"Why get involved with conferences?" Part Two

Yesterday's post introduced the idea of creating in-person shared experiences at conferences. 

This matters because shared experiences create memories. 

These memories will live with your current and future customers forever (and not with your competitors). 

One way to create a shared experience at a trade conference is to host an event.  

Your hosted event can be extensive: rent out a fancy location and bring in entertainment, food and drink. 

Or it can be as simple: throw down a credit card at the conference hotel and host an informal happy hour.  

What’s important is that you bring a group of people in your target market or vertical together for a low-pressure, enjoyable social experience.  (emphasis on low-pressure)

When two people in the industry connect at your event, YOU are the common denominator.  This further strengthens their connection to you and your brand. 

So my advice is to make the investment of time and energy to create an event that ensures memories are being made.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about doing a group activity with your current and future customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do shared experiences at conferences matter more than typical booth interactions?

Because shared experiences create memories, and those memories live with current and future customers long after the conference ends, something a standard booth interaction rarely achieves on its own.

Does hosting an event at a conference need to be elaborate to be effective?

No, it can range from an extensive event with a fancy location, entertainment, food, and drink, to something as simple as an informal happy hour charged to a credit card at the conference hotel.

What matters most when hosting an event at a trade conference?

Bringing together a group of people within the target market or vertical for a genuinely low-pressure, enjoyable social experience, with the emphasis specifically on removing pressure from the interaction.

Why does being "the common denominator" when two industry people connect at your event matter so much?

Because that shared connection strengthens their relationship to the host brand specifically, the business becomes woven into a positive memory that reinforces its association with genuine connection rather than just a sales pitch.

What's the actual investment being recommended here?

Time and energy spent creating an event, big or small, specifically because ensuring memories are made is worth that investment for the lasting brand connection it builds.