Do you believe in love at first sight? Of course, you do. And if you're not so sure, yes, it does exist.
Yet this story is not about Cupid and his arrow. This story is about you, dazzling your event attendees and prospects, making them fall in love with your event at first glance.
How?
In the busy world of event marketing, it is no news that event producers are struggling with how to make their events stand out. There are thousands of events out there that host varied experiences for their guests. Be it shows, festivals, seminars.
All have something special to offer.
Yet, there is only one recipe to stand out and become memorable: establishing your event brand.
If you want your attendees to fall in love with your event even before they visit, it’s time for you to start thinking about event branding…
What is Event Branding?
We all have a brand. Our identity. This is how others—strangers and friends—perceive us. The awesome thing about branding is that you can shape it however you want!
What comes to your mind when you hear, "TEDx"? The bright red? The giant capital letters? Or is it the slogan," ideas worth spreading"?
These are all brand elements. This is what makes them different from the competition. It is through this medium that an event can create a permanent and unique space in the guest's mind.
Essentially, event branding means defining your who, how, & what.
This is how you are going to define your identity, what makes your event unique, and what differentiates it from the rest.
To define your brand, you should be asking yourself some of these questions:
-
What does your event represent?
-
Who do you represent?
-
How are you planning to tell your own story?
The Benefits of Building an Event Brand
The main reason why you should brand your event is because others are doing it. This also means you have to stand out, and do what others haven't thought to do.
There are plenty of events worldwide that have already established their brand, hence, proper event branding examples are easy to spot. From music festivals like Lollapalooza to Bonnaroo, event branding is the number one way to be distinguishable from other events.
So, you too have to establish your unique brand because this will make your event different.
But what are the benefits?
Being Remarkable
A major reason for event branding is getting to be remarkable. Determining your event identity will let your event stand on its own as well as be outstanding.
The first step to making a successful brand is considering your basic brand elements; they need to be distinct. These can include:
-
An evocative logo
-
Imagery that tells a story
-
Colors that match your vibe
-
Swag (that makes sense)
-
A slogan that accurately describes what your brand is and represents
Plus, now that virtual events are a regular thing, it's not a bad idea to integrate event branding into your live-streaming platform(s) as well.
Once your brand elements are clear, people will find it easy to identify your event wherever it may be.
Yet, the key element to making your event a hundred percent remarkable is the branded experience you provide your guests. Interactions with attendees using your unique brands have proved to bring more value. Nobody needs to tell you that connecting with your audience through your own identity is priceless!
Getting Loyal Guests
Being able to connect with guests from a brand point of view will increase guest loyalty. Why? Because your event brand makes you trustworthy.
A remarkable brand experience doesn't just let your guests know who you are and what happens at your event. If they had a wonderful time, they’ll get tickets for next time because they know what to expect.
Increasing Business Value
As your event brand gets determined, your recognition and authority will grow inside your industry.
Making an event brand that stands on its own and builds its presence will make your event more valuable. It gives you the necessary trustworthiness and reliability that you need to attract the right sponsors, brand partners, and investors.
Co-branding
Ever heard of co-branding?
We have established that event branding allows you to create a strong and valuable business partnership with sponsors.
But, did you know that you can also host a co-branded event? This will give you, and your partner, the power to reach more people and ultimately increase your brand awareness.
Benefiting From The Subscription Economy
Recurring events that offer a unique brand experience can encourage guests to attend every time.
Hence, a well-defined event brand helps you sell subscription packages to guests. It makes guests more involved in your event (increasing customer loyalty) and finally, guarantees a steady income for your pocketbook.
If you want to learn more about how to create subscriptions with Passage, click here.
The Lesson: Memorable Events Make a Difference
Branding is essential. It can be overwhelming to think of every detail but, after all, this is how you showcase your own identity and tell your story.
Have you ever been to Coachella? Over the years, the festival’s identity has been well spread among guests. Many festival-goers are likely to choose a boho-chic outfit to match the event’s vibe. Isn’t that crazy and awesome at the same time?
And the Super Bowl’s halftime show? The audience knows what to expect and what will happen. People buy tickets each year because they know the type of live experience this event has to offer: the game, the fun, and the excitement!
These are memorable events and cannot be compared to any typical alternative. Why? Because of the magical touch that event branding adds to the entire experience.
When creating your event brand, you have to make sure the guest experience is worth reliving. You need to think about the 360° experience you are providing your guests through all your event touchpoints.
Event branding is not the easiest of tasks. It requires thorough planning, consistency, and cohesiveness among your brand elements. But it pays off.
Finally—a tip—if you're having a tough time finding the right event branding inspiration, think of your favorite events and explore what it is that makes them your favorite.
Are you ready to create your next branded event with Passage? Sign up right away and, if you need any help, schedule an onboarding call.
If you want to learn more tips and tricks for creating your next event, download our Event Organization Checklist for free:
