In our last article, we discussed participating in and/or hosting your own events or user groups as a means of marketing. In terms of post-event marketing, there are several different tools, depending on whether you were the host or a participant.
When you host an event yourself, you have access to the participant list. Possible next steps with the attendee list would be to:
- Provide participants and/or their co-workers a discount to your next event.
- Include a post-event survey as a way to let people know they’re being heard. (If people see that their feedback matters, they are more likely to come to your next event).
- Share information about your company such as new projects, opportunities to bid on projects, and any awards/highlights you’d like to share.
- Push out promotions to this group along with other marketing opportunities.
In situations where you are a participant you may not get a list, and if you do, it likely won’t have phone numbers and emails. Ideally, you will have collected business cards and made connections. Using these new connections, you may offer something special, such as an exclusive rate for your services or to simply set up a networking meeting (coffee or lunch).
In either capacity, it is vital to reach out within a week with a personalized email inviting connections to have a phone meeting, or better yet, a coffee. Other follow-up techniques include:
- Inviting participants to connect with you on social media.
- Including participants in your newsletter loop, so you stay at the top of their minds.
- Finding the right person within the organization to connect with. In larger companies that may be a sales or marketing person, while in smaller businesses it may be the president of the company. Down the road, these contacts can be put into your email prospect file.
Always make sure you understand what the potential client’s needs are and how you can provide a service that’s helpful to them. And it’s important to be focused on what your messaging is.
If you have been a participant of an event, what post-event outreach have you seen? Share in the comment section below.
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Amy Zucchi-Justice
Karlyn Group
902 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10010
karlyngroup.com