Almost every quarter is conference season for some industry, with events big (think hundreds of thousands) and small (think 100) all vying to connect like-minded professionals and showcase the latest and greatest for the field.
Most marketing or PR professionals have received promotional emails about conferences to sponsor at, each positioned as the “must-attend” event of the year. Or, your company executives are being invited to speak and you’re tasked at evaluating the opportunity.
When budgets are tight and opportunities are abound, how can communications professionals make smart use of their budget at industry conferences?
In this #ContentChat, we discuss how to determine if an event is worth your team’s resources, including ways you can maximize the ROI of your industry conference presence.
Q1: Is exhibiting at or sponsoring conferences and trade shows part of your current marketing budget?
Most of our poll respondents (58%) include conference and trade show activities in their current marketing budgets, and the next biggest group (25%) has never budgeted for these activities.
Q1: Is exhibiting at or sponsoring conferences and trade shows part of your current marketing budget? #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
A1: Most of my #B2B clients exhibit at trade shows and sponsor conferences. Several also produce conferences for their own customer/member base. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
A1: Not yet, but hopefully in the future! #ContentChat
— Cob Creative (@cob_creative) August 12, 2019
A1: We do a lot of conference and trade show appearances (our instructors present regularly) but I personally have not gotten to be attendance at any yet. #ContentChat
— Derek Hauk Is Making Things Again (@ThisDerekHauk) August 12, 2019
A1: For my area and as part of our goals, we attend at least one conference a year but my area doesn’t sponsor any conferences etc. Our larger brand department but not involved with that area. #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) August 12, 2019
Reasons for participating vary (we’ll dive deeper later), but conferences can be great for media relations regardless of if you’re a sponsor, exhibitor or attendee.
A1: I work with clients on trade shows – they’re great for #PR because you can meet reporters in person at some of them. #contentchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) August 12, 2019
Such a great place to do that. If they are already on-site, so much more likely to stop in and chat for a few minutes than take a cold meeting pitch. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
Q2: When sponsoring an event, what are your KPIs for measuring the success of your efforts? How does that differ from those you track as an exhibitor?
Sponsorship and exhibiting carry very different price tags and potential opportunities. At a high level, your booth success can be measured by total conversations, demos, sentiment of attendees, online visits/engagements at the conference, and contact information secured. For sponsorship, you’ll need to justify a boost to your sales pipeline. This can include measuring how your sponsorship increased booth traffic and the number of unique engagement opps.
A2: For booths, I want to know how many conversations the team had, how many demos, and the sentiment from the folks they’ve engaged with. With sponsorships, I measure how the spend resulted in driving more booth traffic and providing unique engagement opps. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
This is a good point… also don’t count out online visits/engagements around your booth (depending on what you’re trying to achieve). Just because someone doesn’t stop to chat doesn’t mean they don’t look you up. What happened after they took that action? #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) August 12, 2019
A2: As an exhibitor, we’re trying to get contacts. A good simple measurement of success is mailing list growth, we do every event as a separate list on CC.
Sponsoring, since we have “skin in the game,” we’re paying a lot more attention to event profits#ContentChat
— Derek Hauk Is Making Things Again (@ThisDerekHauk) August 12, 2019
A2c: If exhibiting with a sponsorship, I’d add traffic data to that, both live eyeballs and traffic on any trade show web properties and landing pages. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
A2d: If I’ve got a speaking spot with the booth or the sponsorship, I want attendance #’s for the session, and score data from the session if it’s gathered. Qualitative comments are good, too. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
A2 MQL and SQLs and great if you can get them but look for ways to integrate the event engagement with content marketing efforts #contentchat
— Scott Lum (@ScottLum) August 12, 2019
A2e: If I’m just sponsoring, no booth or speaking gig, I’m looking at overall show attendance data, because I better be getting a contact list. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
Any KPIs should be grounded in your overarching business goals and be tied to each event’s unique set of opportunities. Understand the full time and resource investment before making any costly decisions.
I’ve generally done a creative brief for each event followed by a goal-setting meeting prior to pre-event promotion. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
A2: I think the KPIs used to evaluate success go back to why you’re sponsoring the event in the first place – are you trying to promote general brand awareness, get a speaker or two on the slate that wouldn’t otherwise have made the cut, trying to hype a new product? #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) August 12, 2019
A2 (second crack) Another take: Don’t take participating in a trade show as an exhibitor or sponsor lightly, think through the resource allocation involved (financial and physical) and make sure there’s a reasonable chance for you to achieve objs cost-effectively. #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) August 12, 2019
And, remember that a conference presence will not lead to next day or next week sales. Educate key decision makers on the unique value of a conference presence, emphasizing that any leads from conferences will then enter nurturing and conversion stages.
A2 Good to take a long view of audience building and engagement, then nurturing them over time to convert them to customers. #contentchat
— Scott Lum (@ScottLum) August 12, 2019
I agree. It’s frustrating when you have sales leaders complaining a week after an event that there haven’t been “any sales from the event.” Most of us don’t have an immediate sales cycle! #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
Q3: Trade show halls can become a mind-numbing wall of sameness with aisle after aisle of booths and sales pitches. How can you make your booth experience stand out?
Your on-site crew can make or break your presence. Bring folks that are naturally engaging, great listeners and communicators, and are free from distractions (i.e. phone, laptop).
It’s really all about the people – are they engaged with prospects? Are they listening to them and asking the right questions? You can have the coolest swag and a fully staffed booth, but nothing replaces a human that understands your pain points.
— Christine Parizo (@cparizo) August 12, 2019
A3: One thing I find that helps vendors stand out at trade shows/conferences is when they have engaging folks staffing the booth. Friendly, welcoming. Too many times the staff seems actively disengaged. 🙁 #contentchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) August 12, 2019
I agree! Have a no phones in hands policy for booth staff on the trade show floor. And include marketing staff, not just salespeople focused on specific target logos. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
The thing I don’t get is the ones who just seem not to get that they’re there to ENGAGE with attendees. Some of them are plain unfriendly, even when you try to engage – just indifferent. Weird. Others could not be friendlier.
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) August 12, 2019
Focus on attendee experience instead of transactions. Make your booth a refreshing destination for the attendees and think through the conference attendee journey to deliver an authentic and welcome experience.
A3: Make your booth an inviting place to take a breather. Focus on providing a space for conversation—not just exchanging a badge scan for a tchotchke. The swag hunters are rarely your best prospects. #ContentChat https://t.co/WaT0m0ayUf
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
A3a Orgs who pre-plan their convention presence are those that really stand out. You think about #CX at your company… what experience to you want booth visitors to have, start there and build on that to help you stand out from the crowd. #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) August 12, 2019
A3b When you have part of your booth that pulls people in and helps them overcome their natural reluctance to “sign up for something,” you’re off to a start. This is where brand identity can play a big role, if your brand stands out, your booth should reflect that. #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) August 12, 2019
Social and interactive aspects like parties, games, or book signings are valuable to consider.
Social events as part of your event strategy make so much sense. I always attend the parties at #Cmworld sponsored by my fave content tech providers. I love meeting peers and hearing what they are doing with them and how. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
A3: That goes to my comment about swag – I don’t do it. I try to provide experiences within the booth. Interesting people to speak with, book signings, etc. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
A3: We’ve been grappling with that recently, trying to find a way to change up our display. We do games a lot, instead of just doing sales pitches, try to be personable and fun and then we’ll get them sales content through the list.#ContentChat
— Derek Hauk Is Making Things Again (@ThisDerekHauk) August 12, 2019
Q4: Even with a fantastic booth experience planned, you have to get people to actually stop by the booth. How do you do that?
Reinforcing answers in Q3: Bring an engaging team and build your booth as an experience, not a transaction.
A4 Put people in the booth who are practiced in the art of, you know, conversation. #contentchat Offer training to those who aren’t. Don’t expect tchotchkes to do the job on their own. Just sayin’.
— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) August 12, 2019
A4 You really have to look at your convention booth experience as its own experience, from what you’re going to have people do there to how they’re going to find out about it. Be mindful of your brand, reinforce it, don’t diminish it in the process. #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) August 12, 2019
A4: I like the idea of having an event in the booth – a book signing, etc. Invite folks prior to the show via email. Include something in the registration materials at the show. #contentchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) August 12, 2019
Promotion during and pre-event is critical for gaining traffic. Craft a consistent communications strategy leading up to the event with email, social media, direct mail, and media relations as relevant. During the event, use social channels and any conference hashtags to get in front of conference goers.
A4 Use social media to introduce people to your booth staff, so visitors have folks to look forward to meeting (offline) and conversations already started that they can continue. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) August 12, 2019
A4: Pre-event promotion is crucial. Outreach to past attendees or those you expect. I like to do press, direct email, social media, and direct mail. (Yes, snail mail.) Drive them to specific landing pages for the event. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
A4b: During the event, promote whatever experience you’re offering in your booth. Also, be loud on social channels where your audience lives. Give them a reason to come to you. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
Swag was a topic of debate for the community. Not all swag is created equal, and some attendees are only interested in taking your free merchandise and have no intention of engaging with your brand. Consider offering quality foods and beverages like popcorn, chocolate, or coffee/tea, or useful goods like mints, USB drives, portable chargers, etc. Ensure what you’re offering is in line with your brand identity and target audience.
Well that’s where the swag comes in. Although if you have coffee, people will stop, too.
— Christine Parizo (@cparizo) August 12, 2019
People will often just come by for the swag, then leave. I know I’ve done that many times. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) August 12, 2019
I had a sales VP for a tech company who insisted that the company needed to hand out stuffed bears at a trade show “b/c everyone likes to take home stuffed animals to their kids.” And no, their persona wasn’t parents…and they didn’t have a bear mascot. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
A4. Low-hanging fruit (pun intended):
Feed them! Doesn’t have to be big, but it should be a good-quality chocolate or candy.
One booth at a trade show of a conference I attended annually (for many years) had a fresh popcorn machine. People stopped by in droves. #contentchat
— Judy Gombita (@jgombita) August 12, 2019
I wish folks did more of this. Instead, I often see crummy candy in brand colors. No thanks! #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
Mints are never a bad idea. I drink a ton of coffee, and I’m always looking for a way to kill the coffee taste/breath, and occasionally run out of mints. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
I wish everyone gave out memory sticks or little USB hubs you could plug into the one useful+accessible electrical outlet in the hotel room… #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
Cool or practical. I don’t need 20 more pens or tension balls (in neon colours), but I will take that lovely memory stick and those miniature earbuds in that little keychain-like case. #ContentChat
— Judy Gombita (@jgombita) August 12, 2019
Q5: Beyond awareness with the event audience, what are your goals when you sponsor an industry conference or event?
When sponsoring, folks typically aim to bolster their thought leadership, acquire attendee lists, secure a speaking slot, or align the sponsorship (and associated opportunities for exposure) with a product launch or company announcement. If the sponsorship simply gets your company logo included on event materials, you likely won’t see a great ROI.
A5: Leadership. You want your company to be seen as a solution-provider and thought leader, being an event sponsor puts your name higher in the pecking order.#ContentChat
— Derek Hauk Is Making Things Again (@ThisDerekHauk) August 12, 2019
A5: Sponsoring, for me, is a way to get the attendee list, or a speaking spot. Generally, the promotional value is pretty low without the perks. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
Agreed. If the sponsorship just amounts to having your logo slapped on signage and the website, you aren’t going to get much of a return on that investment. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
A5: Back to #PR – trade shows help build awareness. You can talk about the event before, during & after. If you have an exec speaking, even better. Or maybe you’re introducing a new product. It gets featured in show coverage. #contentchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) August 12, 2019
A5. Should be “aligned” in terms of mission* with majority of attendees. You want to be seen as a thought leader & innovator in the field. Alternatively, long-time TRUSTED biz for usual needs & applications. #contentchat
*Don’t have a vegan booth at cattle producers trade show.
— Judy Gombita (@jgombita) August 12, 2019
Q6: What are some of the biggest pitfalls you’ve seen when it comes to sponsoring or exhibiting at trade shows and conferences?
A major pitfall is not having a plan for the conference, or setting unrealistic or poor goals and KPIs.
A6: The biggest mistakes I’ve seen with trade show participation and sponsorship is going in with the wrong goals (like direct sales), bad KPIs (number of badge scans), or without any goals at all. You don’t build relationships that lead to sales without a plan! #ContentChat https://t.co/mr8bJz9kL2
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019
A6: Big pitfall is spending a ton of money on your event presence but don’t have a good strategy to convert #contentchat
— Scott Lum (@ScottLum) August 12, 2019
Your booth location and size are important, especially for large events.
A6: Booth placement and size matters, particularly at very large events. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
Ensure any spokespeople or paid influencers are briefed on conference goals.
A6 Having a “celebrity” to draw people to a conference side event or your booth who isn’t on the same page with what you’re trying to accomplish by their presence. #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) August 12, 2019
And, one final reminder, some people just want you for your swag.
A6: Beware the swag harvesters: At one large show, I watched an attendee go from booth to booth with a box on a hand truck collecting swag. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) August 12, 2019
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