How do you research your event's competition?

1 Define your competitors

The first step is to define who your competitors are. These are the events that offer a similar value proposition, cater to the same or overlapping market segments, or operate in the same or nearby locations as your event. You can use online tools, such as Eventbrite, Meetup, or Google Trends, to search for relevant keywords and topics related to your event and see what other events are happening or have happened in the past. You can also ask your existing or potential attendees, partners, sponsors, or industry experts for their opinions and recommendations.

2 Evaluate their strengths and weaknesses

The next step is to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors. You want to understand what they do well and what they don't, and how they compare to your event in terms of quality, content, format, features, benefits, and feedback. You can use a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) framework to organize your findings and identify the gaps and opportunities in the market. You can also use a rating system, such as a scale of 1 to 5, to rank your competitors based on different criteria, such as popularity, reputation, innovation, or customer satisfaction.

3 Analyze their marketing strategies

The third step is to analyze the marketing strategies of your competitors. You want to know how they attract, engage, and retain their attendees, and what channels, messages, and tactics they use to promote their events. You can use online tools, such as SimilarWeb, BuzzSumo, or Social Blade, to monitor their website traffic, social media presence, content marketing, email marketing, and online advertising. You can also attend their events, subscribe to their newsletters, follow their social media accounts, or join their online communities to get a firsthand experience and insight into their marketing efforts.

4 Learn from their best practices and mistakes

The fourth step is to learn from the best practices and mistakes of your competitors. You want to emulate what works well and avoid what doesn't, and also find ways to differentiate yourself and stand out from the crowd. You can use online tools, such as SurveyMonkey, Trustpilot, or Yelp, to collect and analyze the feedback and reviews of their attendees, and see what they liked and disliked about their events. You can also use online tools, such as Google Alerts, Mention, or Talkwalker, to track their online reputation and sentiment, and see how they respond to positive and negative comments.

5 Update and refine your competitive analysis

The final step is to update and refine your competitive analysis regularly. You want to keep track of the changes and trends in the market, and see how your competitors adapt and evolve. You can use online tools, such as Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, or Mailchimp Reports, to measure and compare your own performance and results with your competitors, and see what works and what doesn't for your event. You can also use online tools, such as Google Sheets, Trello, or Asana, to organize and share your competitive analysis with your team, and use it as a basis for your event planning and marketing decisions.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?