Rethinking Marketing Strategies Through In-Person

Within the past few years, we could see a dramatic shift in the way companies approach marketing. After the global pandemic, most brands pivoted their efforts to online marketing. But as the pandemic restrictions having eased, it is high time to re-evaluate the role of in-person events. Let’s understand more about why you should include in-person marketing in your marketing mix.

Benefits of In-Person Marketing

While digital marketing unquestionably has its advantages, in-person events remain unmatched for establishing deeper, more meaningful connections. Face-to-face interactions foster trust and relationship building opportunities in a way webinars and social media often cannot. Event attendees also give more attention and retain information better compared to virtual engagement.

Additionally, experiential brand activations allow creativity in showcasing products, creating a multi-sensory experience for the consumer. Whether through large conferences, smaller local pop-ups or invitation-only VIP gatherings, the tangible, tactile aspects make the brand come alive. This leads to higher satisfaction and recall for attendees compared to digital touchpoints.

As people increasingly crave in-real-life socialization after long periods of isolation, the goodwill and excitement around participating in physical events is palpable. Brands can derive meaningful PR and organic buzz by tapping into this re-energized appetite.

Rethinking Execution

However, companies cannot rely solely on tried-and-tested theories to deliver successful events in current times. The playbook needs to be refreshed, keeping evolving consumer preferences and safety considerations in mind.

Detailed pre-event communication is vital for establishing trust and confidence amongst registrants. Ensuring proper health protocols and hygiene measures through messaging alleviates anxieties. Consider going touchless for elements like badges, signage and payments to minimize infection risks. Keep testing requirements, masks and social distancing norms in mind while choosing the venue layout and flow.

While having an engaging offline environment is table stakes, blending in virtual elements can reduce the friction for those hesitant to participate in-person. Through hybrid events, brands can provide an omnichannel experience via live streams. Virtual attendees may transition to in-person, so positioning the hybrid event as the best of both formats increases reach.

Post-event, capitalize on the momentum by promptly sharing event proceedings, highlights and takeaways online for those who could not make it. Sustaining the conversation builds rapport with the target audience and nurtures relationships for the long-term.

Monitoring Sentiments

Keep monitoring attendee sentiments about comfort with in-person participation through post-event surveys. Be prepared to tweak formats, scale hybrid capabilities and invest in safety. While the enthusiasm for physical events is apparent today, the risk tolerance may change with evolving pandemic waves. Agility to pivot strategies will be vital should consumer sentiments change once again.

Final Words 

Focusing only on online marketing will make your brand miss out on many opportunities available out there in the market. That’s why you should think about re-evaluating your marketing strategy and focus on including offline marketing methods to the mix. With the right process in place and nimble execution, in-person marketing can offer meaningful ROI in the long run.