5 Steps Maximize Events Success

5 Steps Maximize Events Success 5 Steps Maximize Events Success 5 Steps to Maximize Your Events SuccessAs a start-up or small business with limited resources, you need to get the most value from every marketing dollar that you spend. Even in the era of digital communications, webinars, and virtual tradeshows, there are many reasons why you totenstill need to meet with people face-to-face. Live tradeshows and conferences are often a cost-effective mechanism to accomplish these personal interactions. Butit is expensive to purchase exhibit space, ship an exhibit booth, and haul supporting products, much less get yourself and a colleague there and back as well.Still, if youve decided to bite the bullet and create a marketing presence at a live event, there are some simple and inexpensive ways to increase your visibility and maximize your exposure and success at the event.1. Read the Fine PrintWhen you commit to exhibiting at an event, be sure to read the contract and understand what free marketing opportunities are available to exhibitors. For most events, youll need to submit a company description for their print and/or online exhibitor guide. This is how people will find you and many times this most basic communication is overlooked. If you cant be bothered with the event details, hire an independent contractor to take care of it for you. They can save you hundreds of dollars in late shipping fees and suggest ways to minimize costs and maximize your exposure.2. Plan in AdvanceIf there is an educational program combined with the exhibition, see what opportunities exist for exhibitors to contributesome shows offer forums for exhibitors to demonstrate their new products to a live audience, or present a seminar, Lunch and Learn, or some other educational sessionand typically, the opportunity is free. Youve committed to exhibit at the meeting, so why not take advantage of the opportunity to get in front of mora people? But, in most cases, you need to sign up for these activities months in advance, so you need to stay in touch with the exhibitor guidelines and deadlines.3. Look for SponsorshipsOften exhibitors have the opportunity to sponsor coffee breaks, lunches, or some other event. See what opportunities exist and the cost. Some are relatively inexpensive opportunities to get your name out in front of more people and an opportunity to meet more people.4. Leverage the Trade Media and BloggersMost live events are attended by the trade media. Youll want to get your company name and products and services in front of the media in hopes they will write about you in their coverage of the event. Check to see if there is a media center in the exposition hallthis is where you can present a media kit of your products and services. Avoid printingput your information on a CD or thumb drive and leave it in the press room. Editors and writers are more apt to hold onto a compact CD or device rather than lugging papers and folders home with them. Many event o rganizations will make available an e-mail list of the trade press registered for the event. In that case, obtain the list and send an e-mail of introduction to the media and invite them to your booth for a demo of your products or discussion of your services. Also, do some research before the event and see if any bloggers are writing about the event. You can also engage them in discussion via social media vehicles and alert them that you will also be attending and would like the opportunity to meet them in person.5. Tell Your Customers and ProspectsFinally, be sure to send an e-mail announcement to your customers and prospects that you are attending the event and invite them for a demonstration. Even if they are not attending, its another opportunity to tell them about your product and service and request information. Create a landing page for the event on your website to serve as a virtual tradeshow booth for those people not attending. For a few extra dollars, you can also typica lly rent an e-mail list of preregistrants to the meeting and send them a similar e-mail announcement.Youve made the financial commitment to exhibit, now you need to be sure people know you will be there and maximize opportunities for meeting visitors in your booth.Tom Ricci is the owner of Ricci Communications.