The first thing you should do is research the conference attendees. A good way to do this is to look at the website and conference program to find out who will be in attendance. At this point, you don’t need to know how many attendees you will have.
Attend the right events.
The key to conference marketing is to attend the right events. The right events are those that are targeted to your ideal customer and that are the most visible to them. For example, if you sell branded software for dentists, choose a conference that caters to dentists (like DentalIA for example) or one that offers webinars on dentistry. If you sell home security products, choose an event for home security or home automation experts.
Check out this site for more information.Be prepared.
Conferences are a great way to gain exposure and make personal connections. When you attend as a speaker, be sure to schedule meetings with attendees who express interest in your topic and answer any questions they have. You can also use social media to promote your conference and get the word out about your expertise. If you decide to host a booth at your conference, provide attendees with information about your business, such as your website and phone number.
Develop your elevator pitch.
If you are new to speaking in front of groups, one of the hardest things to do is to prepare a compelling sales pitch. This is especially true if you’re speaking at a conference because you don’t know the attendees. However, you can use this experience to build up your elevator pitch. If you deliver an amazing presentation, you’ll want to have an effective way to generate leads after the conference is over.
Make connections.
Are you hosting a conference for your organization? It’s an excellent opportunity to make connections with your target audience. When you invite attendees to your conference, give them an incentive to engage with you. Consider sending out follow-up emails to everyone who registered, offering early bird discounts, or just add their info to a contact list if they don’t respond to the initial email.
Ask for recommendations.
A great way to generate leads at a conference is by giving out helpful handouts. Let attendees know you have something valuable to share. For example, if you are speaking about a specific software product, give away a free trial download. You can also provide written content that covers a variety of related topics. For instance, if you are speaking about how to increase employee engagement, share your top strategies.
Be proactive.
Conferences are a great place to meet potential new clients and make sales. But to make the most out of your conference experience, take the time to prepare before you go. Before you attend, you should already have a list of attendees and a plan for how you plan to reach out to them. You might even want to create a LinkedIn group for your business so you can send targeted messages to attendees after the conference is over.
Follow up.
If you want to get high-quality leads at an event, it’s important to have a plan for gathering information. First, you can use questions to talk to attendees about their businesses. Don’t ask them what they do—ask them how they solve problems. People who are looking to grow their businesses are more likely to want to talk to someone who has experienced the same struggles they’ve had. You can also invite attendees to fill out a form with their contact information. If you’re planning to hold a giveaway at the end of the conference, you can ask people to enter so you can get a list of potential customers.
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that the goal of a conference is to create connections, not simply make sales. While it may sound like a bit of a contradiction, generating leads without making sales is actually the goal. The key is to make those connections so you can continue to build a relationship with them, improving your chances of converting them down the road.
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