If there is one thing the digital marketing world is not short of its digital marketing events.
In the U.S. alone, there are nearly 150 major marketing conferences – about three a week. It’s incredible that anyone has the time to actually apply what they’ve learnt at these conferences in their day jobs!
Whilst the lure of getting out the office might be its own reward, let’s be honest: there is always a danger that most marketing events are a nice to have, rather than a need to have.
Here are some helpful tips to make sure you get the most out of your next marketing conference:
BEFORE THE EVENT
1) The justification exercise
Before committing to attending a particular event ask yourself why you are doing it.
The last thing you want is to be trapped at an event that will deliver no value to you.
What are you trying to achieve?
These goals should at least be thought about so when going through the rest of the steps you have something to guide your decision-making.
Are you going there to build your network? Find your next role? Learn?
Nothing needs to be set in stone – indeed, as the popular aphorism goes: “the best laid [conference] plans often go awry” – but having some goals around knowledge you want to pick up, or tools you want to learn about is key.
2) Plan your day
Take a look at the conference schedule ahead of time.
*Someone* didn’t bother to plan ahead.
Check out the speakers and the session definitions. Create a little outline for yourself of all of the sessions you’d like to hit.
In the heat of the moment in the middle of the hustle and bustle it can be painfully easy to lose track of what you had wanted to see.
Having a session agenda for yourself can keep you on track. Some of the bigger conferences even have dedicated mobile apps which you can download which allow you to plan your agenda.
3) Create a shortlist of attendees you want to meet
Most of the value in conferences are the people you meet.
But this is only true if you make an effort. If you’re going alone and don’t know anyone try using social media sites to do some pre-event networking.
Twitter hashtags are a fantastic resource to find people who would be interesting to meet whilst at the event.
If you’re not alone don’t let yourself spend the entire trip in the vacuum of your existing social circles. Sure, it’s great to see your industry friends but don’t be afraid of people you don’t know!
Make an effort to meet new people; pull together a shortlist of people you really want to make an effort to meet ahead of time.
DURING THE EVENT
4) Use content to make a splash
Make your content marketing work for you.
In the run up and on the day of an event make sure you are publishing and promoting content relevant to the discussions, sessions and conversations you expect to cause a buzz during the event.
All that great *relevant* content you’ve created? Get it out there!
That shortlist of people you want to meet on the day? Send them a piece of relevant content in advance to warm them up for the eventual face-to-face. It will give you both something to talk about beyond perfunctory wittering.
Whilst at the conference, consider live-blogging and promoting it via the event hashtag: this will provide the duel function of raising your profile to attendees whilst at the same time helping you document key information for later. The added bonus is that a live-blog can be used as post-event outreach for prospects and leads who were unable to make it.
5) Meet, greet, WIN
Depending on what you’re like this can either be the hardest or easiest part!
Hopefully, if you’ve been active on social media and contributed some content of note to the pre-event buzz then it will serve as an icebreaker with the people you’d identified to talk to.
Use your content to raise your profile before you attend.
Get those business cards: if you don’t have a great memory – write down notes or points of interest on the back. Make sure you have enough of your own!
AFTER THE EVENT
6) Follow up ASAP
The day after the event should be spent following up with anyone you met at the event.
Email them to let them know you enjoyed meeting them and perhaps reference something you talked about. (Those notes on the back of their cards are helpful for this.)
Not everyone will have been a lead but adding them to your LinkedIn network will at least mean another pair of eyes on your content when you post there.
Remember: a successful digital marketing event hinges entirely on you.
An event is only as good as your experience and much of your experience is in your own hands so take responsibility for it. Enjoy yourself!
