With the close of a crazy 2020 in sight, budget season is here and more uncertain than ever. Conferences and events have taken an inordinate hit this year as business travel came to a grinding halt. With the status of 2021 conferences in limbo, marketers have an opportunity to revisit other ways to allocate some of those funds.
Here are three ways your PR team can help supplement a lighter conference budget and support the lead gen pipeline in 2021.
Content rules – Tech buyers who may normally keep a pulse on trends by attending industry events are homebound and looking for ways to keep on top of new developments. Extend your PR and content programs to include more white papers, case studies, blogs and podcasts to communicate how your industry, your clients and your platform are responding and performing amid these unprecedented times.
Research shows – Reporters are always interested in research reports, but now that we are in unknown territory, they are looking for the real impacts of the pandemic. Look for ways to leverage your anonymized platform data to illustrate trends and tell a marketplace story. The PR team should have some insight on how to utilize this data and tell a story about changes in use cases or a rise in certain features and functionality since the pandemic or other news event.
Social shares – Without the steady foot traffic from exhibit halls and conference meetings, companies must lean into social media and ensure they are active on the appropriate channels and regularly sharing content and company news. This is also a time to offer short commentary on relevant industry news. Your PR team is already monitoring the news stream and commentary in your industry. Empower them to help you be a voice in your industry.