Events and or events marketing may not be as old as many may conceive it to be, but it is a phenomenon that stakeholders around the world have come to appreciate. Companies and organizations have looped their brands with several profitable opportunities using this universal language called events.
However, organizations and other stakeholders have often been disappointed because they have expected orange juice from apple fruit. This literature looks at 3 areas where organizations should reduce their expectation and probably re-strategies to engage other techniques.
Events may not redeem your bad image
According to the famous Warren Buffet, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it”. As much as it depends on you, guard your organization’s image and reputation with all you have got. It is seemingly less possible to get back your organization’s image once it has been laundered badly. Seriously speaking, selling an event in an attempt to redeem your image is like pouring water into a basket. A once battered reputation takes a lot of time to heal; audiences will take quite a while to anchor their trust on you again. Since an event involves more of outdoor activity, what marketing activity would be applicable to help resolve their already damaged reputation and deliver an immediate result? I guess none
Events may not be a great option for a short-lived product or service
Sometimes events may have been over-presumed to be the magic stick to getting increase sales, higher market share, in house penetration and increased brand awareness (Odion Oscar Odibor) however; using events to achieve one or more of the above-mentioned merits for a short-lived product and service may be the dumbest idea ever. For instance, imagine a newspaper company creating an event just to be able to get more sales for their newspaper which is an example of a short-lived product. It will only amount to an absolute waste of resources. Once the event is over, memories will rescind and the audience may change their mind because of other compelling options. Stakeholders should, therefore, fashion out another strategy suitable for enhancing the marketing penetration of short-lived products and services.
Product Excellence is not in the event
Many people may have been deceived or made to believe that the success of an event is proportional to the excellence in the product or service. However, the cat is let out of the bag with a trial; your audience will soon discover the real deal. Stakeholders who don’t work to keep the credibility of their brand’s promise will tend to shift the credibility of their brands on organizing a killer event to sway people’s attention and or probably win their emotions. Well. this could last but for a moment, as the audience will gradually discover levels of incompetence and shift loyalty. It is particularly important to tell the real story to your audience, allow them to make their own lemonade while you continually engage them using other strategies. With time it is almost certain that your efforts will pay off.
Written By
Mfonabasi Udoh Barry
Mfonabasi Udoh Barry is a Public Relations professional, a communications and social media strategist. He works with DOXA DIGITAL Nigeria
Contact: mfon.ud@doxadigital.org, realmfon@gmail.com
