• by Katie Petrillo , January 17, 2014

Everything we do to plan, celebrate, and commemorate important occasions is making the transition to the digital world. Today, the modern event planner uses new web and mobile technologies to make their lives easier. Invitations have transitioned online. DIY is on the rise because of sites like Pinterest. Social media and blogging have made it easy to visually document and share party ideas. Party hosts — the majority of whom are women — turn to the web to find everything from recipes and decorations to favors and supplies, which we summarized in a recent infographic. 

This trend opens a wide door for consumer brands that seek new and creative ways to reach women in the year ahead. From food and beverages to gifts and flowers, almost no brand is immune from the impact that entertaining has on the bottom line. Brands can reap lucrative benefits from the $38 billion celebrations industry with targeted marketing efforts that reach and provide value to party hosts. Here are four tips for brands that want to help women entertain: 

1. Create great online content: The first place that party hosts look when they start to plan an event is online. Whether they need to choose a theme, send invitations, or search for ideas, party hosts will find everything they need online. Create unique, relevant content on your site that is SEO-friendly so hosts can easily find it. Focus on original ideas they won’t find elsewhere, such as suggestions for how to display particular dishes or advice on packaging home-cooked party favors.

2. Invest in strong visuals: Whether it’s a video that shows how to create a DIY decoration or a photograph that showcases a truly decadent cake recipe, brands should invest the time and money into visuals that support their content. Consider the huge popularity of Pinterest, Instagram and Vine; consumers (especially women) are highly visual and can be influenced at the right time by the right image. 

3. Offer useful advice: Party hosts have a lot on their plate and even the best host can become overwhelmed. Brands that can be a resource for party hosts — through the sharing of tips and advice — will help make hosts’ lives a little less stressful before the party. Tell them what to buy for certain occasions and how much they need based on the number of guests they expect. Show them how to serve and present your products creatively. 

4. Plan ahead: Timing is important in the world of entertaining. Most celebrations are planned four to six weeks in advance of the event. However, hosts will research ideas and recipes several months earlier. We see Christmas party ideas posted to social media sites as early as the summer. That’s why it’s important for brands to have a planning calendar with enough lead time so hosts find your content before it’s too late. 

Brands that seek to reach more women can make a big impact through celebrations. Provide hosts with helpful tips, unique recipes and creative DIY ideas. Provide this information in a timely manner. Choose the occasions that make sense for your brand — from everyday occasions like birthdays to larger holidays and milestone events.