Should we stop Event Marketing?

As we find ourselves in the midst of event season, the debate around the value of event marketing for businesses has resurfaced. Last week, Guestline organised or coordinated five events across three regions/countries. Was it worth all the effort and investment? Time will tell, but initial analyses look very promising.

New business leads are the easiest to track for conversion and event ROI, similar to cross-sell leads (if you have anything to cross-sell). However, there are also leads already in the pipeline, and meeting during a trade show or conference can significantly move the needle.

Consider these interactions, which are more challenging to track but are happening: your prospect might be at the event, see your stand, or hear your representative speaking on stage. They might not interact immediately but could do so later via web, social media, or phone. Let’s add another layer of complexity with Dark Social (not to be confused with the dark web). Someone might see your brand at the show and share it with colleagues via private social channels or internal corporate platforms, leading to engagement with your brand. Without monitoring “reported attribution,” it’s challenging to "connect the dots'.

All these points provide strong reasons to continue event marketing. But let’s look beyond commercial benefits and shift focus to employer branding. As a mostly remote team, we rarely get the chance to meet face-to-face with team members Dave Lakin , Emma Hesp , Jo Gardner , Gemma Oakenfull , Kimberley Barradell , Cameron Thomas ) including newcomers ( Jade Hurren , Rebecca Meynell , Robert Fletcher ) or colleagues from the wider organisation Access Hospitality - Iwona Dobek , Tom Knibb , SHR - Penelope (Penny) Crawford , Nicola Rhone ). It’s crucial to feel the power of one team, exchange ideas, and take pride in our work. Events help retain talent and can also attract new candidates. Seeing a great stand, buzzing interactions, and happy people can make others think, “I’d like to work for this company.”

On a personal note, if this were the last trade show I was involved in organising with Guestline, I couldn’t wish for a better conclusion. From the post-pandemic year, when we had to rebuild our event marketing strategy from scratch, to today, hearing that our brand presentation at the Independent Hotel Show London 2024 was the best in Guestline history- it’s been an incredible journey. And it’s not just about the stand, but also speaking engagements, awards, media placements, partnerships, and more.

A successful trade show is not an overnight success, nor is winning an industry award. But you’ll never know until you try, and I know you know this best Sophie Cartwright Marieke van Mil , Billie Ward :-)

Could marketing live without events? Probably yes. But are we ready to leave behind all the benefits that come with it? Only if we find a tactic offering the same advantages, which I don’t see happening anytime soon.