mines success or failure. And the key to a successful marketing
plan is “positioning.”
Positioning is the strategy of determining, through intuition,
research, and evaluation, those areas of consumer need that your
event can fulfill. What types of events is the competition offering?
What level of investment are they requiring of their attendees?
Who is attending, and who is not? In other words: What niche are
we trying to fill?What makes us differentand how can we seize
upon our unique qualities to market our events? And what mar-
kets will be receptive to our event concept? The event marketing
executive who can answer these questions has the greatest oppor-
tunity of fulfilling expectations. Here are some key considerations
when positioning an event.
LOCATION
In previous events, is the East Coast being favored, leaving a niche
opportunity on the West Coast? Is a regional event in the habit of
serving the downtown constituencies while disenfranchising those
in the rural areas? Do we always meet in a hotel ballroom, when
a change-of-pace venue such as a museum or amusement park
may attract new interest and attendance? Issues of location must
be continuously evaluated, because interests of the markets change
constantly.
ATTENTION SPAN
People forget quickly. Studies have shown that people are bom-
barded with some 2,700 messages daily. In the midst of all that in-
formation, establishing the position of an event is a daunting task.
Marketing materials must constantly emphasize the needs the
event will satisfy and the benefits it will provide, because poten-
tial attendees will likely be thinking about a thousand other things.
COMPETITIVE COSTS
When positioning an event, a prime consideration is the cost of
admission. What level of registration fee is the competition charg-
ing? What level of success are they experiencing? Positioning
strategies must consider the economic level and flexibility of the
The Five Ps of Event Marketing 19