For 2010 the live Consumer Connection – Event Marketing.

Right now, in the deep freeze of winter you can almost hear event marketers revving their engines, and making preparations for the 2010 warm weather season. There are certain iconic Long Island events that have special meaning to us all. It really seems like summer kicks off with a three day Air Show at Jones Beach, continues with that Strawberry Festival on the North Fork in June, and the annual Fireworks Show at Jones Beach. Then it’s vacation time, ending with Festivals around Labor Day in West Sayville, Brentwood and Captree State Park, as we roll into fall events like the Oyster Festival and the Fall Festival. Long Islanders show an enduring love for gathering together, and of course the terrific food we’re famous for! They come in droves and thoroughly enjoy themselves, riding the rides, petting the animals, buying the crafts and eating!

It’s the perfect atmosphere to introduce or re-connect your product or service with all those consumers. Your presence in a non-commercial, family fun atmosphere is a friendly way to create or maintain top-of-mind awareness, win the customer loyalty battle and begin or continue a one-on-one dialogue with thousands of event patron/consumers, and make that all important connection to what really interests them right where they live.

As EGC’s president, Ernie Canadeo said recently in Marketing & Media in the Great Beyond-2010 +

“Event marketing will continue to be an effective way of connecting with consumers in a personal way, and the use of brand ambassadors [event staffers] at events will be on the rise.”

In 2010, businesses will need every opportunity to prove themselves worthy of the consumers’ loyalty and their increasingly hard won dollar. Being intrinsically linked to an exciting, pleasurable experience benefiting the community’s non-profits is a terrific platform for any company to speak from. Hearts and minds are there to be won. Arrange to make your statement to the customer live at an event.