Conferences can be a great forum for creating buzz for your company, while you meet with reporters, potential partners and prospect customers. However, at events, big and small, it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle if you don’t prepare in advance. To make the most of an upcoming trade show, follow these guidelines to stand out in the crowd.
1) Announce a new product, service or partnership
We don’t advise creating news just to distribute a press release at an event, but if a corporate announcement falls close to the date of a conference it is often worth the wait to release the news during that time. In addition to your regular PR wire and media list distribution, share your news in the pressroom and at your trade booth. If the event has an online forum for posting news, make sure you take advantage of that as well.
2) Connect with reporters on-site
Take a look at the press list and decide which reporters you would like to contact. Send an email requesting a short introductory briefing with advance news, if appropriate, to pique the reporter’s interest. If your company news falls in line with the reporter’s beat, they will often make time to meet with you.
3) Use social media before, during and after the conference
Use Twitter and LinkedIn to connect with potential partners so you can schedule on-site meetings. During the show, make your presence known by sharing insights at the event related to the panels and keynote sessions. Use the related conference hashtag to ensure visibility. And, don’t forget to follow up with new connections post-event.
4) Utilize YouTube, Flickr and SlideShare
If you are speaking at an event, utilize YouTube for posting videos and Flickr for sharing photos of your presentation. SlideShare is also an excellent tool for making your slides available to attendees after the event.
5) Post a blog recap
If your company has a corporate blog, post your thoughts following the show – highlight an interesting panel or keynote – to increase your thought leadership presence. Send the post to your new contacts.