Guidebook Blog

This article was originally written by Jordan McArthur and has been updated for relevancy.

Building brand loyalty for your event takes time and like all good relationships, it’s built on trust. When an army of people love and trust your message and event, you’ve not only captured repeat business, you’ve built a living, breathing evangelization team. Event brand loyalty isn’t built overnight, however, and is something that takes time and nurturing. People doing it well are doing it purposefully – so how can you start building brand loyalty at this year’s event?

Consider these 4 things as you look to evolve your attendees into fans.

1. Make an event of ticket sales

Get demand going early by hyping when your tickets go on sale. An “on sale” can be as much of an event as the event itself. Announce your ticket sales on your social media platforms and encourage people to sign up for notifications or to purchase their tickets early (if that’s an option).

You can boost a brand loyalty-building with a kick-off party (send out a press release and generate buzz and early social sharing), or by strategically turning on your session registrations within your mobile app at a specific time. Nothing builds buzz like anticipation!

To cultivate a true fan mentality among your attendees, consider a pre-sale with perks for loyal repeat attendees.

2. Offer unique experiences

Wouldn’t you feel special if you were whisked away to VIP seats or had special access to intimate, VIP-only Q&A sessions with speakers?

Touches that feel personal and direct can be a game changer. After all, fans remember how you make them feel and the cooler the experience, the more organic their evangelizing can be.

You can even bring new folks into the fold who haven’t been attending long enough to be at VIP status. Surprise gifts and giveaways immediately create good will and are sure to hit Instagram and Twitter feeds.

3. Introduce a little friendly competition

Social media giveaways leading up to your event will not only extend the conversation beyond the days of your event, but will increase participation – and participation builds loyalty.

Don’t underestimate the power of a personal connection. Try calling winners yourself or – even better – record it on a Google Hangout and post to your YouTube channel. Making someone genuinely happy spreads quick – and it will make you feel good too!

4. Boost your brand with piggybacking

You’re as good as the company you keep. Consider thought leaders and brands in your industry that already incite feelings of loyalty among your attendees – then attach them to your event.

Your attendees’ interaction with your showcasing brands is key. For a lot of event organizers, the attendee experience is their primary focus, so they showcase brands through guest interaction via hands-on activities, take-aways or components that can be shared on social media. Giving guests the tools to evangelize (and even some friendly tech support to help those who might not be social media savvy) should always be part of the strategy.

How do you build brand loyalty at your event? What are the ways you turn your attendees into fans?