04.28.2022 Tribal Impact
Events are back, there’s an appetite to be out meeting people again and it feels good. We’ve compiled this handy guide to help you get the most from your social media presence, before, during, and after, whether it's an online event or in-person.
Source: https://martech.org/most-marketers-expect-to-attend-in-person-conferences-by-early-2022/
Set Some Goals
Events can be expensive and setting some goals will help you get the most value for your money and value for the time you are taking out of your week to attend.
At Tribal Impact, we’ve developed our own goals for attending as below:
- Connect with at least 20 new people on LinkedIn (these can be speakers on the agenda or people you met over coffee/dinner for example)
- Aim to set up at least 5 post-event virtual meetings with people you meet at the event. This can be just to learn more about what their company offers or to share your learnings from the event.
- Write and share a post on LinkedIn whilst you're at the event – take a photo!
- Share your learnings internally, this could be during your next team meeting, a quick video recording, or a summary email to your colleagues.
- Share your learnings externally - either write a blog, LinkedIn post, or a video.
Pre-Event Checklist
Before you go, a few simple steps will help you build connections long after you’re back.
- Seek out the event hashtag and be ready to use it live on the day.
- Search out the speakers on LinkedIn and connect in advance with a message saying you're looking forward to hearing their session.
- Ask the event organisers if there's a list of people attending that's available (some will provide that - others won't).
- 3 or 4 weeks prior to the event, post on social media (LinkedIn and Twitter) that you're going to the event and ask if anyone in your network is planning to attend too - meet for a coffee! Check who is engaging with the content and connect with them.
- Build out your agenda for the event in advance - go with a plan and be prepared - prioritise the sessions in 3 ways: Sessions you can't miss, sessions you could miss, and sessions that you're planning to miss. Be ruthless and make time for networking.
- On Twitter? Build a Twitter list of the speakers - it'll be easier for you to monitor pre, during, and post-event.
During-Event Checklist
A little goes a long way, choosing two or three of the below steps can help you build relevant new connections.
Social Media Tips
- Use Twitter to live report from the event. Share a photo or selfie from the event location and share it on Twitter at the start of the day. Explain that you're at the event and that your account will be active as you report what you're learning (this is also a good way to keep a record of your learning for your post-event activity!).
- Remember to add the event hashtag to all your social media posts but also another non-event-related hashtag so that you're reaching wider audiences with your content.
- Record a short video at the end of the event explaining the top three things you took from the day. Notify people there will be a more detailed blog afterward.
Note Taking Tips
- Take photos of the slides - it's a good way to keep a record of what you're learning and saves time scribbling notes during the sessions.
- Use notes on your phone to highlight the key points - think of them as prompters to remind you - don't try to capture what people say word-for-word.
- If a session is really good, then film it!
Networking Tips
- Know who you want to meet at the event and why - have a goal in mind.
- Use these conversation starters at lunch, coffee, and when talking to exhibition staff members:
- What do you do for work?
- What brought you to this event?
- What do you think about the event so far?
- Are you familiar with any of the speakers?
Be the first to start the conversation! Once you know their role and triggers, use an Elevator Pitch to create relevant connections.
Listen and Leave The Conversation Gracefully
- Listen - listen - listen. What words are they using? What issues are they raising? The next thing you say to them should relate to what they just said to you - paraphrase the other person’s statement and show you were listening.
- Ask people about themselves.
- Exit the conversation gracefully - this is the hardest part but it's important if you're to make the most of your time at the event. Don't force this but if there's a natural lull in the conversation or presentations are about to start, use that as the cue to exit.
- Here are some ideas for naturally closing the conversation:
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- Ask for the connection request on LinkedIn and thank them for chatting with you.
- Say it would be good to know how a project goes and would they let you know.
- Ask if they have seen anyone from [company name] - that you've been meaning to, can they introduce you.
Post-Event
A little goes a long way, choosing two or three of the below steps can help you build relevant new connections.
- Share your learnings internally either through email, video, or on Teams - what were the key takeaways that you think could be useful for others?
- Share with your line manager what three things you're going to do differently after the event - how can you turn this into action?
- Share your learnings externally either through a video summary, a blog, or an audio file. Think about what you have learned whether you would you return to the event and what you'd like your audience to take away as a result.
- Follow up with another message to every connection you made on LinkedIn after the event. Playback something that you remember from that conversation to show you were engaged - if relevant, ask them for another call to catch up!
Final Thoughts
Attending events is an excellent way to complement your social media reputation. Getting the two to work together, by following up with people you meet provides future opportunities for building new relationships.
We’d love to hear your experiences in the comments below.
