How to communicate about your event?

Corporate events can bring many benefits to a business, from the promotion of products and services to improving brand recognition, or generating qualified leads and getting new clients. Indeed, 95% of marketers trust in-person events to help their company achieve its business goals.

But you can’t have a successful event unless you have a solid communication plan in place. Without it, your event will most certainly go relatively unnoticed. Often, event professionals concentrate their efforts on pre-event communication, but communicating during and after your event is equally important.

In this article, we will share why and how to communicate at the different stages of an event.

Pre-event communication

Why it’s important to communicate before your event starts

Most event planners are familiar with pre-event communication as it’s the only way for them to let their target audience know about their upcoming event. A good communication strategy at this stage will help create the buzz around the event, build excitement, and exacerbate the desire to attend, which should help boost registration. It’s also when you start engaging your audience.

When to start communicating about your event depends mainly on its size: the larger the event (for your business), the sooner you want to start communicating about it.

How to do it

Event planners have many tools at their disposal for pre-event communication.

First and foremost, the event website will give your potential attendees all the information they need in case they are planning on attending, but also all the reasons why they should participate if they are still unsure.

Your social media accounts have a big part to play at that stage. Use them to relay your important announcements: where and when the event will take place; if it’s a conference, reveal the speakers you have booked, etc. Social media are also a great way to start engaging with your audience. Don’t forget to create a specific hashtag for your event and make it easy to remember.

While it might seem like an outdated practice, emails should still be a prominent part of your communication plan at that stage. Plan to send several batches for the initial invitation to your regular clients/prospects list, then for the confirmation once they registered, and also a couple for reminders that the big day is coming.

notification-reseaux-sociaux

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

During-the-event communication

Why it’s important to communicate during your event 

Once your event has started, don’t let up on communication. There are several reasons for this. During your event, you have to provide helpful information to your attendees so that they can navigate your event without any problem. You can also make sure people who couldn’t attend in-person still feel as if they are part of it. Finally, a good communication strategy at this point will help you generate even more engagement and ensure your event is a success.

How to do it

For your remote attendees, live-streaming is a must as it will help reinforce the feeling of being part of the event even though they are not present physically.

Once again, social media is your best friend during the event. Posting live updates through Twitter, short videos or pictures on Instagram, etc., will go a long way in keeping people engaged during the whole event.

An event app can also send reminders to attendees regarding upcoming sessions or conferences or send recommendations to visit specific exhibitors’ booths.

If you are an exhibitor at a tradeshow, think of your booth as one of your most powerful communication tools. A well-designed booth will help boost brand recognition and attract potential clients.

Stand d'exposition créé par Totm Exposition

Photo by totm exposition

Also, on-site information such as signage or TV visuals will help your attendees navigate your event more efficiently.

Finally, a welcome bag that includes swag, a printed schedule, and other important details can be a helpful addition. Regarding swag, be mindful to include goodies that are useful in the long run so that your attendees don’t end up throwing them away as soon as they leave your event.

Post-event communication

Why it’s important to communicate after your event is over

This is one area where event planners sometimes fail to plan appropriately. Post-event communication is of utmost importance to keep the relationship alive, create event communities that will help carry your brand from one event to the next and keep engaging your audience to convert them into clients.

How to do it

Surveys represent one of the most popular tools for post-event communication. Indeed, 71% of event organizers use them to keep engaging their attendees. Furthermore, surveys will provide you with interesting data and insights.

Social media, once again, should be part of your post-event communication strategy: try posting pictures or short videos that will remind your attendees of the good time they had at your event and prepare them for your next one.

Illustration des différents médias sociaux

Photo by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay

You can also convert your event website to a post-event page, including content such as a photo gallery, important documents (such as conference slides), etc.

Finally, don’t forget that you can use emails at this stage to send thank-you notes or tease your attendees with your next event.

In conclusion

As we’ve seen, event planners have many tools at their disposal when it comes to communicating with their attendees. Making a communication plan for your event where you break down what to tell your audience, when, and how will ensure that you’ve covered all areas where you can reach them. 

Another essential and sometimes overshadowed aspect is to share that plan with your event team so that they know what is going on and can be prepared.

Make sure your tradeshow booth or exhibit is a successful part of your event communication strategy! Contact us today if you have a project you would like to talk about.