Events are back! And by that, I mean there is a move away from virtual events to in-person conferences and seminars. There’s also a lot of hybrid events. These add an extra dimension to your event. There’s also a lot more events as companies make up for the past few years. All of this means that event management is back in focus and with it event marketing.
But what’s the difference?
Event Management
Well event management is really all about the organization. It’s about creating, co-ordinating and managing all the distinct aspects of the event to make sure it all runs smoothly. These tasks start from sourcing and booking the location to the catering, AV and sorting any issues on the day itself. An event manager will oversee the overall schedule ensuring that everyone knows which tasks they are responsible for and when.
Event Marketing
Event marketing on the other hand is all about getting the message about an upcoming event out there. This is where the event can come to life, really be seen to be different and engage with an audience. Event marketing starts with the theme and visualisation of the event and extends to all communications around it to encourage interaction and attendance.
Why are they both important?
Proper Event Management is essential to ensure a successful event. Planning and preparation are key. A badly run, unprofessional event can damage your brand reputation and lead to a loss of sales rather than the intended opposite. An event management plan is the single most important document for this purpose. It should outline all the various tasks, deadlines and indicate who is responsible for each.
Likewise proper Event Marketing is essential to ensure that your successfully executed event is attended and meets its objectives. There are a few elements to it and the first is to set the objectives (make then SMART), then put a plan in place around how you are going to meet them using the event.
For example, your company decides to hold a seminar. The event management person books the venue, the speakers, works out the schedule and ensures that all the moving parts come together. Meanwhile the event marketing person brands the events, writes the copy to promote it and creates a schedule including both on and offline activities for before, during and after the event.
Manage & Market
It’s true to say that the line between event management and event marketing is blurred. But it is important to think of them separately so that they each can be executed efficiently. However, they are complementary disciplines. For many businesses, it is the same person who will be carrying out all tasks. It’s important to give equal weighting to them. An excellently run event is a failure if attendance is not as expected. And a badly run event with a large attendance could do untold damage to your brand reputation.
If you need help with either managing or marketing your event or both, just get in touch for an initial chat.