A month into 2018 and you we are busy planning which events to attend in the year ahead.
Make sure you’re being strategic about which ones are on your “must attend” list and have a plan for how to make the most out of being there.
Just scraping the surface of the events uncovers a plethora of potential marketing and networking opportunities and it’s easy to get carried away and book your calendar up with registrations.
But before you do, take a step back and have a think about which ones will best serve your purpose.
Who are you ideally aiming to sell your product or service to? Think about what sort of events they will be at. Ask event organisers for attendee demographics before committing. If mining is your game, then the WA Mining Club specialises in bringing mining professionals from all disciplines to the room for the purpose of networking and discussing industry trends and topical information.
Registering for individuals to attend an event that you are certain is the right fit for your business is investment. Carefully consider which team members are likely to get the most out of attending the event and come away with potential leads.
It’s easy to attend an event but not get noticed. In contrast, if you’re able to secure a sponsorship spot it’s a lot harder for the captive audience sitting in the room to ignore what you or your brand. You are guaranteed to get more interest and engaging conversation.
Let’s say you do secure a sponsorship opportunity. Make sure you plan your presentation in a way that engages the audience. You need to carefully plan an engaging way to tell your story – it should all help build your brand – from the information you provide to the giveaways.
Before you get to the event make sure you know who you want to speak to and why. So much business is done on the sidelines of events so make sure you’re rubbing shoulders with the right people. Find out who knows your target and ask them to set up an introduction. Also, don’t forget to research your target before you attend the event.
After an event you should come away with business cards which are potential leads. Don’t let the connection die by forgetting to follow up. Send a quick personal email indicating the pleasure of having met the person at the event and suggest a time for a coffee date in the future to talk further about opportunities.
Don’t miss an event for 2018 – here’s the calendar of events for you to plan your schedule:
FEBRUARY LUNCHEON – MARKET OUTLOOK
AUGUST – SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS LUNCHEON
