[Article links updated. Originally published on April 17,2020.]

Every event needs a plan before it can get off the ground. Organization and attention to detail will ensure that every facet of the event — from marketing to logistics to vendor management — is aligned and ready to go. Keeping track of those variables is quite an undertaking, but creating an event management strategy can keep everything in focus.

But where do you even begin? Start by identifying a primary objective that connects to your brand goals. After that, your job is to ensure that every step of your event planning ladders up to help you achieve those goals. Otherwise, you’ll never know what you need marketing to say, what role logistics will play, or what you need to tell vendors.

The food and beverage industry is ever-evolving. It’s constantly adjusting to new consumer preferences and the market landscape. Recently, there has been a shift in focus as consumer-facing brands seek to connect with customers in smaller cities and towns. This shift presents a unique opportunity for the food and beverage industry to connect more deeply with its target audience. Let’s examine how food and beverage marketers can take advantage of current trends to better connect with local communities. 

[Article links updated. Originally published on Aug 6, 2020.]

To extend the shelf life of your event marketing, you need social media’s influence. Here’s how to translate your event design to your social streams.

The first word of “event marketing” once limited its effectiveness. An event starts, it’s marketed, and it ends — a campaign lived and died with the length of an event.

Now, however, social media and event marketing go hand in hand to extend the latter’s shelf-life. Social media is an extension of the brands and initiatives it represents, altering how we intake, share, and act on information.

[Article links updated. Originally published on Apr 19, 2019.]

When a customer prepares to purchase, there’s more than price or convenience on their minds — they’re debating whether they want to fully commit to your brand. The more positive feelings a customer associates with your brand, the more likely that purchase will come to fruition.

Despite how 80% of people say they’re “extremely likely” to attend in-person events in the second half of 2023, event marketers still struggle to drive traffic to their booths. According to “The Mid-Year Industry Pulse Check,” boosting attendance is among the top three challenges facing event marketers today. Despite this challenge, 63% of brands reported executing more or the same number of in-person events in 2022 than in 2019. In 2023, the number of events will only increase.