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Virtual Events - Sponsor and Exhibitor Checklist

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Content Marketing Institute
Content Marketing Institute

Virtual conferences and events provide new opportunities for you to showcase your product or service, meet 1:1 with your current and potential customers, and listen to the needs of the industry. With such a large investment of time, money, and human resources, it’s no surprise that management expects great returns on each event that your company sponsors. On behalf of the Content Marketing Institute team, we’re all here to help you. We’re ready for exciting experiences, great ROI for sponsors, and new ways for customers to advance the practice of content marketing because of partner relationships built at our events.

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VIRTUAL EVENTS SPONSOR & EXHIBITOR CHECKLIST MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT BY NURTURING HAPPY CUSTOMERS
Virtual conferences and events provide new opportunities for you to showcase your product or service, meet 1:1 with your current and potential customers, and listen to the needs of the industry. With such a large investment of time, money, and human resources, it’s no surprise that management expects great returns on each event that your company sponsors. Based on attendee feedback on our sponsors’ post-show follow-up tactics, along with the uptick of virtual events, we’ve put together a few tips to help you shine while avoiding the dreaded “report as spam”/ unsubscribe conundrum or responding to public complaints on social media. Remember: You are marketing to marketers – your peers – so you’ll need to be savvy and on-point to capture and keep their attention. On behalf of the Content Marketing Institute team, we’re all here to help you. We’re ready for exciting experiences, great ROI for sponsors, and new ways for customers to advance the practice of content marketing because of partner relationships built at our events. SPONSOR AND EXHIBITOR CHECKLIST MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT BY NURTURING HAPPY CUSTOMERS Cathy McPhillips VP of Marketing Peter Loibl Head of Sales Karen Schopp Strategic Account Manager Drew James Strategic Account Manager
PRE-EVENT
PRE-EVENT  COMMIT TO YOUR SPONSORSHIP EARLY – If you know you’re going to commit to sponsoring an event, keep pushing your team to get the event contract signed and returned quickly. This will enable you to secure the ideal sponsorship package for your goals and needs – whether it’s sponsoring part of the virtual event with a high number of qualified leads, or securing a speaking spot to showcase your thought leadership and expertise.  COMPLEMENT THE EVENT THEME –Find out if there is a theme to the event. For example, Content Marketing World 2019's theme was “Amaze Your Audience.” Rather than set up your virtual booth with the same assets you use every time, work with your creative team to have a space more-closely tied to the theme. Make your brand an extension of the conference.  THINK LIKE AN ATTENDEE – When attendees come to events, they’re generally coming for two main reasons: to network and to learn. And when they’re at a virtual event, it’s important to get and keep attention. How can you appeal to these folks? Are there sponsorable elements that are outside of speaking and logo placement? Is there a networking break or virtual cocktail hour that is sponsorable? Bring levity, humor and some excitement to the event just when attendees need it most. Use your best *virtual* talent who will connect with people and get them to visit and take interest in your product or service. (Hint: your in-person booth staff may not be the best for a virtual environment. Take that time to be sure.)
PRE-EVENT  GET SOCIAL – See if the conference will give you pre-written or suggested social media ideas – but don’t just cut/paste. Customize them to your audience, use the official conference hashtag, and differentiate yourself. Find out if your brand can get a unique discount code so you can offer personalized value to your followers.  PLAN FOR THE RIGHT TEAM – Who are the attendees? What are the job titles? Who from your team is best suited to engage with and understand this audience? Who can handle the audience online? Have team members online who are the most energetic and passionate about the event and the attendees, and who understand their particular pain points.  SCHEDULE MEETINGS AHEAD OF TIME – If you know a client or prospect will be at the conference, send them an invite for a meet & greet. Twitter or LinkedIn would be the best way to do this. Need to set up a large number of meetings in advance? Be sure that your booth is still staffed by other team members to accommodate any walk-in traffic (to Zoom rooms, that is) you receive.
PRE-EVENT  LEARN THE LAY OF THE LAND – If you’re exhibiting on a platform you’ve used before, or the event hosts have given you a test drive of the virtual environment, why not prepare a blog post or some social media content that helps attendees make the most of it? Or, if the technology is new to you as well, take time to learn about it ahead of time. Remember what Mr. Rogers says: “Look for the helpers.” What an opportunity for you to be that helper to attendees.  BECOME FRIENDS WITH THE EVENT PRODUCERS – They're the ones making sure your virtual environment is set up properly, and that your technology, video and audio are all performing swimmingly. They can help you with lighting suggestions, details on attendee profiles, and will sit through dry runs with you. They want you to be successful.  THINK GREEN – In this virtual world, let attendees know what your company is doing during this time from a sustainability or charitable standpoint. Rather than focus on the negatives, focus on the opportunities, the personal stories and more. It’s a great way to connect, and you never know who you might meet who also loves the same hobbies you do. Sales often start from instant, genuine connections such as this.
DURING THE EVENT
DURING THE EVENT  START EARLY – The early bird gets access to the most help from the support staff. Additionally, being one of the first in the virtual expo hall gives you extra time to rectify those inevitable little hiccups well before the show begins…because no matter how much we plan, stuff happens.  GET OUT OF YOUR BOOTH – We’ve been there. We’re in a virtual environment, and it’s someone’s job to wait for someone to enter a virtual booth. Find out what event producers have planned for networking opportunities. Is there a dedicated Slack channel during the event for conversations? You could meet folks that way, and also be an accessible thought leader should questions about a particular topic come up. Many events also have Twitter lists of conference attendees where you can connect with attendees beforehand…do some digging and homework. And follow that event hashtag before, during and after the event! (Ours are #ContentTECH and #CMWorld).  BE EASILY RECOGNIZABLE – Anyone looking for video production solutions at Content Marketing World 2019 quickly found a member of the Shootsta team by looking for the ubiquitous logo emblazoned on their bright blue shirts. Granted, that was at our in-person event, but the same idea applies. Consider matching, branded shirts for your team, and/or branded backgrounds. You’ll definitely stand out. But most importantly, make sure attendees visiting your booth know immediately what your company does and what value you bring to the market.
DURING THE EVENT  BE CREATIVE – Find creative ways to interact…which is a fun challenge for virtual events. Could you invite a speaker to your booth for an AMA (Ask Me Anything)? Could you do digital book giveaways or offer electronic coffee gift cards to booth visitors?  TAKE GOOD NOTES – Think about the next step – the post-event outreach you'll be doing – and find ways to customize your messages to your booth visitors. Jot down notes and swap email addresses, connect on LinkedIn, and more. Use whatever tools you need to remember each person's name, face, and pain point. You’ll thank us later.  PLAY NICE – No solution is absolutely perfect. If you talk to an attendee online and you really can’t serve their immediate needs – for example, you’re focused on enterprise and they’re small business, or you don’t integrate with their marketing automation tool or their CRM – let them know that. And suggest another solution also exhibiting at the show. You never know how another solution might reciprocate and send a lead your way.
DURING THE EVENT  UPGRADE YOUR PASS – If you’re sitting in a virtual expo hall all day, consider upgrading to an all- access pass. This way, you can learn something for your own job, but you can also hear what’s resonating with your customers, and what their biggest needs are. Don’t forget, these are also sessions you could watch on demand for months to come. This is invaluable information to take back to your R&D teams.
POST-EVENT
POST-EVENT  PLAN YOUR OUTREACH – You’re back in the office and your hands are full of hot leads you gathered from the event. This list, this prized possession, is what you’ve been waiting for! But, think of it from the attendee’s point of view. They JUST spent four days online, got back to the groove of being back to work, and they’re catching up while also trying to wrap their heads around 3-4 days of sessions. Is the Monday after the event the best time to be emailing them? Probably not.  ANSWER THE “WHY” – It all starts with an email; but how amazing would it be if you segmented your emails based on what each attendee needed, their fiscal year, their job function/level, or their company size, and could then transform your canned messages into meaningful messages that are personalized to each particular attendee? Sure, that’s a lot more work, but it will likely be much more fruitful. And, rather than asking for a phone conversation or meeting right away, consider enticing them with a valuable piece of content to show you understand their needs, challenges, and the industry on the whole. Think about how you’d like to be approached by a new vendor and try to replicate that by finding ways to gain their trust and create a meaningful customer experience through your initial outreach.
POST-EVENT  MAKE YOUR REACH-OUT UNIQUE – Rather than talk about yourself, consider starting with a survey. What do they need? Why did they come to the event? The good news about a virtual event is that if you’re chatting via text vs. video, you can keep those digital conversations or take good notes without needing the eye contact.  DO YOUR HOMEWORK – Before you (or a sales representative) email them to ask if they’d like to be customer, make sure their company is a good fit for your product or solution, and isn’t already a customer. Show you understand their business before reaching out. It’s the first step in gaining trust and developing rapport.  RESPECT PHONE NUMBERS – As part of many event registrations, phone numbers are given to exhibitors. That said, our cell phones have practically become an extension of our bodies, so customers might feel very protective of them. Be courteous and start your outreach by contacting them on their office phone or email.
 LEARN WHEN TO STOP – Have you emailed three times and heard nothing? Perhaps move them to an unengaged list. If you return to that same event the following year, consider sending a “we hope to pick up where we left off last year” email to remind and reengage them.  MAKE YOUR UNSUBSCRIBE OPTION CLEAR – You're following all of the current privacy regulations, correct? Get informed about how to protect your brand by being transparent and forthcoming in all your email communications – including emails sent by your sales representatives. And be respectful of unsubscribes. That said, you should also look for ways to make your unsubscribe confirmation pages so enticing, they'll change their mind about letting go. POST-EVENT
SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABILITY  BE MINDFUL OF YOUR EMPLOYEES' WELLNESS ▶ Ensure your virtual booth staffing schedule includes breaks: coffee breaks, bathroom breaks – even a walk outside for some fresh air. Give your team time to get away from their computer for a little bit to refresh & recharge. ▶ Reduce stressful situations by creating a backup plan in the event that one of your team member’s WiFi drops, a camera stops working, or any other tech difficulties arise. Swap staff cell phone numbers so someone can jump in to make sure the virtual booth is always being staffed. ▶ Staffing a virtual booth and talking to a computer screen all day is physically and mentally exhausting. Thank your staff with a small subscription to the Calm app, the Headspace app or a similar resource as a way for them to disconnect and recharge in order for them to be their best selves for the virtual conference.
SUSTAINABILITY  UPLOADING RESOURCES ▶ Make sure your uploaded resources are mobile-friendly, viewable online and easily shareable so no printing will be needed by attendees. ▶ Keep your files small for quick and easy downloading, lower streaming bandwidth and less electricity. ▶ Upload podcasts or audio instead of brochures, encouraging your attendees to put in their headphones and go for a walk outside while learning more about your product.  ADDITIONAL IDEAS ▶ Share all you are doing from a sustainability standpoint with attendees. They really care! ▶ Power down your computer when you’re taking a break to reduce energy usage. ▶ When sending “thank you” gifts to attendees who scheduled a meeting with you or visited your booth, send a virtual gift, such as an such as an e-card or digital subscription to save shipping and money. ▶ If you decide to host a demo or a class, consider including something about nutrition, fitness or mental health.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH YOU TODAY TO MAKE IT YOUR BEST YEAR YET. Looking for marketing ideas for Content Marketing World or ContentTECH Summit? Contact Cathy McPhillips – cathy.mcphillips@informa.com Interested in CMI sponsorship opportunities? Contact Peter Loibl – peter.loibl@informa.com, Karen Schopp – karen.schopp@informa.com or Drew James – drew.james@informa.com About Content Marketing Institute Content Marketing Institute is the leading global content marketing education and training organization, teaching enterprise brands how to attract and retain customers through compelling, multichannel storytelling. CMI’s Content Marketing World event is the largest content marketing-focused event, and ContentTECH Summit reaches content strategists from all over the world. CMI publishes Chief Content Officer for executives and provides strategic consulting and content marketing research for some of the best-known brands in the world. Watch this video to learn more about CMI. Content Marketing Institute is organized by Informa Connect. About Informa Connect Informa Connect is a specialist in content-driven events and digital communities that allow professionals to meet, connect, learn and share knowledge. We operate major branded events in Marketing, Global Finance, Life Sciences and Pharma, Construction & Real Estate, and in a number of other specialist markets and connect communities online year-round.

More Related Content

Virtual Events - Sponsor and Exhibitor Checklist

  • 1. VIRTUAL EVENTS SPONSOR & EXHIBITOR CHECKLIST MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT BY NURTURING HAPPY CUSTOMERS
  • 2. Virtual conferences and events provide new opportunities for you to showcase your product or service, meet 1:1 with your current and potential customers, and listen to the needs of the industry. With such a large investment of time, money, and human resources, it’s no surprise that management expects great returns on each event that your company sponsors. Based on attendee feedback on our sponsors’ post-show follow-up tactics, along with the uptick of virtual events, we’ve put together a few tips to help you shine while avoiding the dreaded “report as spam”/ unsubscribe conundrum or responding to public complaints on social media. Remember: You are marketing to marketers – your peers – so you’ll need to be savvy and on-point to capture and keep their attention. On behalf of the Content Marketing Institute team, we’re all here to help you. We’re ready for exciting experiences, great ROI for sponsors, and new ways for customers to advance the practice of content marketing because of partner relationships built at our events. SPONSOR AND EXHIBITOR CHECKLIST MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT BY NURTURING HAPPY CUSTOMERS Cathy McPhillips VP of Marketing Peter Loibl Head of Sales Karen Schopp Strategic Account Manager Drew James Strategic Account Manager
  • 4. PRE-EVENT  COMMIT TO YOUR SPONSORSHIP EARLY – If you know you’re going to commit to sponsoring an event, keep pushing your team to get the event contract signed and returned quickly. This will enable you to secure the ideal sponsorship package for your goals and needs – whether it’s sponsoring part of the virtual event with a high number of qualified leads, or securing a speaking spot to showcase your thought leadership and expertise.  COMPLEMENT THE EVENT THEME –Find out if there is a theme to the event. For example, Content Marketing World 2019's theme was “Amaze Your Audience.” Rather than set up your virtual booth with the same assets you use every time, work with your creative team to have a space more-closely tied to the theme. Make your brand an extension of the conference.  THINK LIKE AN ATTENDEE – When attendees come to events, they’re generally coming for two main reasons: to network and to learn. And when they’re at a virtual event, it’s important to get and keep attention. How can you appeal to these folks? Are there sponsorable elements that are outside of speaking and logo placement? Is there a networking break or virtual cocktail hour that is sponsorable? Bring levity, humor and some excitement to the event just when attendees need it most. Use your best *virtual* talent who will connect with people and get them to visit and take interest in your product or service. (Hint: your in-person booth staff may not be the best for a virtual environment. Take that time to be sure.)
  • 5. PRE-EVENT  GET SOCIAL – See if the conference will give you pre-written or suggested social media ideas – but don’t just cut/paste. Customize them to your audience, use the official conference hashtag, and differentiate yourself. Find out if your brand can get a unique discount code so you can offer personalized value to your followers.  PLAN FOR THE RIGHT TEAM – Who are the attendees? What are the job titles? Who from your team is best suited to engage with and understand this audience? Who can handle the audience online? Have team members online who are the most energetic and passionate about the event and the attendees, and who understand their particular pain points.  SCHEDULE MEETINGS AHEAD OF TIME – If you know a client or prospect will be at the conference, send them an invite for a meet & greet. Twitter or LinkedIn would be the best way to do this. Need to set up a large number of meetings in advance? Be sure that your booth is still staffed by other team members to accommodate any walk-in traffic (to Zoom rooms, that is) you receive.
  • 6. PRE-EVENT  LEARN THE LAY OF THE LAND – If you’re exhibiting on a platform you’ve used before, or the event hosts have given you a test drive of the virtual environment, why not prepare a blog post or some social media content that helps attendees make the most of it? Or, if the technology is new to you as well, take time to learn about it ahead of time. Remember what Mr. Rogers says: “Look for the helpers.” What an opportunity for you to be that helper to attendees.  BECOME FRIENDS WITH THE EVENT PRODUCERS – They're the ones making sure your virtual environment is set up properly, and that your technology, video and audio are all performing swimmingly. They can help you with lighting suggestions, details on attendee profiles, and will sit through dry runs with you. They want you to be successful.  THINK GREEN – In this virtual world, let attendees know what your company is doing during this time from a sustainability or charitable standpoint. Rather than focus on the negatives, focus on the opportunities, the personal stories and more. It’s a great way to connect, and you never know who you might meet who also loves the same hobbies you do. Sales often start from instant, genuine connections such as this.
  • 8. DURING THE EVENT  START EARLY – The early bird gets access to the most help from the support staff. Additionally, being one of the first in the virtual expo hall gives you extra time to rectify those inevitable little hiccups well before the show begins…because no matter how much we plan, stuff happens.  GET OUT OF YOUR BOOTH – We’ve been there. We’re in a virtual environment, and it’s someone’s job to wait for someone to enter a virtual booth. Find out what event producers have planned for networking opportunities. Is there a dedicated Slack channel during the event for conversations? You could meet folks that way, and also be an accessible thought leader should questions about a particular topic come up. Many events also have Twitter lists of conference attendees where you can connect with attendees beforehand…do some digging and homework. And follow that event hashtag before, during and after the event! (Ours are #ContentTECH and #CMWorld).  BE EASILY RECOGNIZABLE – Anyone looking for video production solutions at Content Marketing World 2019 quickly found a member of the Shootsta team by looking for the ubiquitous logo emblazoned on their bright blue shirts. Granted, that was at our in-person event, but the same idea applies. Consider matching, branded shirts for your team, and/or branded backgrounds. You’ll definitely stand out. But most importantly, make sure attendees visiting your booth know immediately what your company does and what value you bring to the market.
  • 9. DURING THE EVENT  BE CREATIVE – Find creative ways to interact…which is a fun challenge for virtual events. Could you invite a speaker to your booth for an AMA (Ask Me Anything)? Could you do digital book giveaways or offer electronic coffee gift cards to booth visitors?  TAKE GOOD NOTES – Think about the next step – the post-event outreach you'll be doing – and find ways to customize your messages to your booth visitors. Jot down notes and swap email addresses, connect on LinkedIn, and more. Use whatever tools you need to remember each person's name, face, and pain point. You’ll thank us later.  PLAY NICE – No solution is absolutely perfect. If you talk to an attendee online and you really can’t serve their immediate needs – for example, you’re focused on enterprise and they’re small business, or you don’t integrate with their marketing automation tool or their CRM – let them know that. And suggest another solution also exhibiting at the show. You never know how another solution might reciprocate and send a lead your way.
  • 10. DURING THE EVENT  UPGRADE YOUR PASS – If you’re sitting in a virtual expo hall all day, consider upgrading to an all- access pass. This way, you can learn something for your own job, but you can also hear what’s resonating with your customers, and what their biggest needs are. Don’t forget, these are also sessions you could watch on demand for months to come. This is invaluable information to take back to your R&D teams.
  • 12. POST-EVENT  PLAN YOUR OUTREACH – You’re back in the office and your hands are full of hot leads you gathered from the event. This list, this prized possession, is what you’ve been waiting for! But, think of it from the attendee’s point of view. They JUST spent four days online, got back to the groove of being back to work, and they’re catching up while also trying to wrap their heads around 3-4 days of sessions. Is the Monday after the event the best time to be emailing them? Probably not.  ANSWER THE “WHY” – It all starts with an email; but how amazing would it be if you segmented your emails based on what each attendee needed, their fiscal year, their job function/level, or their company size, and could then transform your canned messages into meaningful messages that are personalized to each particular attendee? Sure, that’s a lot more work, but it will likely be much more fruitful. And, rather than asking for a phone conversation or meeting right away, consider enticing them with a valuable piece of content to show you understand their needs, challenges, and the industry on the whole. Think about how you’d like to be approached by a new vendor and try to replicate that by finding ways to gain their trust and create a meaningful customer experience through your initial outreach.
  • 13. POST-EVENT  MAKE YOUR REACH-OUT UNIQUE – Rather than talk about yourself, consider starting with a survey. What do they need? Why did they come to the event? The good news about a virtual event is that if you’re chatting via text vs. video, you can keep those digital conversations or take good notes without needing the eye contact.  DO YOUR HOMEWORK – Before you (or a sales representative) email them to ask if they’d like to be customer, make sure their company is a good fit for your product or solution, and isn’t already a customer. Show you understand their business before reaching out. It’s the first step in gaining trust and developing rapport.  RESPECT PHONE NUMBERS – As part of many event registrations, phone numbers are given to exhibitors. That said, our cell phones have practically become an extension of our bodies, so customers might feel very protective of them. Be courteous and start your outreach by contacting them on their office phone or email.
  • 14.  LEARN WHEN TO STOP – Have you emailed three times and heard nothing? Perhaps move them to an unengaged list. If you return to that same event the following year, consider sending a “we hope to pick up where we left off last year” email to remind and reengage them.  MAKE YOUR UNSUBSCRIBE OPTION CLEAR – You're following all of the current privacy regulations, correct? Get informed about how to protect your brand by being transparent and forthcoming in all your email communications – including emails sent by your sales representatives. And be respectful of unsubscribes. That said, you should also look for ways to make your unsubscribe confirmation pages so enticing, they'll change their mind about letting go. POST-EVENT
  • 16. SUSTAINABILITY  BE MINDFUL OF YOUR EMPLOYEES' WELLNESS ▶ Ensure your virtual booth staffing schedule includes breaks: coffee breaks, bathroom breaks – even a walk outside for some fresh air. Give your team time to get away from their computer for a little bit to refresh & recharge. ▶ Reduce stressful situations by creating a backup plan in the event that one of your team member’s WiFi drops, a camera stops working, or any other tech difficulties arise. Swap staff cell phone numbers so someone can jump in to make sure the virtual booth is always being staffed. ▶ Staffing a virtual booth and talking to a computer screen all day is physically and mentally exhausting. Thank your staff with a small subscription to the Calm app, the Headspace app or a similar resource as a way for them to disconnect and recharge in order for them to be their best selves for the virtual conference.
  • 17. SUSTAINABILITY  UPLOADING RESOURCES ▶ Make sure your uploaded resources are mobile-friendly, viewable online and easily shareable so no printing will be needed by attendees. ▶ Keep your files small for quick and easy downloading, lower streaming bandwidth and less electricity. ▶ Upload podcasts or audio instead of brochures, encouraging your attendees to put in their headphones and go for a walk outside while learning more about your product.  ADDITIONAL IDEAS ▶ Share all you are doing from a sustainability standpoint with attendees. They really care! ▶ Power down your computer when you’re taking a break to reduce energy usage. ▶ When sending “thank you” gifts to attendees who scheduled a meeting with you or visited your booth, send a virtual gift, such as an such as an e-card or digital subscription to save shipping and money. ▶ If you decide to host a demo or a class, consider including something about nutrition, fitness or mental health.
  • 18. WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH YOU TODAY TO MAKE IT YOUR BEST YEAR YET. Looking for marketing ideas for Content Marketing World or ContentTECH Summit? Contact Cathy McPhillips – cathy.mcphillips@informa.com Interested in CMI sponsorship opportunities? Contact Peter Loibl – peter.loibl@informa.com, Karen Schopp – karen.schopp@informa.com or Drew James – drew.james@informa.com About Content Marketing Institute Content Marketing Institute is the leading global content marketing education and training organization, teaching enterprise brands how to attract and retain customers through compelling, multichannel storytelling. CMI’s Content Marketing World event is the largest content marketing-focused event, and ContentTECH Summit reaches content strategists from all over the world. CMI publishes Chief Content Officer for executives and provides strategic consulting and content marketing research for some of the best-known brands in the world. Watch this video to learn more about CMI. Content Marketing Institute is organized by Informa Connect. About Informa Connect Informa Connect is a specialist in content-driven events and digital communities that allow professionals to meet, connect, learn and share knowledge. We operate major branded events in Marketing, Global Finance, Life Sciences and Pharma, Construction & Real Estate, and in a number of other specialist markets and connect communities online year-round.