Branding your event effectively is vital to making a lasting impression on your company partners and sponsors. The more individualized your brand, the more recognizable you are; and the more creative your branding strategies, the more memorable your event will be. Regardless of your budget, you can make cost-effective marketing materials that increase your event’s reach long after it’s over. The right branding materials can also help you forge a deeper connection with your audience.
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Why On-Site Event Branding Matters
Marketing your event doesn’t stop once the doors open. To keep your brand consistent, the theme of the actual event should match the advertising materials you used to promote it. This makes it easier for your attendees to connect the event with your brand and to see it as an extension of what your company has to offer them. While branding strategies may vary before and during the event, the identity of your company does not change.
The Most Important Marketing & Branding Materials for Events
There’s a vast array of marketing materials you can choose from, but here are some of the most cost-effective ways to appeal to the most people:
1. Banners
One of the most effective ways to promote your brand is to position a banner in a high-traffic area at your event venues. Lecterns are a natural place to hang a banner because the audience will already have their sights on the stage. If possible, include your brand on a sponsor backdrop as well. Any sort of informational banner, even directional signs, should show your brand.
2. Food
Not many people turn down free food, especially if it’s some form of dessert. Cakes are a great way to brand (and look great on social media), but consider going for cupcakes or sugar cookies instead. With smaller offerings, everyone can get the full effect of your brand. People will be less likely to post about the corner letter of your brand in comparison to the complete picture on a cupcake.
3. Lighting/Projections
If the venue allows, you can enhance your event with lighting or projections that match your company logo. Depending on your brand, you might choose to use bright colors and fun, moving displays, or you may opt for a harsher, edgier type of lighting. Similarly, you can project your logo or key words of your company motto onto the venue’s walls.
4. Media Wall
Similarly to lighting, you can make your event feel more interactive with a media wall. Project a screen onto a wall to display various social media posts pertaining to your event. People may feel more inclined to tweet or Instagram your event during the event for a chance to be featured. While your audience has the satisfaction of seeing their posts on the wall, you have the satisfaction of knowing more people posted about your brand. Everyone wins!
5. Website
Before anyone steps foot into your event, create or update a page for it on your website. If your event is themed after, for instance, a holiday, season, or travel destination, use graphics that evoke those times or places. At the event, your attendees will recognize the theme as it transfers from digital to reality.
6. Badges
There’s nothing like an ID badge to make someone feel official. You can make separate badges for speakers versus sponsors and event staff and use the badges as branding by ordering lanyards in coordinating colors to your theme. They are a cheap means of branding and a convenient reference for attendees.
7. Wristbands
Similar to badges, wristbands are a cheap and easy way to showcase your brand. For an event with ticketed booths or food stands, you can upgrade to wristbands with pull-off tabs, so your attendees don’t have to worry about the hassle of losing their paper tickets or fumbling in their wallets.
8. Swag
While free food is always a hit, free swag is just as enticing. People will snag whatever branded promotional products you are willing to offer, from freebie T-shirts to pens and water bottles. The bonus effect of this branding method is that they will reuse these items and have a constant reminder of your event.
9. Uniforms
Whether or not you use badges to identify your staff, uniforms also lend your event a sense of organization and present another opportunity for you to showcase and elaborate on showcase your brand. For a more sleek appearance, you can ask your staff to wear more formal attire, or for more playful brands you can integrate colorful accessories such as scarves or screen-printed shirts.
10. Flyers
A classic, flyers advertise your brand the old-fashioned way and allow you to show off your graphic design skills on a limited budget. They also encourage more personal interactions, as someone has to hand them out, and whoever receives a flyer may discuss it with another guest before passing it along again. Chose an eye-catching design so the papers don’t simply end up in recycling.
11. Social Media Props
Like a media wall, social media props give your partners and sponsors the chance to have some fun in the midst of all the event’s activities. They provide you with an opportunity to have your guests take part in your brand, making it more interactive and deepening its connection to your attendees. This encourages them to take more photos, and it’s a sure way to include your logo in more pictures. Props show those picture viewers that your company is fun and creative.
As an event planner, you want to create a memorable experience for your attendees, partners, and sponsors. A coherent brand can set your event apart from others, making it a topic of conversation long after it’s over. No matter your budget, you can create an event that immerses your audience and facilitates engagement with your brand. Find the methods that compliment your brand’s identity, and your event will make a lasting statement.