Developing a marketing plan for an event in 2021 is far from an easy task. Sure, it was always challenging to diversify from competitors. However, the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated the process.
For instance, entities today work on a much stricter budget. The point is to make the best use of the available resources. In other words, to reach the ultimate effectiveness and efficiency.
The global pandemic further depicted the importance of adaptability to the marketplace, speedy responses, and the “first-mover advantage.” And to be able to react fast, the marketing and managing processes should go hand in hand.
One great way to achieve this effect is using the five C’s of event management as a great starting point for putting your marketing plan together.
How to Incorporate The 5 C’s in A Marketing Plan for An Event?
Back in the day, only event planners had to know the concept of the 5 C’s. However, today, even marketing teams find its use within the marketing plan for an event. It can help develop a successful strategy for attracting new visitors and retaining the old audience.
So, let’s get into more details.
Concept
The concept creates the framework for your event. It answers all whys, whos, whens, wheres, and whats. Here are several questions to consider at this point:
- When will the event take place?
- Where will you host it?
- What is the purpose of the event?
- Why are you hosting the event?
- Who is your target audience?
- How should your attendees feel?
- Who are the guest speakers?
- And so on
Your marketing and managing teams need to work together because a successful event marketing strategy always starts from the market. So, first, you must understand the demand on the market. Then, find a way to satisfy your potential customers’ needs.
For instance, if you target a specific niche, you should select a time of the year when these people have the least work. In turn, they will have more free time to attend your occasion.
Coordination
Now that you have set the overall concept of your marketing plan for an event, it’s time for planning. At this point, you need to set out all details. Most probably, coordination is the lengthiest out of all C’s.
The coordination phase should cover all bases, such as:
- The event theme
- Setting the budget
- Venue and travel
- Any needed equipment
- Food and entertainment
- Risks and security
Your in-house marketing team can also find partners or sponsors during the coordination phase. However, everything needs to fit in the marketing plan for an event as a whole. It would help if you avoided any deviations from the primary goal or theme. So, make sure to get all of your teams, in-house or outsourced, on the same page.
Furthermore, you must always set a backup plan. The current, unpredictable situation can easily destroy your ‘Plan A.’ So, make sure to have a Plan B, C, or even D.
Control
Staying in control is the key to a successful event marketing strategy. If you don’t stick to the plan, or you don’t have the proper control methods set in place, you can spend excessive time, money, and resources. In turn, you will spend your inputs and don’t move closer to your end goal.
At this point, you should specify a person in charge of each task. If you are a team, make sure to divide the work fairly. Even though there might be five people working on a task, there should essentially be one leader.
For instance, who is the person responsible for the guest speakers? What if a guest speaker doesn’t show up? Who is there to replace him?
Sure, you need a team responsible for the catering, other for the travel of the attendees, and a third one for the social media platforms. However, within the social media team, you should have a person for the ads, a person for the market research, etc. The better the marketing plan for an event (more detailed), the lesser the chances of failure.
Furthermore, the more plans you have with more alternatives, the lower the chances of failing in the worst-case scenario.
Culmination
The culmination is the day of the event itself. Some would assume’ the work ends once we reach this day.’ But it’s the complete opposite. All your teams should be on top of everything on the D-Day.
Each person involved in the marketing plan for an event should have an itinerary. Your team should continually monitor how everything is progressing and whether it’s according to plan. If not, they should be ready to take corrective action and do it immediately.
Make no mistake; there’s no such thing as a perfect plan or a perfect event. Something will most probably go wrong. The question is, will you be ready for it.
Closeout
Everything that occurs after the event falls within the closeout stage. Now, while the management team can clean the venue and close it off with caterers and entertainers, the marketing team has another job.
Essentially, the marketing plan for an event at the closeout should specify tactics for customer engagement. You need to find a way to retain your visitors to attend the next occasion as well.
For instance, you can ask the visitors for feedback – what did they like and what you can improve. Also, you can contact the speakers/performers, vendors, and caterers. Did they contribute to your overall event marketing strategy? Or did the management team choose them without the marketing goal in mind?
Each event and the post-event analytics can help you improve for the next occasion. By understanding the mistakes, you can make sure to avoid them in the future. In turn, this sets the base for continual progress and, ultimately, success.
Final Thought on the 5 C’s in A Marketing Plan for An Event
Now that you understand the concept of 5 C’s in event management, you can find a way to incorporate it in your next marketing plan for an event. Following these five rules can sure get you a step closer to hosting and marketing an unforgettable event.
