Perhaps unsurprisingly, in-person events are still as popular as ever, even after the global COVID-19 pandemic made it challenging to organize large gatherings. People want to engage and interact with each other outside of their homes now more than ever. A statistic from statista.com in 2021 found that in-person events were an essential way to add value to organizations:
“A survey conducted among global marketing leaders during the fourth quarter of 2021, 72 percent of respondents said they were very effective or effective at delivering value to their organization with the execution of in-person events.”
In-person events, sponsorship activations, and branded environments are a great way to build or grow your audience and engage with them in an environment that’s not sales-oriented. But a successful in-person event or activation doesn’t just happen. You need extensive planning before and after your event to ensure it will attract the correct audience and that you’ll be able to measure your efforts after the fact. Read more to find out why pre-event and post-event strategies are important. You can also explore our pre-event checklist and post-event activities list below to help you prepare for your in-person or hybrid event.
Why are Pre-Event Activities Important?
Pre-event activities are important because they help to ensure that an event runs smoothly and is successful. Pre-event marketing helps create anticipation and awareness for your event and draw a larger audience. You’ll need to outline your goals and plan your event strategy as a first step. Depending on your goals and event type, you’ll need to consider digital and printed graphics, online advertising, social media marketing, interactive content and media creation, online shopping experiences, and more. Here is a list of pre-event activities to help you prepare for your event in advance. If you need assistance with more comprehensive pre-event services, kubik can assist you with almost any and every step in the event planning and strategy process.
Pre-Event Checklist:
- Define your event goals and objectives.
- Conduct market research to understand your target audience and their needs.
- Allocate a budget for marketing efforts, including advertising, promotions, and social media.
- Choose an appropriate venue that aligns with your brand image and target audience.
- Develop a comprehensive event schedule that includes opportunities for audience engagement and brand exposure.
- Implement a multi-channel marketing strategy to reach and engage your target audience, including email campaigns, social media ads, and influencer partnerships.
- Optimize registration and ticketing options to collect valuable data and improve lead generation.
- Create visually appealing and brand-aligned event materials, such as signage, flyers, and promotional products.
- Utilize event technology, such as event apps, to enhance the attendee experience and collect valuable data.
- Develop a post-event marketing plan to measure success, gather feedback, and capitalize on event-generated leads.
Why Are Post-Event Activities Important?
Post-event activities help evaluate the success of the event, gather feedback from attendees, and make improvements for future events. These activities also provide an opportunity to document and share the event’s impact and outcomes, which can be valuable for reporting and marketing purposes. After your event, you’ll need to think about content updates for your website, data analysis and reporting, lead follow-up, and feedback collection. kubik offers extensive post-event strategy and services to finalize your event and analyze its impact.
Post-Event Checklist:
- Collect and analyze event data and metrics to measure the success of the event.
- Gather feedback from attendees, sponsors, and other stakeholders.
- Evaluate the return on investment (ROI) and adjust future event plans accordingly.
- Share event highlights, photos, and videos on social media and other marketing channels.
- Create and distribute a post-event report to stakeholders.
- Follow up with attendees, sponsors, and leads generated from the event.
- Update event-related materials, such as websites and presentations, with information from the event.
- Settle outstanding invoices and payments.
- Store and organize event-related documents and materials for future reference.
- Plan and start preparations for the next event.
kubik Event Strategy and Creative Services
Investing in pre-event and post-event services is essential for the long-term success of any event program. Pre-event planning can make or break the experience, while post-event activities are essential to making the most of your efforts. Consider kubik’s event strategy and creative services to make your next exhibit, event, or activation a success. kubik can assist with your event or project from start to finish and beyond with our extensive event management services. Visit our case study page to explore our favourite stories or reach out to discuss our services for your next project.
Our services