Events part of marketing entourage

This trend in the exhibitions industry is just as prominent in other sectors. It's no longer enough just to showcase your product and your brand – consumers and stakeholders also expect a memorable experience.

We have also witnessed an increasingly holistic approach to company marketing. Brand strategists, customer relationship experts, advertising professionals, recruitment partners – like a celebrity entourage, these service providers are brought in to boost the commercial value of their client. Yet in South Africa the experts in organising events still find themselves outside this loop.

With the exception of a handful of mega-companies who need the almost daily services of events professionals, the practice in South Africa is to call in an events company on an ad hoc basis to organise a function and they are usually hired on the strength of their ability to deliver the WOW factor and the more creative their ideas, the better.

Scratches the surface

Many events professionals feel very strongly that this approach only scratches the surface of what they are able to deliver. They have so much more to offer and can provide much greater value if they have the opportunity to build a solid longer-term relationship rather than having their input limited to once-off events. Like the proverbial iceberg, their real weight doesn't get much exposure.

The solution is for a change of mindset. As the approach to marketing matures and aligns ever more closely with international best practice, the time is ripe to view the events company as a strategic partner.

The great benefit of this is that the moment you bring in an events company on a contract, they become part of your marketing strategy. They can make a proactive contribution to planning and structuring a calendar of events that will provide the best return on investment and they can manage an events-led marketing campaign. International studies have shown that strategic event marketing can be a hugely powerful tool for expanding a loyal customer base (see the EventView 2006 Report, commissioned by the Meeting Professionals International Foundation).

In a sustained relationship, the events partner has the opportunity to absorb the company's brand, ethos and marketing principles and to align with its policies and procedures. The vision of what can be achieved with a longer-term series of events can be strengthened and the impact will be greater. Cooperation with staff can be streamlined and far greater cost efficiencies can be introduced.

This approach will also deepen the focus to incorporate much more than the latest in dazzle and style. Remember that – because events encompass anything that involves hosting stakeholders, whether they are clients, customers, suppliers, or people of influence, an event can range from a boardroom meeting to a gala extravaganza – and even the most modest function needs to make a memorable impression.

Attention to detail

Guests at a seminar will notice if the chairs are uncomfortable and the refreshments aren't great; they will notice if they receive a friendly reception and the meeting room is pleasant and convivial. It's about conveying the right message by paying attention to detail and then ensuring that this message and attention is sustained through every single engagement with stakeholders, no matter how small or how large the event is.

This is also all about hospitality. The events partner can go far beyond occasionally putting on a great show, to ensuring that your company earns a reputation for consistently being a great host at all levels. We also know that hospitality need not break the budget. It's a viable route even for small companies, as long as the service is tailored to suit your marketing budget.

The bottom line here is that if you bring in the image consultants a once-off treatment is not going to deliver sustained results. A longer-term partnership will serve you better.