Your content and messaging should be planned out from the moment you reach out to your customer until the last communication you have before your event (and after, of course!). The goal is to figure out ways to positively affect end user behavior so that there is an ongoing relationship with attendees. There are many ways to get to know your audience better and tailor your message in a way that speaks most clearly to those attendees.

# 1: Clear Content and Messaging

45% of your image is directly related not only to what you say but the ways in which you say it. This means that the message is important but so is the content and ways you deliver that content. This becomes even more vital when you combine it with the statistic that about 54% of people don’t trust a brand or what it has to say.

The reason is likely because so many companies have failed to deliver on promises. So, you need to figure out what your mission is for your event and for your brand, you must deliver clear content and messaging that explains that mission, and you must follow through on any promises you make to your customers. Anything else will not only break trust but may harm your brand instead of helping.

# 2: Multiple Platforms

However, getting the word out to potential attendees is far more than simply delivering the content and messaging. There is an old rule of thumb in advertising called the Rule of 7. This simply is the idea that before a potential customer remembers your brand or buys your service or product, he must see/hear about it seven different times.

Old methods of advertising included billboards, newspapers, direct mail, vehicles wraps, and radio/television. Today, brands can also add online marketing, which is arguably even more effective for reaching new leads. For one thing, there are many algorithms that can help you target that advertising better than more traditional forms of advertising.

Even online, don’t just focus on a single social media platform, but get the same content and messaging across to multiple social media networks. You can even adjust the message a bit for each one, but make sure all messages get at the heart of the mission of your event and brand.

# 3: Customer Service

Good customer service should be at the very core of your message. Not only do you have to initially gain the trust of your customers/attendees, but you have to maintain that trust.

Access Development’s 2016 Customer Loyalty Statistics survey turned up some pretty interesting results about customer loyalty to a particular brand. 81% of consumers surveyed said it was aggravating if a company made doing business with them difficult. 52% switched to a new company within the last 12 months because of a poor customer service experience.

The cost of acquiring new customers can be pretty high. It can cost as much as five times more to gain a new customer than to simply keep an old one. Doesn’t it make more sense to retain the customers you already have? They should always be your top priority and they should feel like they are important to you. This is how you build brand loyalty. According to Forbes, about 32% of company executives indicate that customer retention is a priority for them.

As you can see, building a brand image is of vital importance. Build your brand image with some clear steps. Take the time to figure out what you want to say and how you want to say it. The future of your company and the success of your event just might depend upon it.