“BBC TV’s The Apprentice is a rare thing – an example of broadcasting that not only entertains, but also educates and promotes the world of business to the wider UK population”, according to B2B Marketing editor, Joel Harrison. So imagine the delight of the live event sector when Sir Alan Sugar chose AEO Member, Clarion Events’ The Baby Show at Earls Court, London to give his contestants their task in week nine of The Apprentice.
The programme, which attracts around 8 million viewers, saw the two teams setting up stands and selling their chosen products to the 10,000 visitors that poured through the doors on the Saturday of country's biggest baby show. The teams had a stand each and it was down to the candidates to not only pick interesting products, but also make an effort with the stand design and layout. Team ‘Empire’ chose to sell top of the range rocking horses and birthing pools while team ‘Ignite’ went for a pushchair and thudguard (crash helmet for kids).
Unfortunately to a greater or lesser extent, all the contestants on the programme are sales focused people and this task, like the majority was measured on the success or not of an ‘on-the-day’ sales pitch. It is understandable that within the constraints of a TV game show, planning, analysis, insight and strategy are at best rushed and ill-considered; at worst absent altogether. And of course, there is absolutely no time for relationship building, which is critical especially in the B2B world. Great TV, but The Apprentice wasn't close to demonstrating the full potential of live event marketing, Sir Alan.
What the episode did do was demonstrate just how great events are for direct face-to-face selling, but this is just the tip of the iceberg! Integrated into a comprehensive annual marketing plan, live event marketing offers unrivalled opportunities to ‘engage’ with clients and prospects and also to ‘deliver brand experience’, two key current marketing drivers.
Events also offer true ‘permission’ marketing as visitor-buyers choose to attend in order to see the advertisements, unlike traditional media where it interrupts activity being thrust upon you. ‘Time’ is now most people’s most precious commodity, so visitors at events are giving not just their time but also de facto permission as well as signalling that they are ‘open to buy’. Other forms of advertising hit their target audience on the off chance they are ready to buy.
Live event marketing creates business opportunities before, during and after the event, including;
SALES - Generate new sales leads and make direct face to face sales
CUSTOMERS – Meet current customers, up-sell, cross-sell and cement relationships
RESEARCH – Market-test new products, gauge awareness and perceptions
MEDIA - Build relationships with key journalists and generate press coverage
BRANDING – Position or re-position brands and educate by demonstrating benefits
CHANNELS – Identify and recruit new distributors and support current partners
There is little doubt that live event marketing is the perfect launch-pad for the budding entrepreneurs, but they will deliver you more ROI, Sir Alan if allowed to fully exploit the total power of the live event marketing.
For details on how to harness the power of Live Event Marketing to develop your business click on the links below:
What are events?
How do events work?
What are the key features and benefits of events?
The awesome power of exhibitions
What are the key event audience strengths?
