Your Event Dream Team

Vanessa Porter

I’ve been packing my bags for weeks for the biggest tech event of the year: Dreamforce! Dreamforce – the myth, the legend; I can barely contain my excitement to see all my marketing friends bring their A game to the exhibit floor.

The notoriously loud and large event means marketers need to do even more stand out and be heard. With so many options, what’s a marketer to do in order to create the results of their dreams?

The Dream Team! A combination of staff, booth tricks, and awareness

Every successful event hinges on what booth staff do and say; what actually happens at your booth; and how much thoughtful planning and awareness went into your event decisions. When planning out your event Dream Team, keep these three elements in mind:

Be Thoughtful

Treat each event as a new experience. Many people might be meeting your brand for the first time, which means you need to be thoughtful in your approach. Research the event beforehand and begin to reach out to people before they arrive. Connect with your customers and let them help you connect with attendees.

Plan for success well in advance. Good events don’t just happen, they take hard work. Explore if any partners are attending and if there are any joint opportunities available to work together.

Be Creative

As you thoughtfully plan out your booth, figure out which staff to send, and assess marketing opportunities with partners – don’t forget to have fun! Be creative with your booth theme and giveaways. Keep your core message consistent, but find an interesting way to grab attendees’ attention.

Try something different at your booth: maybe it’s a photo booth or a quiz, but whatever it is you’re delivering something of value to your audience.

Connect as Humans

Finally, make sure you connect as humans. Many staff focus too heavily on whether or not they’re speaking to the “right person” at an event. Sales and marketing representatives rush to scan name badges, rather than entering every conversation as an opportunity to create advocacy, promote brand awareness, and educate regardless of the person’s title or organization.

People change jobs, make referrals or get promoted – today’s “Senior Specialist” is tomorrow’s “Director.” Be present and attentive. Treating every booth visitor as a genuine prospect means you will start to foster professional relationships regardless of their current career stage.

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