Starting a career in Events and Marketing: Everything you need to know about the Event Marketing community with useful resources
Events are a fantastic marketing tool, and dedicated events marketing teams will elevate those events to the next level, but what do we define as event marketing?
Simply put, event marketing refers to the process of creating and promoting an event in order to achieve specific business objectives, such as increasing revenue, generating leads, or building a brand presence.
Event hosts will often sell sponsorship and exhibition opportunities to boost revenue, covers costs, or make an outright profit. In this instance, the event itself can become the product being sold.
If you're interested in starting a career in event marketing, there are a few things you should know about the industry.
🤹🏻♀️ Event marketing is a multi-disciplinary industry.
Event marketing involves various skills and disciplines, including project management, marketing, public relations, logistics and communications. To be successful in event marketing, you'll need to be comfortable working with a team and able to wear multiple hats.
Keep in mind that you’ll rarely work alone on a project. With an event of any scale, there’s always a team behind the scenes (often contractors or third parties) supporting the event’s objectives, and you!
👥 Networking is key
One of the most important aspects of event marketing is networking. Building relationships with industry leaders, vendors, and other professionals is essential for success. Attend industry events and conferences, join professional organizations, and take advantage of social media to connect with others in the field. Once you connect to someone on sites like LinkedIn, you’ll soon see how easy it is to make more valuable connections to build your personal network.
How do we use these connections? They often find a place on the agenda as a speaker, panellist or workshop host as an expert in their field. Some will be a contractor or third party to maximise your objectives. Others will be potential delegates who buy tickets for your next event.
📝 Learn about different types of events
There are many different types of events, from large trade shows to small networking events. Each type of event requires a different set of skills and expertise, so it's essential to familiarize yourself with the various types of events and the role that event marketing plays in each.
Some common events include; roundtable discussions, forums, webinars, trade shows, workshops, conferences, salons and many more. Large-scale events (LSEs) will often combine multiple smaller events with a main stage and exhibition space.
👨🏻💻️ Understand the role of technology
Technology is becoming increasingly important in event marketing. From event registration software to social media marketing, it's important to have a basic understanding of the technology tools that are used in the field.
Don’t worry about familiarising yourself with the tools just yet. There are a few industry preferences, like Cvent for websites and registration, or MailChimp for email marketing, but the tools will differ between events and companies. When you get started, take some time to deep dive into the tools at your disposal and what they can do to boost your chances of success.
🤲🏼 Get hands-on experience
One of the best ways to learn about event marketing is by getting hands-on experience. Look for internships or entry-level positions at event marketing firms or in-house event marketing teams at companies.
For something less permanent, many events companies will recruit volunteers for major events to support with roles like registration, hospitality and speaker support. Reach out to your local venues and see what roles are on offer.
Useful Resources:
There are many tools and communities out there to support your journey. Here are a few which take a look at events and event marketing with generalists in mind:
Additionally, certifications such as Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) can show credibility and knowledge in the field.
Next Steps
Starting a career in event marketing can be challenging, but with a strong understanding of the industry and the right resources, you can set yourself up for success. Remember to network, be open to learning new skills and the different types of events, and get hands-on experience to learn the ropes. You’re never alone in events marketing, we have a passionate, skilled, and supportive community, always ready to lend a helping hand.
Are you looking for your big break? Why not get in touch and see which roles interest you…
