Oana Borcoman is the CEO and founder of EVOKE: An Experience Agency, a corporate gifting, events and brand experience agency based in Houston. Her focus on crafting creative and experience-driven marketing strategies has made EVOKE a go-to partner for businesses and brands seeking transformative growth in the beverage industry and beyond.
Launch events for new products and services mark an exciting time for any organization, especially considering all of the planning and preparation that goes into ultimately making the launch a successful one. When crafting a launch plan and creating an event that aims to bring in a highly engaged audience, organizations should keep their goals and their corporate personality in mind.
From the hottest trends to bespoke events that are highly personalized, there are a million ways to showcase your great idea through a stellar launch event. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.
Launch event trends can vary depending on the product or service that you’re launching, but there are some broader concepts that can help direct your planning and execution. Remember that personalization is everything in today’s world.
Organizations can connect with their target market by offering highly personalized moments throughout the event, such as hands-on activities like a hat-making station for a fashion brand launch or a personalized engagement generated by AI for a tech-forward company. If guests can create something and walk away with a tangible item, they’ll be more likely to post about it and spread the word.
Another concept that can succeed in a big way involves creating unique VIP experiences that guests can qualify for in exchange for specific brand engagement actions. These engagement tactics can vary from social shares, live interactions with the product, making an appearance at all relevant event stations, or even sponsoring the event itself.
By creating moments that inspire and encourage engagement, you’re prompting people to talk about your new product or service. This should at least be a core goal — if not the entire purpose — of the launch.
Experiences and entertainment will absolutely draw people to your launch event but so will networking opportunities. Create an atmosphere that evokes a feeling of FOMO, otherwise known as the fear of missing out. You want attendees to wonder who will be in that room and who they will miss out on meeting if they don’t attend the launch event.
Events that don’t have a huge entertainment draw should especially focus on the networking aspect. Making the event about the attendees as much as it is about launching your product or service allows them to feel grateful they were included.
Live streaming is ideal for any event but can especially help launch events reach the maximum number of potential new customers. Live streaming can also be utilized pre-launch to grease the wheels and build momentum toward the main event, or it can be used as a lower-cost option to bring in celebrities, notable speakers and industry-relevant spokespeople into the event virtually.
Additionally, live streaming allows you to create excitement around your brand and the event without requiring attendees or speakers to spend a lot on travel and accommodations.
All launch events are a chance to build brand recognition. Those seeking to build a personal brand with a launch event should be careful, yet crafty, to build their event to focus on the attendees and not solely on self-promotion. Through launch events, you’re becoming the spokesperson, the entertainment and the network marketer all in one. It’s an excellent way to get your personal brand out there.
Launch events are a time for your organization to show what makes your organization unique and what you have been busy creating for your market. By remaining market-centric and creative, you can host an event that leaves your market clamoring for more.
Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE, listen to our latest podcast HERE and engage with us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!
