Virtual event brand consistency is every bit as important as brand consistency at live events. And it is easier to achieve.
As a marketer, how would you feel if you hosted an incredible event that got people talking but not mentioning the brand that brought the event to them? That would be a waste of resources. We now have opportunities to create memorable, global events with a far bigger reach than ever before (thanks to virtual eventing eliminating many logistical issues), but do not let the event and the content overshadow the brand.
Good marketers realise how important the brand is and know that it goes way beyond a logo and colour palette. The branding is what connects people to your business.
Virtual events give companies opportunities to activate their brands in unique ways. For optimal success, a brand activation strategy has to be in place.
Set Brand Guidelines
A well-branded virtual event takes on a life of its own – whether it be a webinar, virtual conference or even something more casual like virtual cocktail hour – but still maintains the essence and brand values of your organisation.
So how is this goal achieved? Marketing departments achieve this by combining digital branding (event apps, event website, email marketing, social media) with onsite branding (exhibition stand, banners, badging, set and stage design). In other words, all of these combine to create an event personality.
Creating Clear Rules & Standards For Your Visual & Written Materials
Make sure that everyone involved in the planning, organising, activation and control of the event understands the brief for your online event’s branding. Take time in the early planning stage to formulate guidelines so that there is a crystal clear understanding and no room for error along the way.
It is worth your while to be pedantic in these situations. Create specific guidelines as to language usage, colour usage, sounds and every other detail that works together to create the branded virtual experience and then convey this information timeously and clearly to the team.
Organize Your Marketing Assets
Make sure that every person involved in the event has a clear set of tasks. Your team is your greatest marketing asset – along with your company’s reputation – so make sure each member is working optimally and towards the same vision.
Ensure that you are leveraging social media apps like LinkedIn, Clubhouse, and Facebook for maximum audience engagement.
Use A Marketing Calendar To Plan Ahead
While logistics are less of a hindrance in virtual events than in live events, it is still important to schedule your event properly. See where the event fits into your company’s calendar. Does the event tie in with the scheduled launch of a particular product or service? Would the event be best suited to a particular season? Does your event fit into an existing online trade show or virtual event?
Use your contacts as well as social media to find out if your planned event clashes with anything else that would draw your target audience away. And be aware of time zones if you are attracting attendees from around the globe.
Repurpose Content
The great thing about virtual marketing is the stock of content you build up. Smart marketers do not just let that content gather dust on the shelf; they repurpose it to get the most out of their spend and effort.
Perhaps a keynote speaker at your virtual trade show made some fascinating points that got a lot of traction with your audience. Think about using short sections of the speech as YouTube clips, or a blog, or even some exciting visuals like infographics that you can use on your social media bursts.
Think of repurposing content as giving it a makeover so that it reaches and appeals to new audiences. The hard work of organising the event is done, now you can make the most of the content you have managed to secure.
The virtual event is now front and centre of marketing; make it count! Contact Tara Slevin Group to ensure virtual event brand consistency.
