Conferences and events entered a new era when the pandemic propelled many of us out of the conventional in-person formats we’ve been used to for decades. Now, as more events make a much welcome return, sales and marketing teams have begun the trickier task of presenting their brand in multiple formats as many events adopt a hybrid model of delivery and attendance.
We believe hybrid conferences should be embraced and seen as a real opportunity to reach new prospects. As virtual technology continues to develop, hybrid events provide the best of both in-person and digital formats, they can be kinder to the environment, and potentially now more accessible to those segments of your audience who have previously been put off by travel or cost.
Furthermore, regardless of the format of the conference, your goals are unlikely to have changed – boosting visibility, learning about industry trends, and networking to generate leads are still the main aims – it’s just that your approach needs to be flexible.
Here are some ideas about how you can make the most efficient use of your marketing resources in this new future for events and conferences.
Plan your stand with multiple events in mind
Modular stand designs allow you to re-shape your displays for a variety of spaces and areas. They can also help you to cut down on the costs of transporting bulky items. Panels can be efficiently reprinted (we’ve plenty of experience supporting clients with this), or better still, cleverly made with content and messaging that is applicable to multiple events.
Provide giveaways that last
Share promotional gifts that have a genuine, long-term use. Not only are they kinder to the environment, but choose items such as reusable water bottles that will more likely be used every day, and you know your message or brand will stay present for longer. Remember, promotional gifts are not just giveaways for your stand at face-to-face events, they can also prove a fantastic way to help you follow up with those you met digitally.
Look for new sponsorship opportunities to help identify prospects
Hybrid events can prove more challenging when it comes to reaching key decision-makers or influencers you need to speak with. One way around this is to look for sponsorship packages that will help you to identify and engage with your target audience through access to delegate data.
Let landing pages do some legwork
Whether accessed via a virtual conference platform, or a QR code/short URL on your stand, create and use website landing pages that present a proposition aligned to the event’s content and based on the needs of your audience. Use the page to sign-post other relevant pages on your website as well as make it easy for visitors to trial your products/service. The design of the page should also reflect the branding and design of your stand to provide a virtual ‘shop window’ and help to build familiarity with your brand.
Give it time for leads to get in touch
To provide additional value to attendees and sponsors, the live streams of conference sessions are usually recorded and made available by organisers on an on-demand basis. Busy professionals will watch back at a time that suits them, so don’t just ditch your collateral or event-specific offers immediately after the event has concluded – be conscious that people may still be interested and reach out for many months afterward.
