Smart Lead Generation — 5 Tips on How to Prepare for a Conference
We’ve heard a joke that the best thing about going to a tech conference is that you can tell everyone that you’re going to a tech conference. Well, if you aren’t going to do much there, then for sure it’s just an unusual attraction. However, we are coming out of the assumption that it is worth using the money invested in such a trip to get potential clients.
It isn’t a piece of cake, and it requires commitment and preparation before you even pack your suitcase and go. If you want to get to know our proven and effective way to get valuable leads during the conference, download our ebook called “How to Prepare for a Conference and Come Back With 87 Leads”. Or you can use our top 5 tips, which we mention in the article below.
- Make sure you are going to the right conference
When it comes to choosing which conference you are going to attend, first check what kind of event it is. Some of it attracts thousands of participants from all over the world. In contrast, others are smaller and more intimate or offer participation in various activities during which you integrate with potential clients.
Everything depends on the goals you have set for yourself and what you want to achieve during just a few days. Goals should be adequately matched to the offer of the event. Check what possibilities you will have — what’s included in the ticket price and what else you may add on top of it. Maybe it will be a good idea for your company to have a booth or take part in a pitching competition.
2. Take advantage of the matchmaking platform
It is a built-in app, that most of the conference organizers deliver, in which attendees can send invites and book meetings. The main difference between them is the availability of filter options while you are searching for people whom you want to talk with.
Also, some organizers give access to the matchmaking platform a few days before the conference, while others offer it even a month before — obviously, the more time you have, the better for you. It means you will have a chance to think over who exactly you want to be matched with. Another benefit of having more time is a possibility to cancel the meeting if a more beneficial one for your business appears on the horizon.
3. Do not underestimate the importance of detailed research
Start with defining the groups of people you want to talk with — is it an investor, attendee, or maybe a startup? It all depends on what is your primary goal. Then the matchmaking platform will probably show you a long list of people. To not waste your time, use any tool that allows scraping all of the information about them.
Thanks to that move, you will receive a well-organized spreadsheet with names, company information, emails, and other useful data. Now the real hard work begins. It would be best if you researched in the network everyone who is on the list before you start sending invitations. The good idea is to divide the list into smaller parts and delegate the task between people on your team.
4. Prepare and memorize what you are going to tell
During the conference, you will have a limited number of meetings that can be carried out. Moreover, a meeting with a previously matched person usually doesn’t last longer than thirty minutes. The key to success is to prepare a pitch in advance. It doesn’t matter how you feel as a speaker — it is essential to know what you are going to tell. It’s worth asking questions at the beginning of the conversation to establish a good relationship.
The one who asks questions manages the conversation. If you are talking to an investor, then ask what companies they have in the portfolio, and what are the criteria they follow when choosing the companies in which they invest. Customers, on the other hand, need to be asked about their current business goals and what prevents them from achieving it. Having a plan helps to clearly explain what your offer is all about, even if your time is limited.
5. Remember about follow-ups after you come back
When you come back from the conference to your daily work rhythm, you need to organize all the contact information you received. Remember about all the business cards you collected and connect online with all of the people you met during the event. It is important for your business to personalize the messages you send.
Follow-ups should refer to the meeting and ideas you exchanged. If you do not get any answer after sending the first message, do not give up. Instead, design a follow-up email campaign. It is said that you need to communicate with your prospects on an average of seven times before they buy from you.
Conclusion
These 5 tips will help you prepare for any conference. When we started our adventure participating in this type of event, we also dug through the internet in search of any advice. Unfortunately, then we did not find any valuable content. With time, however, we have developed our own lead generation system.
We want to share our knowledge with you, and that’s why we created an ebook “How to Prepare for a Conference and Come Back With 87 Leads”. The ebook will guide you through the whole process and help you achieve better results.
