A car is a very bespoke type of product that attracts enthusiasts from all over the world. Due to the popularity and press coverage of any new vehicle, having a launch is essential. If the launch goes well, then you are much more likely to get more sales, so it’s important that it’s well planned and impressive. We’ve put together a few key ideas that it’s important not to forget if you are the one doing all of the organising!
Venue
When launching any type of product, the
venue is always going to be important. With a car, it’s no different. The key
thing that you are looking for when searching for perfect car launch venues for
hire in London is how it makes your product look. While you will, of course,
need a venue with drive-in access to make the whole organisation smoother, the
focus should be on the product at all times. You want a venue that enhances how
the car looks. It is easy to be swept up in something that is truly unique, but
if the venue doesn’t fit with the style of the car and its features, then your
venue will be in danger of outshining the product that you’re there to launch.
Have a Plan
Consider how you want the layout, and who the
event is catering for. If it is for industry experts and press, what you do
might be different than if it is solely to showcase your car to the general
public. Do you want the car to be on a stage? Or in a showroom? Will there be a
party held in the same building afterwards, or is this solely to get the right
press photographs? Knowing what your objectives are from the beginning will not
only help you to choose the perfect venue, it will keep you staying organised
throughout the planning stages.
Have a Theme
All of the most memorable launches have a
theme. Think about what the unique selling point of the car is and see if you
can develop a theme from that, no matter how far you have to stretch. Even if
it feels linked to the product, it
will be good enough for your audience. It also means that organising the rest
of the event, such as extra branding, should be a breeze. Make sure any
entertainment that you hire isn’t out of place with this and coordinate all colours
and music in relation to theme as well.
Have Goody Bags That Are Worth It
When it comes to a car launch, the audience
is going to expect big things, so now is not the time to try and save on budget
through your goody bags. Many people will arrive just for the swag they might get,
so you need to make sure that it impresses. As always, stay on theme with the
gifts, and incorporate branding when you can. For this type of launch, it’s all
about quality, so now is the time to thing outside of the box. Items related to
the automotive industry are expected, but make sure and have something else as
well. The people attending might all like cars, but not all of them are guaranteed
to be the main driver.
Catering
If your launch is designed for those with
knowledge of the industry, and is more on the exclusive side, then food and
drink will be expected. Make sure that you have organised plenty of canapes to
go around and perhaps a buffet for the evening. No one wants to be left hungry,
as this will just encourage all of your guests to leave the party early. There
should also be a bar available as well as champagne circulating. This will help
everyone to have a good time and just enjoy the evening. Your audience is much
more likely to stay and talk if all of this has been provided for.
Entertainment
It’s a good idea to have some form of entertainment
at your car launch, particularly if you are hosting a party afterwards. Keep to
the theme you’ve chosen and hire someone who is going to keep your audience
interested. A comedian is always a good idea, as it will help everyone to relax.
When people are relaxed and laughing, they are much more likely to recall your
launch in a positive light and might even place an order there and then!
Promote Wisely
Your marketing campaign needs to be planned
strategically well before the actual event takes place. It should be a slow
build up across all channels, so that everyone is aware of the launch, how big
it is, and gets excited about it. A good campaign will mean that you get a
large about of press gathered and willing to write about your new car. Ensure
that you have press kits made up for them with all of the relevant information
that they might need in it, and email it out afterwards, along with some choice
photos.
Post Event
Marketing needs to continue after the
launch, with careful attention paid to the number of pre-orders made. Staff
should be available to answer any questions that the press or potential
customers may have about the car. Social media coverage needs to be high,
particularly on the day after the launch takes place in order to keep all of
the excitement going as long as possible!
There’s no denying that a car launch is a
big event, which means that there is some big planning involved. Once you have
the perfect venue hired out however, the rest should be a breeze. On the day,
it’s important that you try to enjoy yourself as much as possible, as your
audience will react to the mood that you’re in. Time to relax!
The best place to start with a car launch is to have a think about why you’re organising the event, and how best you can achieve your outcomes. Most press members will expect a car launch event to be a lavish occasion, so it’s a good idea to have an open bar and plenty of canapes to go round. If it’s a smaller budget, consider limiting the guest list so you can still put on a good spread.
Car launches are a great way to introduce new automotive products to the market, and London is the perfect host city. Most of the large news and media publications in the UK are based in the city, so you’ll have a good chance of important players coming to your event and sharing the news with their readers and followers. When you launch any new product you want to make a splash with your potential buyers, so encourage your guests to take lots of photos and share them via social media.
When looking for your car launch venue, make sure you search for a space that has drive-in access at ground level so you can get your car into the event! Other important amenities to look out for are fast and open Wi-Fi and good transport links, both of which will encourage guests to come and make sure they can share their evening on social media while they’re at the event.