Are you a conference newbie? We’re here to help you nail the event season with these tips for conference attendees.
These days, there are many amazing events to choose from. Right now, Social Media Marketing World’s conference is the biggie. And, of course, by now you know that B Squared Media is holding its annual Hello Conference in picturesque Hunterdon County, New Jersey on April 30!
Attending conferences helps you and your brand remain relevant, but these events can be overwhelming for first-timers. You don’t want to miss out on the best talks and numerous connections to be made, but you also want to fully enjoy the experience without any added stress.
Elevate your experience with our top tips for conference attendees!
Tip 1: Join the Facebook Group
While not everyone is on Facebook these days, it does prove useful for things besides scoping out old high school rivals and loves. Find the Facebook group set up by the conference and join it. You will get updates on everything going on with the conference along with positive chatter on posts.
You can begin making your connections before you even arrive. Whether it’s a lively discussion about a speaker you’re excited to see or planning meet-ups, or trying to decide where to stay, this is the place to do it!
And Facebook groups aren’t just useful for conference prep. Once you’re at the event, you’ll be able to learn about spontaneous get-togethers, ask questions, and more.
After the event, you can return to the group to discuss what you learned, as well as how you’re implementing your new knowledge.
There’s so much to gain from event Facebook groups, which is why joining is one of our top tips for conference attendees!
Tip 2: Tell The World You Are Attending
Leading up to a conference, it’s always a good idea to tell the world you are going to be there. There are often special badges for both speakers and conference attendees to use on social leading up to the event. One of our clients released badges across their social media platforms months before their actual event. Members were able to screenshot them and use them on their own social media posts to announce if they were attending or speaking at the conference.
You may have noticed some of the Hello Conference badges popping up across social, as seen below (hint discount code if you are looking to attend in 2020).
When you talk about going to an event, you increase the chances of making connections before you arrive. Once you get there, you’ll have a group of people to attend sessions with you and friends to grab lunch with. And let’s be real, networking is what conferences are all about!
Tip 3: Hashtag it Out
And there you have the perfect transition into why hashtags are so important at conferences! Just as mentioned above, you want to follow and use the hashtag for the conference. When you follow it, you’ll see some great information put out ahead of time by speakers and the conference staff. During the event, you will be able to follow along for additional info, goings-on and more.
Most of all, don’t forget to use the hashtag for your own content! Utilizing the conference hashtag is one of our top tips for conference attendees because it will divert attention to and generate interest in your brand.
You may even catch the attention of the social media coordinators who are patrolling for UGC (user-generated content). HINT – that’s us!
Tip 4: Make New Conference Connections
The team at Social Media Marketing World recently suggested conference attendees create ready-to-use templates in their phone’s notes. These can be copied and pasted into LinkedIn requests to connect or in emails to those you’ve exchanged business cards with.
[Image: Social Media Examiner]
It’s also a good idea to have answers prepped for common questions such as, “Tell me about your brand,” or “What issue is your company currently faced with?”
Keep your new connections top-of-mind by tagging them in posts before and during the conference. If you are sharing something on Twitter related to the event, include those who you’ve met along the way.
Finally, do you have a blog or a podcast? Reach out to the speakers that interest you the most or would be a good fit for your platform. Try to get in touch with them before the event and set up an interview time during the conference.
This will not only provide you with great content but also strengthen your conference connections!
We were able to create a number of pieces of content leading up to our conference last year, like this awesome interview with last year’s keynote speaker, Mark Schaefer.
Wrapping Up
You’ll make great connections during your time at a conference, but the experience doesn’t need to end there. Follow up with those whose business cards you’ve collected through email, LinkedIn or good ole Twitter and Instagram. The importance of reaching out when your interaction is fresh cannot be stressed enough.
We hope you found these tips for conference attendees useful and wish you a productive, connection-filled event season!
What conferences are you attending in 2020? Will we get to say ‘Hello’ to you at the #HELLOConference?
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