The hard work isn’t over when the doors to your conference open. The truth is, you are just getting started — but there IS good news! You’ve already done the heavy lifting by building buzz through your pre-event marketing. Now all you have to do is get the party started.

On-site marketing carries your branding, including graphics and communications, into the event itself. A robust on-site campaign will create an atmosphere where guests feel comfortable enough to focus solely on your event’s incredible slate of speakers, content and networking opportunities.

Below are some easy but high-impact areas, where on-site marketing helps transform a humdrum event into a truly magical one.

  • Signage: This should match the branding from your pre-event messaging, and also act as a companion to the content of those communications. You want your signage to be immediately recognizable and create a sense of comfort for guests. It should also make navigating the venue and program as easy as pie.
  • Name tags and presentation slides: These are two subtle, yet very fine finishes that make your meetings feel more polished and professional. Want to go one step further? Build Powerpoint templates that your guest speakers can use in their presentations.
  • Off-site events: Don’t forget to also extend your branding into this aspect of the conference. Attendees should feel like they’re part of the overall conference experience no matter where they actually are.
  • Stay in touch! Crystal clear communication with guests is essential. Look-ahead emails at the end of each conference day, for example, detailing what to expect tomorrow are always a hit. Another excellent tool is a branded app, which opens the door to real-time notifications, and can allow guests to interact with live presentations and one another.
  • Thank your sponsors! Take every opportunity in the above four marketing strategies to fulfill this critical step in on-site marketing. Signage, emails, social media, apps. It should all tip a cap to your partners who made this experience possible for your guests.

As you can see, on-site marketing is just as challenging as pre- and post-event marketing. We recommend not waiting to develop your on-site marketing plan. Instead, start planning those on-site communications as you create and share your pre-event communications.

Reach out to Coterie Spark today to learn more about developing a top-notch on-site marketing plan. And stay tuned for our next blog! Next week we’ll be discussing post-event marketing in the final chapter of our Conference and Meetings Marketing Series.