By: Brenna McGuire, Product Marketing Manager at Thnks
Planning for and marketing an event requires plenty of moving parts. Whether it’s a multi-day conference, special event, or webinar, standing out from the crowd is imperative. Every touch point makes a difference when it comes to securing attendees, keeping them engaged, and getting them to come back for more. Simple gestures of gratitude like Thnks can be powerful tools to boost attendance and help attendees feel valued and engaged.A great example is Dean Swift, VP of Sales and Marketing at VAT IT. He saw a 300% ROI on his team’s webinar follow up when his team sent ‘Thnks a Lattes’ to 178 attendees. Recipients responded to say thank you, and their re-engagement led to 22 new business opportunities. “Thnks is such a unique offering, because it’s so personal,” Dean said. “You’re giving someone something they really want, and it gets my team a lot more traffic!”
If you are often involved in planning and marketing events, whether that’s a customer conference or a simple webinar, here are our top tips to effectively share gratitude and help your events stand out:
Perfect Timing
At the point of registration, surprise and delight your attendees with a quick Thnks for registering. This engages them right from the start, showing you’re excited and grateful to have their attention. If you’re hosting a longer virtual event, for example, you can send a snack box to attendees that ships to them beforehand to help them power through. For in person events, make sure you end on a high note by sending a cup of coffee and a kind note as the event concludes so your attendees feel appreciated and valued for spending their time with you.
One week later, kickstart the conversation about next steps with a ‘Let’s Taco Soon’’ lunch. All of these options show your attendees that you’re thankful for them coming to your event and are sure to make them more likely to continue doing business with you in the future.
Conferences
Whether you’re hosting a short event or a multi-day conference, you can send a series of Thnks at key moments throughout the event to keep your attendees engaged and feeling appreciated. You can choose customized items to fit each day you have planned – like Coffee for the Week on day one, an Uber ride on day two, and a sweet treat to finish up day three! With attendees joining in-person from out of town, you can make the travel experience a bit more pleasant for them with a Delta gift card they can put towards entertainment, snacks, or in-flight wifi – or if you’re feeling really generous, their whole flight!
Webinars
Virtual events can be infused with gratitude as well. Show appreciation to your attendees for taking the time to join you with a Power Lunch they can enjoy at home or a “Thnks a Latte” for attending like Dean did for his webinar.
Sponsors
When it comes to events – partners, sponsors, and/or influencers are often key components to success. A thoughtful Thnks is an impactful way to build stronger relationships with those who were instrumental in helping you have a great event. A Classic Cookie Box is just the thing to sweeten up their day! Best of all, if you know of something that they like in particular, Thnks has a wide array of curated options to choose from to make sure you can delight them with personalized gratitude.
Last but not least, don’t forget about your teammates who worked alongside you. Sharing a little gratitude with Thnks is a perfect way to show them you value their effort and hard-work!
All of these options make great opportunities for sharing gratitude with the people involved in your event. No matter what kind of event you’re working on, a heartfelt thank you can go a long way in driving engagement and business results.
Thnks can help you take steps to use gratitude to build your relationships during event marketing. Within seconds, you can show them your appreciation by searching for a gesture, personalizing a note, and sending it off via SMS or email. Interested in learning more? Sign up for a demo, or click here to learn more about expressing gratitude in marketing!
The merchants represented are not sponsors of the rewards or otherwise affiliated with this company. The logos and other identifying marks attached are trademarks of and owned by each represented company and/or its affiliates.
