And from advance publicity to postconference press
coverage, this promotional feature created an awareness
of the event that compelled the sponsor to give away two
cars the following year.The Five Ws of Marketing
In facing the new challenges of marketing events, a continuous
analysis of fact-finding must precede each campaign. This analy-
sis must include the five Ws of marketing (see Figure 2-2). Dr. Joe
Goldblatt, in Special Events, Twenty-First Century Global Event
Management,states that the 5 Ws help determine if the event is
feasible, viable, and sustainable. In event marketing, we use the
same questions to determine the feasibility, viability, and sustain-
ability of the marketing plan.
1. WHY?
When you look at promotional materials for events, the most glar-
ing omission is often this essential element for encouraging atten-
dance. You will probably see the name of the event, the organiza-
tion’s logo, the dates, and the location. That should be standard
procedure.
We have already discussed the high demands on time and in-
terest of potential attendees. A message simply stating that “You’re
Invited” or “Hope to See You” is passive and noncompelling to
those who are inundated with print and electronic promotions.
The event marketer must grab the target audience by the lapels
and convince them that there are benefits that set your event out-
side the routine and drive those benefits into their most vital per-
sonal and professional interests.
The opening message of virtually all promotional materials
should feature the “why?” Why should someone take the time and
spend the money to come to your event? To answer that question,
the marketing and management team for the event must determine
the overriding reasons for the event itself.
When defined, those reasons must be addressed in hard-hitting
and in second-person termsto those being sold on the idea of
The Five Ws of Marketing 33