Marketing Strategies

There are 8 ‘P’s’ in marketing events. It is divided into 2 components. There is the Experiential Components and the Facilitating component. The 8 ‘P’s’ are Product, Place, Partnerships, Promotion, Programming, People, Packaging and Distribution, and price.
PRODUCT
It is important to note that what the potential customers need, want and will pay for. In the Beerfest Asia 2009, beers from many parts of the world were introduced, such as Australia, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Indonesia and many more. The beers are also purchased through beer currencies. As most Singaporeans usually purchase items that are value for money, the beer currencies were offered at particularly reasonable prices so as to cater to the purchasing power of the buyers. Moreover, the countries in which the beers are taken from can also prove the quality it and can create more satisfaction for customers when purchasing the beer currencies.
The service which was provided by the beer sellers was very entertaining. They allow the customers to enjoy themselves during the festival and even create a sense of energy throughout the whole event. This greatly contributes to customer satisfaction as they are also there to enjoy themselves.
PLACE
Place consists of the physical place how it is created through design and programming. The facilitating component of ‘place’ is the distribution of event products and how they are sold to customers. If done poorly, this will negatively affect the customer’s enjoyment.
The place in which the Beerfest Asia was held was at the Singapore Flyer. It was quite accessible as it could be reached by public transport, such as the MRT or even bus. The design of the festival was actually a big tent and was held on the F1 race track at Marina Bay. The design could have been better though, as the space in which the festival was running on was pretty cramped and it was a little hot and stuffy on certain occasions. Compared to the Munich’s ‘Octoberfest’ which had a much wider area to have better air ventilation, Beerfest Asia could have improved on the venue site. Despite this, the atmosphere created was very good as there were live bands and performances by various artists.
PARTNERSHIPS
The most common partners will be government agencies. When packages are jointly marketed, event managers might have to modify their price and even their products to make the packages more attractive.For the Beerfest Asia, the main partnerships were that of the stakeholders that were involved in the event itself. The main stakeholder in that particular event was Singapore Tourism Board.
PROMOTION
Promotion refers to the full range of “communication mix” including: advertising, PR, and sales promotions. The communication mix requires ongoing management and relationship building, not just one-off efforts. The Beerfest Asia had quite a good range of communication mix. It provided a website on the event and provided valuable information on the vent as well. As more people are becoming equipped in accessing the internet, the Beerfest Asia tackled this issue very well. It also offered very attractive offers on the ticketing prices which attracts the more “value-for-money” customers. It collaborated effectively and efficiently its partners and sponsors to conduct the event which went smoothly. The Beerfest Asia also made use of souvenirs and other merchandise to attract customers.
PACKAGING AND DISTRIBUTION
Destination can package events with other attractions and services, or events can offer their own. The distribution network is important when selling tickets. Intermediaries of various types will be required. Good relationships must be captivated with packaging partners and intermediaries.Overall, Beerfest Asia has connected well with its intermediaries to conduct the event which attracted a huge crowd within the span of only five days. By placing the event at the Singapore Flyer, it also allows the Singapore Flyer to have more customers. This therefore creates good relations, and it could even prove to have greater opportunities working together in the future.
PROGRAMMING
Programming within the event is also a marketing strategy, especially by way of creating targeted benefits. Beerfest Asia did very well by organising the performances by the bands and food stalls of local cuisines well. The Munich’s ‘Octofest’ also had very well organised programming. It had bands to play, many varieties of culinary delights waiting for its customers to try as and when they please, and even the horse races to create more excitement.
PEOPLE
The interactions between customers, the setting, and the staff volunteers constitute a large part of the event experience. The hospitality received by visitors directly shapes their experiences. In the Beerfest Asia 2009, the staffs and volunteers that participated in the event were very cheerful and providing customers with a wonderful experience. They were helpful when visitors required certain information and they played a very huge part in the event. This greatly enhanced customer satisfaction as they felt that they were well treated, and also had fun. The beer drinking competition also added to the excitement of the entire event which made it so successful. The ‘Octoberfest’ also had great staffs to cater to the larger quantity of visitors to the event, which therefore makes them the largest festival worldwide.
PRICE
Every event comes with a price tag including those that are free. For example, time, travel cost and lost. Event organisers usually have to set one or more prices for their products. Examples are admission to the event, merchandise, vendor retails and sponsorship fees. In the Beerfest Asia 2009, beers were purchased through beer currencies. The prices set on the beers were very reasonable as it was an event which was to attract business traders as well as many customers as possible. The admission tickets for the event were also well marked as it allows the youths that do not have much purchasing power, to attend the event as well. Prices were set so as to attract those with high income as well. Merchandise and souvenirs were sold for prices which were a little too high for the youths to purchase, though there were many that wanted to buy. Overall the different prices set for the event was considered affordable due to the fact that many visitors turned up for the event.