Don’t Make These 7 Silly Mistakes in Your Next Live Event

The last few years might have turned marketing upside down, but now that the dust has settled, one thing seems evident: Live events, including financial, Medicare, and senior living community seminars, are here to stay. Whether you’ve done a hundred in-person events or are just getting started, here are the top seven mistakes not to make in your live event marketing.

Live Event Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

1. Discounting Hybrid Events

Offering a live event seems like a straightforward option. You connect with prospects and close more business. But one key element you might be missing is that hybrid and multichannel marketing solutions are on the rise, and for a good reason.

Prospects want options. While most people want to meet professionals in person, that doesn’t mean that webinars are a thing of the past. In fact, webinars continue to grow in popularity and are highly beneficial for lead generation. As a result, more and more top providers are combining solutions to allow their prospects more options to connect. Webinars, seminars, one-on-one appointments, and educational workshops enable consumers to interact. And professionals are connecting with and closing more business than ever.

2. Forgetting Experiential Marketing

A financial seminar about SSD worked great for your competition, so why not do the same thing? Because the marketplace is crowded, and it’s important to stand out. What can you do to create a unique experience for your audience? Think outside the box for ways to create a memorable experience. That could include new and uncharted presentation topics, a special giveaway, an unusual or fun event location, or whatever else your audience gravitates towards.

Don’t let your seminar marketing get stale, and don’t always follow everyone else’s lead. Your audience is looking for a memorable, interactive, and educational experience. Give them what they want, and you’ll close more business.

3. Ignoring Social Media

Email and direct mail marketing are easier ways to verify who you are connecting with from a targeted audience perspective. With that in mind, many marketers ignore social media to communicate with potential attendees. But that mistake can cost you.

Even if social media isn’t your preferred marketing platform, it’s probably something your audience uses daily. Plus, it’s a powerful tool for reaching an even larger audience and generating excitement about your upcoming live events. Use your social account to promote the event, engage attendees, and share updates.

4. Not Personalizing Your Message

If you are considering taking the easy way out and sending out the same message to everyone on your list, you will lose out on qualified prospects. Not personalizing your message is proven to result in lower response rates.

In this digital age, personalization is simple – and your prospects are expecting it. Plus, it’s proven that it performs better. So, use their first name in your direct mail marketing. Hone your message to their specific demographic and interests. Target your ideal audience specifically with your message and your content. Your conversion rate will thank you.

5. Avoiding Artificial Intelligence

Sure, artificial intelligence is relatively new to the marketing world, so you probably haven’t taken it for a test run yet. But that doesn’t mean you should delay.

In a short period of time, artificial intelligence has become part of all marketing activities, including live event marketing. It simplifies marketers’ abilities to personalize messages, targets their ideal audience, create content that connects, and automate tasks. If you aren’t doing this for your upcoming events, your competition probably is. Don’t get left behind!

6. Disregarding Data and Analytics

You’ve set up an event, planned it, and maybe even completed one in the past. How did it do? What did you learn? If you don’t have metrics and data to back up your answer, you’ve missed out on opportunities for improvement.

How and where is your event succeeding? Are you converting more prospects? Is your event going to be full of your ideal audience? Data and metrics should be used from start to finish to track the success of your event and find where improvements can be made. Track attendee engagements, identify trends, and make informed decisions in the future.

7. Being Inflexible

You’ve got a plan, and you’re sticking to it, step by step, moment to moment. And it’s a great plan. But it ignores a simple fact of life – things don’t always go according to plan.

Always expect the unexpected. Make sure you have backups for all your equipment, you know your presentation – even if it doesn’t play, and be ready to roll with the punches as they come. Being flexible, calm, and relaxed in a frustrating situation says a lot about you as a professional as well, so take your time to resolve any issues that arise.

5 Quick Tips for Live Event Marketing Success

Now you’re ready to host your in-person event, and you know exactly what you need to avoid for seminar success. But let’s not stop there! Here are some quick tips that can help you achieve your seminar goals.

Start planning early. The early bird gets the worm, and this adage is true here too. The earlier you start planning your event, the more time you’ll have to secure a venue, plan and perfect your presentation, and promote your event. Avoid the stress and frustration of procrastination and enjoy a seamless event.

Set clear goals and write them down. What do you hope to achieve with your event? To educate your audience? Or convert prospects into clients? Get them to the next step in the buyer’s journey? Once you know your goals, you can create a plan to achieve them.

Budget effectively. Live event marketing can be expensive, so it’s essential to create a budget and factor in all the possible expenses you will incur. Knowing what your ROI needs to be ahead of the event can help you make the best choice as you plan.

Have fun! Yes, the planning part and the public speaking can be nerve-wracking, but at the end of the day, the event should be enjoyable for you and everyone else involved. Make sure to create an event that people will want to attend and remember.

Don’t go it alone. Partner with a customer acquisition company that can help you target your ideal prospect, fill your event space with qualified attendees, and help you manage and chart out your expectations and budget. You’ll save time and money and get a better return on your investment.

Start Planning Your Next Live Event

When you’re ready to fill your calendar with financial seminars, Medicare seminars, or other live in-person marketing events, LeadingResponse is your source of guidance and support from start to finish. With close to 30 years of seminar marketing experience, our team of experts is here to help your business grow. Let’s get started.