15+ Low-Cost Branding Ideas for Events

When we talk about branding, the first thing that worries us is the cost (and ROI, of course!).

Which, generally speaking, is quite high.

Maybe you’ve just started organizing events, or perhaps you’re looking to promote your brand by organizing events, but the allocated budget is not too great at this moment. So naturally, it will be tough for you to go all-out with advanced and costly branding strategies.

Here, we’ll include some effective yet affordable event branding ideas for both online and offline. Some of them are well-known, and some are really out of the box, but they all have one thing in common: they won’t rip you off.

Before you begin

Broadly, we can divide event branding ideas into two sections:

• Online (pre-event) branding
• Offline (on-spot) branding

While the concept of offline event branding is traditional (and well-known to all), online marketing could be comparatively new and complicated to some organizers. However, if planned and managed smartly, both methods can be cost-effective and yield a better outcome.

Having an excellent online presence is priceless when branding an event. Find below the super-effective online branding strategies you can consider for any event.

1. Create an outstanding social media presence

Billions of people around the world are connected through social media. Be creative, look for opportunities, and ensure you have a strong social media presence. How can you do that? Here are some tips –

• Provide special gifts or discounts to any user who uses the “check-in” option at your event on social media.
• Create a special place on your event premises where guests can take pictures. Encourage visitors to take pictures and share them online. Just make sure that your logo is visible in the background.
• Make good use of Hashtags. There are plenty of hashtags around that might be fruitful for your event; do your research and start a campaign.
• Go live on Facebook and YouTube, and live Tweet activities as the event occurs.

You have to start early to maximise these benefits during the event. Your online presence doesn’t build overnight. There are several social media platforms where you can try to boost your brand value.

Related: Step by step guide to promote your event on social media

2. Emphasize ongoing email campaigns

When it comes to low-cost event branding online, one of the sure-fire steps to target and engage the right set of event audiences is to email campaigns. More than 72% of marketers online consider email marketing campaigns as one of the most effective tools to spread brand identity awareness and to leverage more audiences.

With a composed and consistent approach through email campaigns, you can build your brand identity with significantly less time and set your event brand apart from the rest.

Here are some proven ways you can start your email campaign –

• In branding, first impressions matter, and people tend to remember the first thing they encounter about a brand (or concept). Keeping that in mind, try to design your welcome email template in an appealing way, which should directly upload the idea of both your brand and event. Also, don’t forget to set up your email signature with additional information about your brand at the end of each email.
• Tailor your other email templates in such a way that defines and complements your event brand in every way. It doesn’t mean that you can’t use a variety of contents; you can make your materials are cohesive just with subtle things like consistent fonts, content frames, color schemes, logos and watermarks, etc.
• Along with your brand image, incorporating strong and effective CTA in your email templates is necessary to improve the user experience and effectiveness. Make an enjambment of your event brand and attendees so that it encourages the attendees to take quick action.

3. Go big with Facebook

More than 2.5 billion people are active on Facebook, and without any doubt, this is the #1 social networking platform worldwide.

Creating just a little fuss here can have a huge positive impact on your brand.

You might go for their paid ads if you can manage some funds. If not, create a Facebook page for your organization and follow your competitors or industry leaders.

As per company policy, Facebook allows you to follow other accounts via the Pages to Watch feature. From here, you can observe what type of content others upload and what gets the best response. This way, you can update your strategy. Also, you may consider creating a “Facebook event” for your event to get free social traffic to the event page.

If you are interested, you can take a quick look at How to Create an Event on Facebook

4. Make the most out of YouTube

It’s nearly impossible to plan out your cost-effective event branding strategy online without YouTube right from the get-go.

Even before setting up the target audience, you know your potential attendees are swimming around in the ocean of YouTube videos!

So, without looking into statistics, it’s safe to say you can dive right into it for event branding as long as it’s timely, relevant, and engaging.

Some key facts you should know before starting a YouTube video campaign –

• Choose the contents and the commentary of your content materials that are believable yet thought-provoking. There are billions of YouTube content on many topics, so developing something 100% original is almost impossible. To balance authenticity and enthralling simultaneously, keep the contents fact-checked, easy-going, and leaned-back.
• Don’t ignore the technicalities. Keep your YouTube business profile and the content SEO checked. You need to ensure you get maximum exposure from each tailored content. Map out the relevant tags, major title injection in video titles, and descriptions that boost your content’s search value more.
• Create videos that are not just brand promotional but also practically useful. For instance, if your event is primarily about a tradeshow or social gathering – you can make content about ensuring safety at large events.

5. Create (and promote) state-of-the-art content

Doesn’t mean this has to be 100% original, though!

If you can create content for yourself, that’s wonderful. You can always hire freelance writers even if you’re not a writer.

Try creating content on “top 10 lists”, “useful tips”, “best industry practices”, “things you should know”, etc. and make sure all are SEO-optimized. Once your posts (if published in a blog) rank on search engines, you can easily link other social media activities with them.

Besides blog posts, create visual content like infographics, slides, gifs, videos, podcasts, etc.

The idea is very simple: create content (and promote those) as much as possible. Grab every opportunity that comes before you, but be sure to know your limits.

Overexposure can be harmful to your brand. You want your guests to leave with good memories, not be haunted by them. Try to make the event and branding as entertaining as possible through your content.

6. Free e-book giveaway

To build a long-term relationship with the audience, a free e-book giveaway is an open and clever approach. If you have an event page (also a must), you can let people download it as a PDF and include as many links back to your website as you like.

Bonus! Check out our mega list of cool event ideas for your next arrangement.

7. Online forums and podcasts

Forums and podcasts are some exclusive yet cost-effective ways to share your content, market your brand, and gain endless prospects.

Michael Stelzner, the founder of Social Media Examiner, is one of the living instances of how powerful online forums and podcasts can possibly be. Just by weekly podcasting on social media, he turned a small follower base into a multi-million dollar brand!

For effective podcasting, look for a niche that complements your event brand. Be engaging, consistent, and regular with your podcast and forum content as well.

Please remember, consistency is the key to all online and social media marketing efforts.

8. Organize Webinars

Audiences are more likely to be lenient towards an event that they’re previously familiar with. But how do you make your potential attendees familiarize yourself with your event online when it’s the first time you’re hosting an event?

This is where webinars are vital in building the brand image and maintaining consistency. Just like other online tools for making your event brand stand out, like websites, blogs, and social media activities, a webinar is a fantastic way to gauge and tell a compelling story of your event brand.

The content topic of your event webinars may include teasers and a brief discussion about your upcoming event, sponsors, and any guest speakers/influencers attending.

9. Try out some PR strategies

To successfully reach out to potential attendees in the dynamic event management landscape, you need that extra push to make the event brand stand out.

A PR strategy will help you identify the stories in your business and gain all the exposure your event needs to become a brand!

What is your event’s most appealing aspect or interesting story that has the instant “buzz-creating” potential? It can be the guest speakers, the exclusive discount offers in ticket sales, or anything that makes your event different from any other event to your target audience.

The deadly combination of social media presence and smart PR strategies is a sure-fire way to expose your event brand to the largest possible audience within a short period.

It’s a no-brainer that online event branding alone won’t be enough to build a strong relationship with your potential follower base. You must put equal branding effort during the event and in all your offline branding materials. Here are some extremely important offline branding tips that will surely improve your brand value in the long run.

1. Create a cohesive brand environment

Good and cost-effective event branding often involves looking at the bigger picture – assembling all the branding components instead of focusing on elements individually.

Your venue, décor, and event attractions should all be part of a single, cohesive environment.

All the elements are essential to creating a branded environment; the key to a successful event is to focus on a bigger picture. All the event elements – from your invitations to décor to handouts and signage – should be combined to build a cohesive experience for your attendees. Host a memorable event by creating an atmosphere that stands out from what guests are used to seeing in their day-to-day lives.

2. Focus on your brand name (literally!)

You have to be audacious when making event branding strategies.

And what could be a better way to show off your name or logo than writing it in big, bold, bright letters?

Display your company name or logo above the entrance, and draw focus towards it by facing a bright light towards it. Use the podium or the lectern to your advantage; print a huge backdrop and hang it on the stage.

Find places that will be the centre of attention and fill them with your brand name and logo.

3. Select a theme and plaster it everywhere (not literally)

Are you a matchmaker?

In the branding arena, it is a sacred match between you as the organizer and your potential attendees.

When focusing on an event to promote your brand, consider your brand’s theme and start match-making! This can be very simple. Say you’re providing t-shirts or other free goodies to your attendees; make sure that the design and the colors go with your brand. It’s that simple! (And yet some organizers keep forgetting this!!)

Also, ensure volunteers or staff wear clothes matching your brand’s theme.

For example, the car manufacturer Ferrari has a ‘theme color’ of red.

Do you think it’s a coincidence that many of their related products and PR stunts are either completely red or have red strips somewhere?

Go figure!

4. Make clever use of food and drinks to promote your brand

Very few people can abstain when it comes to free food.

While organizing an event, try keeping a budget for arranging free food and drink (whatever that would be) because this can be an excellent place to showcase your brand.

Here are some cool ideas –

• Try to serve food that is either produced by you or somehow related to your brand image (if applicable).
• The icing on cakes or biscuits should also follow the match-making principle. Be sure that their color matches your theme.
• Provide sweets and chocolates with your brand logo on the wrapper.
• Write your brand’s name over the icing of a cake, and if possible, draw the logo too!

The list could go on, but we think you’ve got the idea. Be creative in your way, and make sure to give them a strong impression.

5. Fill the event venue with your brand name and logo

If you want your guests to remember your brand, you must consistently show it to them. An excellent way to do that is to decorate the premises with your brand logo. Try to get inside the minds of your guests.

Some possible event branding ideas to cover the event venue with your logo might be

• Using your logo as a backdrop for a stage or podium
• Giving away napkins monogrammed with your logo
• Stamp your logo on catering items (place settings, cups, etc.).
• Decorating conference folders
• Using printed colored logos on attendee badges and lanyards

Although you must be aggressive in showing your brand, remember not to inundate the venue with excessive branding – to the point it becomes distracting or irritating. You don’t want your guests to return home with your brand having made the wrong impression.

6. Prepare gift bags for the attendees

Who doesn’t like gifts?

This is a great opportunity for brand promotion; ensure you provide your guests with something they can leave with. Try choosing items that are usable as well as long-lasting to leave a memory of your event.

A gift bag doesn’t always need to be costly. You can fill them with sweets, pens, notebooks, or other products. Try to incorporate your brand logo with each item.

7. Be creative with the merchandise

It’s important to ensure brand longevity by ensuring your event is held in the audience’s minds for weeks and months afterwards. A great way to do this is to sell a little souvenir in the form of some cool merchandise.

The merchandise can include sashes, badges, and their brand slogan throughout to promote your event.

Choose the right (inexpensive) merchandise for your own event; make sure most of the attendees would find that useful.

8. Arrange a photo competition with a custom photo frame and photo wall

Everyone loves to take a photo!

One brand-promoting idea is to hold a photo competition. First, order a well-designed photo frame that contains your brand’s key elements. Then, ask the guests to take pictures inside the frame and encourage them to upload those photos with a description of your event or branded hashtags.

You could provide them with a funny T-shirt, a funny hat or sunglasses to put on. Just make the picture and the environment charming and enjoyable. To engage more participants, you can declare a prize for the best photo (getting the most likes, shares, retweets or impressions). Later, come up with a unique photo frame displaying all the photos.

It may cost you a little, but trust us, the outcome will surely surprise you.

9. Handmade fun and handy stationery

The more you bring your brand symbol to your potential stakeholders, the more your event brand will get exposure.

The participants often need stationary while attending a seminar or event. Utilize this opportunity for more branding.

Customized handmade pens, pencils, note-pads, t-shirts, badges, wristbands, bags and even fidget spinners can bring you the desired publicity for your event with minimum cost, depending on your materials.

As people will carry these free customized giveaways home with them, these will act as memorandums for the event. This is a tangible way to spread the brand name to your prospects.

Wrapping up

Without making it a long read, we tried to share some proven and effective event branding ideas with you. These may not apply to your events, but we hope you understand what needs to be done.

The online branding ideas are more applicable for larger events, and the offline ideas can be applied for both larger and one-off events. It’s your decision which one you will try (according to your budget and event type), but either way, these will help your brand and event become more successful.

Please share your experience in the comment section below, and if you think we could add more strategies, feel free to share with us.

Happy branding!