Sure, we've officially waved bye-bye to 2018, but that doesn't mean we can't take advantage of all the great stuff that came out of last year. Especially since this year isn't really old enough yet to have produced anything at all.
Some studies suggest one good event does more to create new customers than every other marketing technique out there.
You can't ever quit digital marketing (for one thing, you have to use it to promote your events), but shaking things up with experiential marketing really does pack a powerful punch.
The Best Event Marketing Blogs of 2018
1. Eventmarketer.com
At first it'll look like you're staring at a long row of case studies, which of course is a good thing in my books anyway. But dig a little deeper, and you'll find some meaty articles that will help you dig right into the nitty-gritty of running your own amazing events.
Fair warning: you only get to read so many articles per month before this site asks you to subscribe.
2. Bizzabo Blog
There's a whole lot of great stuff here. You'll find venue information for various cities, best practices, and strategy guides. They update a lot, which is a great thing.
3. Cvent Blog
Follow this blog to get bite-sized bits of useful info about all sorts of topics in event marketing.
4. The Eventbrite Blog
Lots of screenshots, lots of infographics; lots and lots of awesome info to help you solve some of your biggest event marketing problems.
5. The Event Manager Blog
A powerful, no-nonsense source for case studies and trends.
The Best Event Marketing Articles of 2018
Some of them come from blogs that don't update quite enough to make the best blogs list. Some come from sites that tackle more than event marketing. Either way, these were 2018's "don't miss" articles.
Why Marketers Should Consider Brand Activations at Festivals in 2019 - Festivals are big. Real big. And you can take advantage of them if you know what you're doing. This article will show you how to do that.
Finding an Event Venue: Free Worksheet + 9 Points to Consider - The article to read if you plan on being the host with the most.
How to Market an Event: 50 Event Marketing Tips - It's an oddity of this type of marketing. You have to market the marketing. This article will help you do it right.
Why Live Events are Rocket Fuel for Business Growth - This article digs into the reasons behind the exploding effectiveness of event marketing.
Impressive Isn't Always Impactful in Experiential Marketing - Sadly, it's not enough to be awesome. This article will help you be amazing and get leads.
Growing a Brand by Tracking the Ins and Outs of Experiential Marketing - This is an article designed to help you avoid many of the pitfalls of event marketing.
Brands, You're Doing Experiential Marketing Wrong - Is a one-and done party or pop-up the best way to promote your business? Ad Age says no: and offers an intriguing alternative.
The Best Event Marketing Tools of 2018
Even something which happens IRL needs the support of plenty of online tools. Here are a few you'll definitely want to check out.
Bizzabo - An exceptionally powerful tool. It lets you track revenue, tickets sold, hot leads, and community growth. It also offers solutions for creating community badges, event-based mobile apps and email marketing campaigns revolving around your event.
BlogAds - Get your event ads in front of the right people by targeting the most influential blogs in your business.
Evvnt - Forget the tedious task of posting your event on each and every event directory site out there. Use Evvnt to get your event listed on a whole bunch of sites at once.
SurveyHero - For your post-event surveys. Use this simple tool to find out what worked, what didn't, and what you can do even better next time.
The Best Event Marketing Experts of 2018
Follow these folks to stay on top of your event marketing game.
Kevin Benson - He's been quoted in articles for Insider Marketing Group and The Demand Gen Report. His insights come from his work as an event marketer at G2 Crowd. Follow him at @KevinbG2Crowd.
Anthony Vade - Anthony Vade of FMAV has a Twitter feed jam packed with interesting event marketing stories and case studies. His jam is connecting businesses and event attendees through smart technology.
Shea Blanton - Sometimes you're not hosting the event. You're just showcasing your brand at a larger one, like a trade show. Blanton, the VP of Adcraft Inc., will show you how to do it with style. Follow him at @sheablanton.
Julius Solaris - A keynote speaker and author for the event industry. He's passionate about innovating events of all kinds.
Liz King - This speaker, blogger, podcaster and event planner has plenty of amazing things to say. Don't miss out!
The Best Long-Form Event Marketing Resources of 2018
All the best ebooks, webinars, and white papers I could find to help you take the deep dive.
Hubspot's Ultimate Guide to Event Marketing - Looks like a webpage, reads like an ebook. Don't miss out on downloading the attached "Event in a Box", which contains tools for planning and promoting your next event.
Event Marketing: The 2019 Guide - This ebook offers 40 ideas to help you make your next event a rip-roaring success.
From Events to Experiences: 10 Steps to Take Now - This free, on-demand webinar will help you create events your attendees will absolutely love.
Event Strategy: How to Get More Leads and Better Sales - If events don't ultimately result in sales you're just throwing money down a black hole. Watch this webinar to avoid that problem.
Virtual Events Marketing Playbook: How to Promote Your Online Event - Events! They're not just for conference centers anymore. Plenty of events are taking place online. And they sometimes struggle to get attendees through the door just like physical ones do. Grab this ebook to minimize this problem.
So! How about it? Did I forget anyone or anything? Let us know in the comments below.
Here's to an amazing 2019!
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