Read the full article that appeared in Economia SP and Marcas pelo Mundo, written by the founder and CEO of comuh, describing how the community strategy is important for keeping customers before, during and after events.
"In 2023 we had excellent results creating and managing communities in the events market. Our cases with RD Summit, Vamos Latam Summit, Kite for the ocean, Motim and Univers allowed us to experience how important it is to maintain stakeholders before, during and after events, and the best way to do this is by strengthening the community." Jen Medeiros - Founder comuh
The events market is one of the fastest-growing in Brazil and reaches gigantic milestones when it comes to the movement of capital in the country. According to Abrape, the accumulated balance between January and June 2023 showed a growth of 42.3% compared to the same period in 2022. It's no wonder that events play an important role in strengthening communities, providing opportunities for interaction, networking and sharing experiences.
However, when we talk about it, the emphasis is often only on the event phase itself, neglecting the importance of keeping the community engaged before, during and especially after the event. But what is the relevance of strengthening community throughout the event cycle, focusing on retaining customers to create lasting relationships?
The pre-event phase is crucial for creating anticipation and enthusiasm among participants. Strengthening the community at this stage involves establishing an effective communication platform, online forums or dedicated applications. When we promote interaction beforehand, we create an atmosphere of community that transcends the physical boundaries of the event. This not only increases participant satisfaction, but also lays the foundations for stronger relationships during and after the event.
In this phase, the strategic objective is to increase ticket sales through programs, anticipate communications to fans, create content that awakens FOMO, create interactions that allow members to feel part of the construction of the event. Depending on the segment, it is also possible to identify potential customers for other brand products and, as an active community, it becomes a selling point for attracting sponsors.
The event phase is the culmination of face-to-face interaction. However, strengthening the community doesn't end there; on the contrary, it reaches its peak. Facilitating the connection between participants, whether through structured networking activities, interactive discussion panels or simple socializing areas, is essential. Not to mention that when we promote interaction between members of the community during the event, we create bonds and make the experience more memorable. As well as becoming a channel for exchanging photos and feedback in real time, the community functions as support, where members answer questions and solve each other's problems, which significantly relieves the event production team and improves member satisfaction.
In recurring events, the emphasis is often only on the event phase itself, neglecting the importance of keeping the community engaged before, during and especially after the event.
"Kite for the Ocean is not just an event or a record to be broken, it's a demonstration of unity, resilience and care for our planet. And for that, we need an active and engaged community all year round. It was clear from the outset that the comuh team was sure of what it was setting out to do when designing our community strategy. During the execution of the project, they dealt with the dynamics of the interactions and the scale of the community, providing reassurance that we were conducting the process in the right way for all parties involved," says Rômulo Alexandre, co-founder of K4tO.
The post-event, which is often neglected, is vital for turning participants into active members and identifying potential ambassadors for the next edition. It becomes an additional resource for capturing valuable feedback and insights, as well as a live social listening channel for the brand. It is also possible to work on ticket pre-sales and maintain the synergy created during the event, encouraging participation in discussions, providing exclusive resources and recognizing individual contributions as effective ways to maintain post-event engagement.
By recognizing the importance of retaining customers before, during and after events, organizations can build more resilient and sustainable communities. Investing in long-term relationship building not only increases customer satisfaction, but also strengthens brand reputation and drives organic community growth. What's more, the approach to community empowerment is a valuable investment in the present and for the future.
