Leveraging events and sponsorships for summer success
In the past, we’ve talked about the common misconception that customers disappear in the summer (unless you have a seasonal business like an ice cream shop). While it’s true that many businesses will be slower and may even hit a summer slump, that doesn’t mean you should just give up on your summer marketing efforts.
In our last blog, Candace talked about how businesses can embrace outdoor and community events to build brand visibility and connect face-to-face with their audience.
Many outdoor and community events get a lot of foot traffic and at times, cater to specific audiences, so it gives you the opportunity to not only reach your target audience, but to also connect with them in person and to reach new people. It’s also a great opportunity for your audience to test out your products and to learn more about your business.
Here are some tips for leveraging events and sponsorships for summer success.
Choose the right events
Not every event is going to be the right fit, so it’s important to choose the right events to attend and/or sponsor. Here are a few things to consider:
What are your goals (overarching and event goals)? Defining your goals will help you figure out things like: what to do/offer at the event, if it was a success, etc.
Think about your audience demographics and go beyond the basics. For example, think about what their lifestyle is like in the summer and what they enjoy doing, i.e. are they attending music festivals, wine and food festivals, etc.)
Vet the events. If it’s a recurring event, consider questions like what was the past attendance like? What was the buzz around the event like?
Be more than just a logo
It’s easy to slap a logo on an event and say you’re a sponsor, but then what? You might get some visibility but you’ll also likely lack connection and that’s important too!
Here are some things that you can do:
Have fun or interesting activations/experiences, such as photo walls/areas (great for posting on social media by the way), games, etc.
Have a giveaway or sampling, for example, many brands have giveaway wheels at events that attendees can spin to win prizes like free items and discounts.
Everyone loves freebies or a prize but there’s more that you can offer. For example, food and beverage brands can create areas for people to stop and grab a refreshing drink or a tasty snack. Maybe even just a place to relax!
Offer special promos at the event if possible (i.e. discounts, bundles, exclusive gifts).
Get social
Social is a great tool for connecting with your audience, and if you are participating in an upcoming event, it’s a good idea to post about it on social media. Here are some tips for posting on socials before, during, and after events.
Before
Create a countdown.
Do a giveaway for tickets (can also partner with influencers for a ticket giveaway).
Behind the scenes videos/teasers such as event prep.
During:
Encourage your audience to follow you on social media (you can even use QR codes to make it easy for users to follow you on socials).
Encourage your audience to tag your brand on social media (you may even want to use a branded hashtag). When tagged, like the posts and share them (i.e. share Instagram Stories to yours and repost TikToks).
After:
Share a recap of the event (i.e. a post or a vlog), you can also highlight the event in an upcoming newsletter.
While summer can be slow, remember, there’s also an opportunity for success and a little bit of fun!