EMI StratEgIc SNaPSHOt: Social Media MeetS event Marketing · the strategic use of social media before, ... Social Media MeetS event Marketing ... planning documents,

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1 | Social Media MeetS event Marketing | copyright © 2010 event marketing institute. all rights reservedSocial Media MeetS event Marketing | copyright © 2010 event marketing institute. all rights reserved

Understanding the connections & Best Practices in a rapidly changing marketing environment.

a new report from the event marketing institute, and underwritten by Jack morton, takes a fresh look at social media and its impact on the event and tradeshow industry. Social media comprises myriad tools, applications and websites that connect people who have mutual interests. Social marketing employs the principles that guide the use of those tools. combined, these ideas present a powerful opportunity for event marketers, whose business is also to connect, educate and influence people with mutual interests.

among the findings of the emi and Jack morton research:

n 56% defined social media as “online tools that enable collaboration and conversation.”

n 63% defined social marketing as a marketing campaign designed to connect users to each other and to the brand to share opinions, content and experiences around mutual interests.

n 75% believe the objective of social media and social marketing is to raise brand awareness and reputation.


EMI StratEgIc SNaPSHOt:Social Media MeetS event Marketing

Underwritten by


2 | Social Media MeetS event Marketing | copyright © 2010 event marketing institute. all rights reserved


introductionnot since the world wide web introduced the internet to millions of consumers across the globe have we seen an online technology tool change consumer behavior the way social media has. everywhere you look, whether in the boardroom, office, high school, Starbucks or grocery store, people are texting, tweeting and filming their thoughts and opinions. according to comscore media metrix, an average 250,000 new users now sign up each day for Facebook. Since rolling out in 2003, Linkedin—which has stood apart from other social media sites by providing a business-focused environment—has more than 55 million registered users spanning nearly 170 industries in 200 countries. a number of factors have contributed to this phenomenon, including ubiquitous broadband internet access, affordable mobile devices and the age-old desire to connect with others. For businesspeople, the economic recession and calls for sustainability have increased demand for virtual communications, including telecommuting, virtual conferences, online sales meetings and trade shows.

among the findings, our researchers found:

• The idea of using social media to extend the event experience is critical to event marketers. more than half of marketers surveyed, or 55 percent, said the strategic use of social media before, during and after events is the most important factor connecting social media and events.

• Keynotes and other speakers can play a critical role in boosting pre-event buzz by blogging and tweeting about when and where they are scheduled to speak, as well as soliciting input from followers about presentation topics before an event.

• Social media empowers potential registrants and attendees to shape event agendas and play a major role in the creation and distribution of content.

But the true marketing power of social media is not in its technology but in how the technology empowers the user—whether consumer, business professional or in this case, event attendee—to create content and connect with peers around the globe in ways never imaginable just five years ago. this requires a very real paradigm shift from the advertising-led, interruption-based model to a dialogue-driven and community-based model that doesn’t tolerate pitches, but instead provides real-time value in terms of information, ideas and peer-to-peer connections. this report examines the connection between social media tools, social marketing principles and the discipline of event marketing, focusing on the nexus between them and how that connection can be maximized to improve marketing efficiency and effectiveness.





eMi top 10 insights: Social media

1. no new Silos: Use Social Marketing Principles to guide all Your Marketing. in this context, social marketing (relationship building) should drive every aspect of marketing.

2. Social Media growth comes at the expense of traditional Media. regardless of where you think social media should fit within the marketing budget, event marketers agree that social media or marketing allocations are growing —at the expense of above-the-line (atL) expenditures in general advertising for 55 percent of event marketers surveyed.

3. doing More With less: Small Budgets can Win Big (it’s about the people). many event marketers argue that successfully integrating social media in event marketing isn’t about money; it’s about adequately investing in staff time and effort.

4. Use 4 c’s to design experiences: connect, converse and collaborate, creatively. the true power of social media is that it can extend the brand relationship beyond a set time and place, transforming the relationship into a continuum where contact starts well before the event, peaks during the event, and continues long after.

5. Stop Pushing & listen: Use Social Media tools for outreach, in-reach, news and conversation, not Promotion. Social media is about putting control of the message in the user’s hands.

6. Social Media Must Become Part of your culture; Make time, Make it Your Job. event marketing executives say it’s crucial to create social media expertise in-house by singling out the most skilled internal Smes and have them teach and train others in the marketing organization through field visits and conference calls.

7. Your events are catalysts for relationships: nurture your community with events. Social marketing strategies are not rooted in technology, but in the relationships that develop among audiences and influencers through collaborative conversations live and online.

8. combine Qualitative With Quantitative Metrics. the quality and depth of relationships should be the focus, however, even though it can be very difficult to track revenue back to a specific event or investment.

9. experiment, iterate, Measure & refine. Brands are still experimenting inside and outside their organizations with tools, tactics and new strategies that bring together a growing array of agency types and consultants. event marketers need to take note here and try new things themselves or partner with the growing list of technology and marketing resources to integrate social media within their event marketing plans.

10. new User-driven technology Will drive Brand growth. as more users engage in more online discussions, event marketers will better understand their behavior and attitudes and be able to respond more quickly and efficiently.




n emi applied research toolkit

n executive insight Snapshot Summaries

n executive insight Presentation Slides

n emi executive insight webinars

n custom emi insight workshops

With each eMi insights report, Member-onlY benefits include:

eMi inSight WeBinarS,teleconferences, and custom analyst presentations are available.

eMi aPPlied reSearch toolkitS include templates, planning documents,surveys and presentation tools to put the ideas to work fast.

eMi inSight rePortSprovide proprietary research and ideas on the latest and most pressing issues in event marketing.

eMi inSight SnaPShotSprovide a quick reference on key issues for senior executives.

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For more details on EMI’s full suite of research, contact kevin ritch, Member Development Directorat 203.852.5693 or [email protected]

Documents

EMI StratEgIc SNaPSHOt: Social Media MeetS event Marketing · the strategic use of social media before, ... Social Media MeetS event Marketing ... planning documents,