Emma Abraham, the full-stack marketer behind Emboss Consulting, offers some advice on marketing your event.
How do you determine what marketing strategies will be most effective?
It all starts with knowing exactly what you want the event to achieve. Is it about shifting tickets, generating leads, raising your profile, or giving people a place to genuinely connect? Your goals should shape every decision you make.
Once that’s clear, it’s about understanding your ideal attendee. Not just “who are they?” – but what makes them tick? What would make them think “this is worth my time”?
Where do they hang out? How do they decide what events to go to?
From there, your strategy can take shape. That might look like a solid social media campaign, laser-focused email marketing, direct outreach, partnerships, and even a perfectly timed LinkedIn DM.
There’s no magic formula – just a good dose of insight, clarity, and doing the basics brilliantly.
What digital channels do you find most effective, and how do you measure their success?
LinkedIn and email marketing usually deliver the best results for corporate events. That’s where the decision-makers are, and that’s where they’re more open to engaging – especially when the message is relevant and sharp.
That said, collaboration with the event organiser, speakers and attendees can give your efforts a serious boost. Tag them in your posts, share updates, and work together on joint promo activity – it will expand your reach and strengthen your position.
Email still works brilliantly when it’s short, punchy and speaks directly to the reader’s needs. Pair that with engaging LinkedIn content – think countdowns, speaker intros, or a behind-the-scenes glimpse – and you’ve got a solid combo.
When it comes to measurement, it’s easy to get distracted by likes and impressions – but they don’t always equal results. I’m far more interested in who clicked, who registered, who followed up. Those are the numbers that tell you what’s actually working.
And what about the more sociable social media?
Social media is your shop front. It’s how you build anticipation, drive engagement, and create a sense of “I don’t want to miss this.”
But it’s not about throwing out the same post, rewritten ten times. Mix it up – show behind-the-scenes action, introduce speakers, tease exciting content, or spotlight past attendees and their wins. Show people what they’ll gain by being there, not just what’s happening. It’s also important to mix on other content so it’s not just event, event, event.
During the event, social is gold for capturing real-time content. Share reactions, photos, quotes – get your audience involved. And post-event, keep the momentum going. Recaps, thank-you’s, testimonials… this is your chance to stretch the value of that one day into lots of further content and connection. Done right, social media can turn your attendees into advocates. And that’s priceless.
Are traditional marketing methods still relevant, like magazines?
Absolutely – they’re still relevant. In fact,something physical landing on your desk can have more impact than an email, simply because it stands out. But the trick is making sure it’s not just traditional or just digital – it’s how you combine them.
I’ve seen great success with personal invites, well-designed flyers or printed materials –especially when paired with a follow-up email, QR code or targeted ad. That’s where the magic happens: bridging the offline with the online and creating a seamless experience.
Print ads can still do a job too – but only if they’re going to the right people, in the right place. If you’re going to invest in traditional methods, make sure they’re backed by a clear strategy. The key is having sales and marketing working together. That way, every single touchpoint – whether digital or physical – feels joined up, aligned, and genuinely impactful.
Finally, could you share an example of how a marketing strategy made an event a success?
One standout example was an industry awards event I managed. It had been running for years but, if I’m being honest, had lost its spark. The challenge? Multiple stakeholders (all with opinions), a bit of legacy red tape, and a need to bring energy back into the association without losing its roots. I was given free rein to shake things up – and I did. We overhauled the brand tone, modernised the messaging, and streamlined the awards process so the internal team could focus on meaningful engagement, not admin. This wasn’t about smashing revenue targets; it was about reigniting pride, boosting engagement, and giving the association some much-needed momentum. And that’s exactly what we did.
Emma Abraham is owner of Emboss Consulting, a Marketing Efficiency Specialist working in the events industry.
Embossconsulting.co.uk