All marketers (bless them!) can put insomniacs to sleep outlining the intricacies of event management. Getting clients - then retaining them - requires considerable effort (and expense) and inevitably involves a client event programme to reward clients for their loyalty plus keep your company name high on their radar.

Picking the "right" event is a case of intimately understanding your clients (by gender, income, geographical location, interests) and knowing what will appeal to them (and it's fair to say that increasingly [sadly?!] that isn't always a day at the races). The choice of an event also says a lot about the type of clients a company is courting/working with. They are also a fabulous tool for competitor analysis (for those that aren't doing it ...).

With this in mind our company received an interesting email from one of the Australian syndication companies today. It wasn't a free invite - rather, it was the promotion of an event where an athlete was being sponsored by the syndication company (obviously the company has seen this alternative sport as one that sources a number of potential owners). The evening will, however, provide existing owners with a chance to rub shoulders with each other and, of course, the syndicaters of the famous filly who I note ran a good time in her dirt trial in America the other day.

Hi all,

We are currently getting expressions of interest to join us on a table/s for Daniel Geales upcoming title fight

He fights Josh Clenshaw for the Australian Middleweight Title on Sept 16th @ Blacktown RSL NSW

7pm kick off, or should that be box on!

Tables of 10 should be $2000 ($200 p/h) Inc beer wine 3 course dinner etc but will confirm in due course

Should be a great night and we welcome your support of the Slade Bloodstock sponsored Daniel Geale on the night. Also a great opportunity to network.

Email or phone me to book your place. (All details to be confirmed closer to the date).

Let's go back to something I said earlier though: Picking the "right" event is a case of intimately understanding your clients.

What made this email noteworthy was the question of "understanding an audience". I appreciate it was a good chance to flag the sponsorship point with their database but if anything it was interesting as:

1. We're not Slade clients
2. I live about 8,000kms from Sydney; and
3. I am about as likely to attend a title fight as I would be to cross a 10-lane freeway during a Formula One time trial!

There's no doubting that it was a very kind offer - but it was perhaps not that beneficial. It also demonstrates little understanding of the people on a mailing list. Detailed data analysis and the introduction of a client relationship management programme will ensure these types of emails are sent to the right contacts - and maximise their effectiveness.