees are now hyper-sensitive to that information, and it’s always best practice to be transparent.

Hopefully, this will give you a good start when you’re ready to build your event’s website — and you also see just how valuable of a tool it is for event marketing.

The post The Top 9 Items to Include on Your Event Website appeared first on A2Z Events.

Check out our 10 best easy-to-use event email templates that you should send out to your attendees before your next event! Read carefully, the first 5 templates on our list are intended to drive registrations and sell out your event, while the last 5 templates keep your attendees’ interest piqued in the days leading up to your event. Make sure you read to the end for a bonus event email template!

We recommend using this base template to ensure you’ve included all key event details in your email. Then, you can modify and add a personal touch as necessary with our 10 outlined examples below!

Base Template:

10 Best Event Email Template Variations

Once you’ve used the above template, feel free to customize using the different event promotion ideas, headers, and Call to Action buttons below.

1. Announcement / Save the Date

It’s never too early to get your conference or event on people’s radar. Make sure your target audience knows when and where your event will take place with an “Announcement” email template, and send it at least a few months in advance so that any travel preparations or accommodations can be arranged. Keep it simple and streamlined.

If you’re still not ready for attendees to register, use the Call to Action button as an “opt-in” to create a priority email list for attendees who want to register.

2. Early Bird Pricing

An “Early Bird” event email template is a great way to jumpstart your event attendance with a boost. By offering a small discount, you’ll encourage attendees who may have been on the fence but are won over by snagging a deal. Make sure to use urgency and a value proposition to drive registration.

3. Speaker Spotlight

You’ve got an all-star lineup of speakers and panelists, so why not flaunt it with the “Speaker Spotlight” email template? Try to do as little explaining as possible and rely on the names if you can, though a short sentence blurb about who they are or the topic they’ll be covering is acceptable.

Alternatively, if you have a long list of speakers, use your Call to Action button to direct potential attendees to a landing page with a registration link.

4. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

The FOMO (fear of missing out) template may be one of the strongest in the entire batch. In today’s cultural climate, being at the best events and having amazing experiences are a social currency worth much more than the cost of the ticket to your amazing event.

Leverage this with a countdown clock with a minor price cut and your attendees will be sprinting for their registration before you know it!

5. Exclusive Event

One tactic to sell out your event is with an event email template that exudes exclusivity. Do this by requiring attendees to “apply” to your event and see if they’re accepted. This psychological trick will be sure to unleash the floodgates on your event registration process.

6. Accommodations

Just because you’ve sold out your event doesn’t mean that communication stops. Keep your attendees informed of their options for accommodations if they’re traveling with the “Accommodations” event email template. You’ll ingratiate yourself with attendees by sending them recommendations or even a group rate for a hotel if you’re hosting the conference at that particular hotel.

7. Conference App

A robust conference app is an absolute game changer when it comes to WOW-ing attendees on event day. Make sure that your attendees come prepared to your conference by informing them with this conference app email.

8. Get the Deets

This event email template is the simplest and easiest way to give attendees all the information they need for your upcoming event. You can fill out all the information they need to know such as location, schedule, and after-the-event networking events on a separate landing page or as a downloadable PDF to keep the email short and sweet!

9. Pre-Event Survey

Think it’s too early to survey your registrants? Think again! With the pre-event survey template you can glean invaluable information such as where your attendees are staying, if they’ll be coming in early to enjoy the city before your conference, or even just to know why they’re attending and what they’re most excited about!

This information can then be used for targeted sponsorship, forging strategic partnerships with nearby hotels, or to gain insights on your own event. One way to drive home participation is to offer an entry into a drawing for their responses.

10. Sponsorships

Do your attendees represent companies who would love to advertise and sponsor your event? Reach out to your registrants and offer a chance for their company to be highlighted at your event! This is a win-win that puts money in your pocket and drums up business for your attendees.

Bonus Template!

11. Ride the Wave

No doubt your event is going to have attendees absolutely thrilled – so why not ride the wave of emotion and excitement and offer them an opportunity to secure their ticket to next year’s event?

With the Ride the Wave event email template you’ll be doing just that. It’s never too early to start the event promotion process for your next event even if that’s right in the middle of your current event!

Ready to Start Planning Your Next Event? Let’s Connect.

The post 10 Best Event Email Templates appeared first on A2Z Events.