I’m sure you’ve heard it before. ”You have to post to Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn while at the boat show.”
It’s easier said than done. While trying to juggle getting the booth ready, meeting with clients and prospects and dodging ad sales reps, when will you find the time to post those amazing photos and prolific tweets?
I hope the tips below help you get on the road to being social. They should provide some structure to your posting during a conference. The goal is to share and network online during and after the show and to better present you and your company as a thought leader in your field. Have fun and think out of the “this is my booth” photo box.
Before the conference:
1. Test your tech: Test your mobile device and make sure that all is well. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to get your tweets and such out, only to notice your phone/tablet/laptop does not have the proper passwords in place in order to post.
2. Hashtag: Find the conference hashtag (#) and make a note of it. Make sure each picture, video and text posting uses the hashtag.
3. Follow conference speakers: Do some research to see what social channels conference speakers are using and make sure they are followed/liked.
4. Pre-post: One to two days before the conference, let your friends and followers know you will be attending and live posting from the show.
During the conference:
1. Post a picture of signage the moment you get to the conference. With a note, “Glad to be attending INSERT NAME, looking forward to speaking,” post this along with the pic and use the conference hashtag.
2. When posting, make sure to provide context to the post. Be as descriptive as you can (within 140 characters).
3. Tag other attendees when posting. For example: “Just heard @gasparem speaking about #socialmedia Great presentation! #CONFERENCEHASHTAG”
4. To make your posts more relevant, use URLs when you can.
5. Scan the conference hashtag and re-tweet other attendees. Don’t forget to give credit to the original poster.
6. Post pictures and video during the conference when appropriate. Shoot for three to five picture posts during the show.
After the conference:
On the last day, post another conference picture of signage with a post that lets folks know the conference has ended. Share your thoughts on the quality of the conference.
Post a recap of the conference, highlighting some key speakers/moments.
Acknowledge other presenters by posting thoughts about their presentations post-conference.
I hope you found this useful and I look forward to seeing you on the road.
Gaspare J. Marturano is a social media and digital marketing thought leader, industry speaker and the author of “SocializeWith.Me or Someone Else Will” (available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble). With more than 20 years of experience, Gaspare is now leading Fastlane Communications’ Digital Marketing and Social Media practice, providing best-practice counsel and execution in the areas of social media policies, processes, people, technologies and content marketing programs.
