Top Event Marketing Agencies

An event marketing agency is a specialized agency that plans, organizes, and manages events, as a strategic marketing and communication channel for brands and organizations. Simpler put, an event company promotes a brand, product, or service before, during, and after an event.

It generates leads, converts customers, boosts brand presence, and improves customer relationships. Businesses can host, co-host, sponsor, speaker, or be a participant in the event. The events can be virtual, in-person, or a hybrid of both.

Event marketing agencies promote:

• Exhibitions and conferences
• Trade shows and expositions
• Seminars
• Pop-up shops
• Workshops
• Product demonstrations
• Launch parties and celebrations
• Charities and fundraisers
• Seminars and webinars
• Festivals and concerts
• Customer VIP events

Event marketing teams are usually composed of the following roles:

• Project manager or event marketing manager: Develops the marketing strategies for the entire campaign and oversees their implementation. They are also the client’s point person.
• Designer: Creates all the visuals for event promotion, from posters to swag and merchandise.
• Event videographer and photographer: Documents the event for marketing purposes and manages its livestreaming.
• Content strategist: Crafts the copy for the event, including announcements, landing pages, press releases, and blogs.
• Social media manager: Manages event-related content on brand’s social media channels. It also handles social media ads and community management.
• Public relations (PR) specialist: Coordinates with magazines, newspapers, and other relevant media outlets to promote your event. It crafts compelling press releases, pitches story ideas to journalists, arranges interviews, and secures media coverage.

The event marketing agencies ensure that each event reflects the client's brand and offer tailored experiences for attendees. They work closely with partners and sponsors to boost event visibility. After the event, they keep attendees engaged, handle crises, and plan for any unexpected situations to ensure a successful outcome.

The global event industry was worth $890 billion in 2020 and will reach over $2 trillion by 2028. The US has the highest number of conferences and trade shows, listing 41,000 events on 10times.com. Second is the UK, with 7,600 events. 

An event marketing firm works closely with clients to develop, plan, and execute events that align with client’s marketing goals and target audience’s preferences. It creates memorable experiences to engage attendees, foster loyalty, and drive desired outcomes – lead generation, sales, publicity, etc.

Its services include:

• Event strategy development: Working closely with the client to develop the event’s key objectives, theme, budget allocation, timeline, and logistics plan.
• Creative design and branding: Designing exhibits, promotion materials, and other visual elements needed for the event and aligning it with the client’s brand identity.
• Event planning and execution: Managing event logistics, third-party vendors, material production, and staffing.
• Marketing and promotion:
  • Remarketing: Re-engaging previous leads, customers, or website visitors to attend your event.
  • Social media marketing: Leveraging social platforms to promote your event and brand.
  • Email marketing: Sending emails to nurture leads, promote products and services, and maintain customer relationships.
  • Paid advertising: Strategic placement of paid advertisements to reach specific audiences and drive conversions.
  • Traditional marketing: Using conventional marketing channels, like print, radio, and television to promote your event, brand, product, or service.
  • Public relations (PR): Building and maintaining a positive brand image through reliable media outlets, influencers, and other mediums.
• Sponsor acquisition and management: Managing relationships with sponsors, fulfilling their obligations, and ensuring they receive the agreed-upon benefits and exposure.
• Content production: Crafting relevant videos, blogs, graphics, and other content to engage audiences.
• Attendee engagement: Developing strategies to attract and retain attendees before, during, and after the event.
• Crisis management: Building a comprehensive crisis management plan that outlines protocols for handling emergencies and unforeseen issues.

Most event marketing firms specialize in planning, execution, and optimization of events to maximize their impact on brand promotion. They also offer services like traditional marketing firms, such as branding, digital marketing, and advertising, but their primary focus is events.

One instance of event marketing services is Cummins example. It worked with event marketing agency Hamilton to boost audience engagement and brand visibility during the CONEXPO 2023. Hamilton designed an immersive experience for the client’s exhibit booth and used large LED screens and hanging signs. It also included private rooms at the back of the booth so the Cummins staff could further attend to interested buyers.

Additionally, the event marketing company placed sensors in different areas of the exhibit to measure attendee interest areas, engagement duration, and active participation. By the end of the event, it recorded 4,9000 attendees, 95% of whom were exposed to the Cummins exhibit and spent an average dwell time of 15 minutes.

The difference between event marketing and experiential marketing lies in their approach: event marketing promotes events to achieve marketing goals, while experiential marketing aims to create immersive and interactive experiences that establish a deeper emotional connection with the brand.

Event marketing

• Centers around events such as conferences, trade shows, product launches, anniversary and celebrations to engage with target audiences.
• Aims to increase brand visibility, product awareness, and customer loyalty through planned events.
• Involves direct interaction with participants but within the context of the event.

Experiential marketing

• Seeks to engage consumers through experiences, such as using virtual and augmented reality technology and building pop-up booths.
• Creates a strong emotional impact and lasting memories associated with the brand.
• Often uses elements of surprise, innovation, and personalization to deepen the consumer's connection to the brand.

Event marketing companies charge about 15% to 20% of the anticipated gross revenue of an event. For example, a tech conference aiming to sell 500 tickets at $200 each, would bring a potential revenue of $100,000. Applying the 15%-20% budget rule, event marketing company would charge between $15,000 to $20,000 for its services.

The top 50 event marketing companies on DesignRush charge $116 per hour. 14.3% of event marketing agencies on DesignRush accept projects with a minimum budget of less than $1,000, while only 1.5% require a minimum budget of at least $50,000.

Given the diversity of event types, there is no one-size-fits-all pricing model for event marketing services. However, several key factors affect their pricing structure:

• Event goals: Marketing complexity varies with event goals. A concert for 10,000 requires multiple marketing strategies and campaigns compared to a 100-person conference.
• Target audience: Marketing approaches depend on the audience. VIP events might use email marketing and in-app notifications, while public events require social media, content marketing, PR, and other marketing strategies, raising costs.
• Services: The choice of services like AR, live streaming, and influencer marketing greatly impacts the total marketing cost.
• Level of competition: High-demand markets lead to higher ad costs and more aggressive strategies, increasing expenses.
• Event popularity: Promoting popular annual events like Comic-Con requires less marketing than promoting a new event started by a small brand.

You should hire an event promotion company because it has the expertise, extensive networks, and tools that increase chances for the success of your event. These companies create buzz and awareness, ensuring that your event attracts your target audience.

By entrusting your event to marketing professionals, you can drive new leads and customers, increase customer engagement and loyalty, collect customer data, and get strategic partnerships for your business.

Here are more reasons to hire an event promotion company:

• Leverage expertise: 72% of market leaders say that in-person events drive value to a business. Event marketing firms know how to maximize event return on investment (ROI), have strong industry connections with event suppliers and media outlets, and have a multidisciplinary team with expertise in event management, marketing, PR, and audience engagement.
• Drive leads and customers: 67% of event marketers repot that attendance is the most important success metric. Event marketing agencies analyze data to create impactful event experiences and personalized marketing messages that attract and capture target audiences.
• Increase customer engagement and loyalty: These agencies conduct Q&A sessions, live polls, livestreams, and community management to sustain audience engagement before, during, and after the event.
• Collect and analyze customer data: Event marketing firms have certified expertise in using event technologies and marketing tools to help businesses make data-driven decisions. In fact, 80% of companies using event software report they are meeting or surpassing business goals.
• Gain strategic partnerships: B2B event attendees rate an event’s success by the new business opportunities it generates. Event marketing agencies have a robust network of media outlets, influencers, and complementary businesses that can help promote their events and spur new business partnerships.

Cadillac is one brand that used the expertise of event marketing agencies to its advantage. It partnered with event marketing firm Jack Morton to increase the demand for its new electric vehicle (EV) during the US Open 2023.

Jack Morton helped create a 360-degree integrated takeover, providing strategically placed ad displays, an immersive theater experience, a 200+ VIP vehicle fleet, VIP hospitality for celebrities and influencers, on-court net signage, and stadium takeovers. It also produced content that featured Frances Tiafoe, Billie Jean King, and Venus Williams.

At the end of the 20-day activation, Cadillac reached 1.86 billion people via broadcast coverage and organic social media. It also improved brand awareness and its audience’s brand perception.

You can choose an event marketing firm by following these steps:

1. Define your brand: Have a cohesive brand image for your business, from your visuals to your copy, as it will be the center of your entire event marketing strategy.
2. Set your goals: Define SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely) goals for the event, like how many leads you want to gain after the event, how many sales you want to earn after a product launch, or how many people you want to sign up to your email newsletter.
3. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs): From number of attendees to social media engagement to customer acquisition, there are many ways to measure your event’s success. However, choose the KPIs relevant to your event goals and long-term business objectives.
4. Determine your project scope: Define your target audience, budget, event location, event theme, event schedule, and market timeline.
5. Research potential event marketing agencies: Look at their client list, case studies, technologies and tools, media partners, and list of services. Prioritize those with experience in your field, that provide the specific services you need.
6. Do your due diligence: Check for certificates, awards, reviews, and testimonials. Focus on the agency’s ability to deliver results and project management style.
7. Send a request for proposal: Outline your project scope and send it to your shortlisted event marketing agencies and request for proposal (RFP).
8. Evaluate its communication style: Communication plays a crucial role in the success of an event, so assess how responsive the agency is to your messages.
9. Conduct interviews: Set up an interview with potential agencies, ask questions related to your campaign, and pay attention to how they interact with you and your team. Choose an agency that aligns with your goals, values, and team dynamics.
10. Request client references: Talking to former clients can give insight into how an event promotion company works, especially on the day of the event itself. Pay attention to how it works under pressure and its ability to solve problems on the spot.
11. Select your event marketing firm: Contact your chosen agency and discuss contract and payment terms. Also, coordinate digital marketing channel accounts and event planning details.

If you need help finding the right event marketing agency, send us a message. Our team will customize a list of the top agencies for you according to your specific project requirements. Visit our Marketplace for more information.

You can find the best event marketing agency on DesignRush that fits your budget by using the website filters. They will help customize your search by hourly rates, minimum budgets, region, and company size.

Below are the most affordable event marketing agencies on DesignRush based on their hourly rates:

• Ifahto WorldWide: $5/hr
• Infinity B2B: $5/hr
• The Round Table: $9/hr
• Sira International LLC: $10/hr
• Trimonks Digital: $20/hr

The key success metrics for an event marketing campaign are registrations and check-ins, cost-to-revenue ratio, cost per opportunity, net promoter score (NPS), social media metrics, lead acquisitions, and conversions.

Here is a closer look at each of them:

• Registration and check-ins: Compute the ratio of the people who registered vs. those who attended the event.
• Cost-to-revenue ratio: Compare how much you earn from the event vs. how much you spend.
• Cost per opportunity: Measures how much you spend to push leads and customers through your conversion pipeline.
• Net promoter score (NPS): Send surveys to event participants to assess their satisfaction, gauge loyalty and predict future event attendance and engagement.
• Social media mentions and engagement: Monitor social media reactions, likes, impressions, and reshares involving your brand, event, and branded hashtag.
• Lead acquisition: Compute how many new leads you gained from the event.
• Customer conversion: Track how many of your event leads become paying customers.
• Total donations: For charity events, compute how much money was raised through the event compared to the final goal.

You can ask an event marketing company the following when interviewing it:

Its Relevant Background

1. What types of events do you organize?
2. How many events do you market a year? How do you manage your event calendar?
3. Can you share your portfolio with us?
4. Do you have experience with our niche?
5. What type of event and industry do you specialize in?

Company Services and Processes

1. What factors do you consider when doing an event marketing strategy?
2. How do you plan and implement your event marketing services?
3. What tasks do you outsource? How do you monitor external vendors?
4. What event technology do you use?
5. How do you ensure safety and security compliance before, during, and after the event?
6. Can you walk me through your crisis management plan?
7. Do you provide additional services aside from event marketing?
8. What are your project management and communication styles? How does your team work under pressure?

The Project

1. How early should I start promoting my event?
2. How do you measure event success?
3. How does your event marketing strategy help with my overall marketing goals?
4. Who will be part of my team, and who will be the main contact person throughout the entire campaign, not just during the event?
5. How will you coordinate with my event manager and internal team?
6. What is your payment structure?

The best event marketing agencies in the US are the following:

• George P Johnson Experience Marketing
  • 5.0 stars on Google (4 reviews)
  • Top clients: Porsche, Acura, Honda, Mazda, Volkswagen
• Hamilton
  • 4.5 stars on Google (42 reviews)
  • Top clients: Cornerstone Building Brands, MailChimp, Cummins, Baxter, Zimmer Biomet
• August Jackson
  • 5.0 stars on Google (7 reviews)
  • Top clients: Yale, UC Irvine, Duke University, University of Wisconsin, Hilton Hotels & Resorts
• Brave Exhibits
  • 5.0 stars on Google (13 reviews)
  • Top clients: Komptech Americas, Sutherland Furniture, Anheart Therapeutics, CloudU, Genius NY
• Impact XM
  • 4.1 stars on Google (28 reviews)
  • Top clients: Bell, AT&T Business, Ricoh, Liebherr, Longeviti Neuro Solutions

Scroll up and find more about these agencies and uncover additional leading event marketing agencies. All of them have been chosen based on successful projects, industry reputation, customer reviews, and team expertise. And if you want to further personalize your search, you can sort companies by location, budget size, hourly rates and reviews.