Strategy
A communication plan for an events industry company, step by step
Most events businesses communicate in bursts: loads before a trade show, nothing for months. A simple, realistic communication plan fixes that, and here's how to build one step by step.
In 30 seconds
- A communication plan for an events business sets out who you're talking to, what you want them to think of you, which channels you'll use, how often and how you'll measure results.
- In events you have to speak to several audiences at once: direct clients, agencies and DMCs, venues or suppliers, and the talent you want to attract.
- A realistic plan you can sustain over time works better than an ambitious one abandoned after two months.
- The industry calendar (trade shows, demand peaks, the months when clients plan) should shape your editorial calendar.
A communication plan for an events industry company is the document that sets out who you're talking to, what you want them to think of you, what you'll say, through which channels, how often and how you'll know it's working. It doesn't need to be a hundred-page doorstop. It needs to be something your team can actually carry out every week.
We've spent more than 20 years working in the events industry, and what we see most is communication in bursts: plenty of noise before a trade show or a big event, then silence for the rest of the year. A simple plan sorts that out.
Why the events industry needs its own communication plan
The events industry has quirks a generic plan doesn't cover:
- Several audiences at once: direct clients, agencies, DMCs, venues, suppliers, trade media and talent.
- Seasonality: there are planning seasons, production seasons and trade shows that soak up everyone's attention.
- The product is ephemeral: the event lasts a few hours, so communication has to capture it and make it last.
- Confidentiality: you can't always say who you work for or what you've done, and that needs planning for.
Step 1: an honest audit
Before planning anything, look at where you stand. Ask yourself:
- What does your website say about you, and when did you last update it?
- What do you post on LinkedIn and Instagram, how often, and what response does it get?
- How do your current clients find you?
- What are your competitors doing well in their communication?
- What material do you already have: photos, videos, case studies, approved testimonials?
- Who on your team can set aside time for communication?
Be honest. A good audit saves months of effort heading in the wrong direction.
Step 2: concrete communication objectives
Communication objectives have to serve the business. A few useful examples from the industry:
- Get onto more agencies' preferred suppliers lists.
- Position yourself as a specialist in one type of event.
- Generate more direct enquiries through the website.
- Open up a new city or a new market.
- Attract talent for peak season.
Pick two or three at most. If everything's a priority, nothing is.
Step 3: audiences and what each one needs
For each audience, define what worries them and what you want them to think of you.
- Direct clients (events, marketing and HR teams): they want reassurance, ideas and results.
- Agencies and DMCs: they want reliability, quick responses and material they can use.
- Partner venues or suppliers: they want to know you do good work and make them look good.
- Talent: they want to know what projects you do and what it's like to work with you.
Step 4: key messages
Define one core message (what you want people to remember about you) and three or four supporting messages, each with proof. For example: "We're the production company that pulls off builds on impossible timelines", backed by specific case studies, your in-house team and your working process.
Write them so anyone on the team could repeat them. They're the foundation of an events industry communication guide the whole team shares.
Step 5: channels
The essentials
- Website: your digital headquarters, ranking in search engines and understandable to AI assistants.
- LinkedIn: the main channel for reaching agencies, companies and partners.
- Newsletter: the channel you own, keeping the relationship going with people who already know you.
The ones that add value depending on your business
- Instagram: a visual portfolio, very useful for venues, catering, set design and experiences.
- Google and Meta ads: for specific searches or one-off campaigns.
- Press and trade media: for genuinely relevant news.
- Industry trade shows and events: with a communication plan for before, during and after.
- Podcast or video: if you have something to say on a regular basis.
Step 6: editorial calendar
The calendar turns the plan into weekly reality. In the events industry, it's best built around the season:
- Mark the key dates of the year: trade shows, peak season, the months your clients plan.
- Schedule evergreen content (case studies, guides, news) for the quieter periods.
- Leave room for live content from the events you produce or host.
- Set a frequency you can sustain: one good post a week beats five in the first month and none after that.
Types of content that work
- Case studies (with the client's permission).
- Making-of and behind-the-scenes.
- Useful guides for planners.
- Service or venue news.
- Your team and how you work.
What to say when you can't say who you work for
In events, signing an NDA is routine. That doesn't leave you without content: you can show the build without branding, explain the challenge and the solution without naming the client, talk about the format or the venue, or ask for permission to publish after a set period. Put it in the contract from the start and you'll save yourself a lot of negotiating at the end.
Step 7: resources and owners
Decide who does what: who suggests topics, who produces, who signs off, who publishes. If there's no time in-house, decide what you outsource. A plan without owners is a wish list.
Step 8: measurement
Measure a few things and review them regularly:
- Enquiries received and where they came from.
- Website visits and most-viewed pages.
- Engagement on LinkedIn and Instagram from the audience you care about.
- Newsletter opens and replies.
- Mentions in the media, by agencies or by partners.
Review every quarter and adjust. The plan is a living document.
Questions for the quarterly review
- Which content sparked conversations with clients or agencies, rather than just likes?
- What have we stopped publishing, and why?
- Are the objectives still valid, or has the business changed?
- What material from recent events haven't we used yet?
Worked example: a technical production company that wants more agencies
Picture a technical production company that does good work but has little visibility and relies on a handful of clients.
- Audit: an old website, a near-dormant LinkedIn and plenty of unused event footage.
- Objective: get in with more corporate events agencies.
- Message: "Technical production with no nasty surprises", with case studies and process as proof.
- Channels: a refreshed website, weekly LinkedIn and a quarterly newsletter for agencies.
- Calendar: case studies and technical guides in the low season; live content in peak season.
- Measurement: new agencies requesting quotes, and the source of every enquiry.
When it makes sense to bring in an events communications agency
When you know what you want but don't have the time or the team to keep it going. A communications agency that specialises in events knows the industry, its timings and its audiences, and spares you the learning curve. At Remarca we work with an initial project (strategy, website, audiovisual, sales deck) followed by a monthly fee for ongoing communication; you'll find it under services and in our approach for event suppliers. If you want a plan your team can genuinely deliver, tell us where you are today.
FAQ
What should a communication plan for an events company include?
An audit, objectives, audiences, key messages, channels, an editorial calendar, owners and a way to measure results. All adapted to the industry's seasonality and its different audiences: clients, agencies, partners and talent.
Which communication channels work best in the events industry?
Website, LinkedIn and a newsletter are the foundation for most events businesses. Instagram adds a lot for venues and suppliers with a visual product, and Google and Meta ads are useful for specific searches or one-off campaigns.
How often should you review a communication plan?
It's worth reviewing results every quarter and adjusting the calendar, with a fuller review once a year or whenever the business objectives change.
