How IMEX uses Community Marketing to bolster their attendee reach.

When COVID-19 hit, IMEX were forced to pivot on their event strategy. Most of their events become virtual and this required different marketing approach.
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As well as adopting a new content strategy, IMEX embraced Community Marketing to increase their reach. This fresh approach empowered their speakers and attendees to promote IMEX’s events.
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By adopting Community Marketing, the leading events brand achieved some incredible results.

The Challenge

Everyone is running digital events right now.You can’t escape a social media feed or inbox without seeing another event advertisement. This makes it tough for event marketers to cut through the noise and get the attention of their ideal attendees.

IMEX needed to find a way to reach new prospects, get their attention, and convert them into attendees for their events.

Following their virtual pivot, the marketing team explored new ways to engage speakers and attendees. They needed to find something that would complement their existing marketing content and email marketing efforts and convert new attendees.

We needed to embrace new digital tools to reach, engage and convert a wider audience.

Lottie Elson

Head of Marketing Operations, IMEX Group

IMEX needed to find the right marketing tool that would help them engage and convert new attendees to create sell-out virtual events.
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The Solution

After weeks of planning, the IMEX marketing team decided to combine their existing digital marketing efforts with Community Marketing.

IMEX were already using social media to promote their events. However, they wanted to use Gleanin to take word-of-mouth referrals to the next level.

We wanted to further leverage our outstanding content and identify our loyal advocates and Gleanin helped us achieve these objectives.

Lottie Elson

Head of Marketing Operations, IMEX Group

IMEX were already using referral marketing as part of their strategy, but Gleanin made this easier and more effective for virtual events.

By embracing Community Marketing, IMEX were able to cut through the noise pollution on social and drive more engagement around their event. Over a short period of time, this resulted in a significant spike in new registrations.

Results

The challenge of engaging and converting new attendees for each show cycle has always been a headache.

However, by embracing community marketing, the team successfully tapped into the communities of their attendees and built thriving digital events.

Instant ROI with outstanding results…

• MORE shares from community influencers.  
• MORE unique organic social views to the event website.
• MORE new attendee registrations.

Gleanin improved our reach into the Business Event community.

Lottie Elson

Head of Marketing Operations, IMEX Group

Community Marketing is now a big part of IMEX’s marketing strategy for virtual, hybrid, and face-to-face events. Word-of-mouth will continue to drive new registrations for years to come.