When it comes to events, knowing who your audience is can make or break its success. Whether it’s a recurring event or a brand-new launch, it’s important to tailor your marketing efforts to a specific group that will benefit from attending your event. But with so many different products and services and a global reach, it can be challenging for international companies to identify the right target audience.
Despite the availability of digital technologies, live events still offer great opportunities for lead conversion, brand positioning, and raising public awareness. So, how can you make sure you’re reaching the right people and getting the most out of your event?
Here are some tips to help you identify your ideal audience and ensure your event has a positive impact on your brand reputation and ROI.
Identity your event goal
Planning an event that resonates with your audience is crucial to achieving your goals, whether you’re building a community, raising brand awareness, or driving sales. But how can you identify your audience and make your event a success?
To start, determine your event objectives. If you’re looking to engage with your existing customers, focus on them first. But if you want to attract new customers and raise brand awareness, take a look at your current audience and figure out how you can appeal to similar customers.
Now, if your goal is to close some sweet deals, it’s important to target your in-pipe or late-stage prospects and high-value accounts. And don’t forget to get input from your leadership and sales teams. They might have some valuable insights on who would benefit the most from attending your event. Plus, consider reaching out to external event partners who can give you more information on their expected attendees.
Moreover, working with your stakeholders can make a big difference in getting people to attend your event and having a great time. Collaborating can improve registration numbers and help you connect with your target audience in a more effective way. So, go on and make that event a success!
Attendee persona
If you want your in-person event, hybrid event, or virtual event to be a hit, it’s crucial to know who you’re trying to attract. That’s where creating a profile of your ideal attendee comes in. This persona should be a made-up character that includes details like age, background, and lifestyle to help you figure out your target audience. It’s also important to think about whether you’re aiming for a local or international audience, depending on logistical and resource factors.
Once you have your persona, it’ll be easier to visualize your target audience and use it as a guide for your marketing and lead generation. But don’t get too hung up on someone’s professional background when accepting attendees – the persona should just be a helpful tool, not a rulebook.
Review past attendees
If you’ve hosted a similar event before, you’re already a few steps ahead of the game. Take a look at your past attendees to get an idea of your target demographic. And if you’ve gathered feedback from previous events, use it to determine whether you attracted the right crowd. Even if your event was top-notch, the wrong attendees can really impact its success. So, make use of your ticketing platform to dig into the data on previous attendees.
Analyse competitors’ events
If you haven’t done an event before or don’t have access to previous attendee data, don’t worry. You can still learn a lot by checking out similar events and who attends them. Channel your inner detective and look at their website, writing style, social media strategy, content format, and engagement. Jot everything down and scrutinize it to gain insights into your event target audience for promoting your event.
Discuss with other industry experts
If you know someone who has planned similar events, consider asking for their advice over coffee. Find out about their target audience, where to find them, and what marketing strategies they’ve found effective. However, be mindful not to approach someone currently planning a similar event – friendly competition is great, but let’s keep it friendly!
Survey mailing list
If you’ve got a mailing list of subscribers, don’t let it go to waste! You can actually use it to get to know your audience better and find out why they’re interested in your event. Just create a pre-event survey and ask them some questions about their background, interests, and anything else that could help you better identify your target audience. Here are some examples of questions you could ask:
How best to reach your audience
Make sure you prioritize informing your existing B2C and B2B networks first as a professional courtesy. It doesn’t matter if you’re a big global player or a local business – your network deserves to know about your upcoming event before anyone else.
Live events are great opportunities to connect with your network and explore new projects and investments. So, when you’re reaching out to them, don’t forget to invite them to the event and explain its purpose, logistics, and how it can benefit their company or career. And if your event is international, you got to get your invitation professionally localized.
Benefits of successfully Identifying your target audience
Knowing your event’s target audience can bring about several benefits:
1. Improved event planning
Understanding your target audience allows you to plan an event that is customized to their specific preferences and requirements. This can result in a more engaging and unforgettable event experience that resonates with your attendees.
2. Better marketing
Once you have identified your target audience, you can develop marketing messages that directly appeal to them. This can help you attract more attendees to your event and foster greater engagement with your audience.
3. Increased ROI
By tailoring your event to your target audience, you are more likely to receive positive feedback and generate word-of-mouth marketing, which can attract more attendees to future events. This can lead to higher revenue and a better return on investment (ROI) for your event.
4. Enhanced attendee satisfaction
When attendees feel that an event is designed specifically for them, they are more likely to be satisfied with their experience. This can result in higher attendee retention rates and a more favorable reputation for your event.
Why you should use event technology to plan your event
It’s essential to identify your event’s target audience to meet their expectations and needs. Choosing your audience carefully can benefit both you and your attendees, so it’s crucial to set strict filtering rules for your in-person event, particularly for international events, and double-check the attendance list before the event date.
To simplify event planning and automate tedious tasks, many event planners turn to event technology. Canapii provides a centralized platform for all event management needs, including registration, ticketing, scheduling, and analytics, offering a comprehensive onsite event technology solution for event planners. By using our event management software, you can save time and access the necessary information for a memorable and successful event. Host your event using our event management software today!
