A revolution is sweeping the world of marketing and it’s sure to have an impact on the way conferences are organized and promoted. Sarah Mitchell explains why content marketing is the new way to build a loyal following for your events.
Your number one job as a conference organiser is to get bums on seats, right? While good attendance numbers make everyone happy, great attendance numbers lead to bigger projects, better clients and more compensation. If you’re taking a traditional approach to marketing your event, chances are you’ll never break into that top tier.
Pulling them in: Content Marketing for Conference Organisers
1. Pulling them in:
Content Marketing for
Conference Organisers
Sarah Mitchell
Editor, Chief Content Officer Magazine
2. Goals for Today
Explain the shift in consumer
spending habits
Define Content Marketing and describe
it’s components
Provide recommendations for using
content marketing for conferences
3. Definition
Content Marketing:
The art of understanding exactly
what your customers need to know
and delivering it to them in a relevant
and compelling way.
CONTENT MARKETING = EDUCATION
4. Traditional vs.
Content Marketing
Push – Outbound activity
Traditional Marketing = broadcast
Lead generation
Pull – Inbound activity
Content Marketing =
information/education
Lead nurturing
5. TIP: Consumers are Doing
Their Own Research
Online Publishers – Internet Activity Index
Monthly “Time Spent” in Internet Activity Table
15. Tips for Developing
Original Content
Think like a publisher
1. Support each product/service you offer
2. Target each customer segment
3. Consider vertical markets
4. Use multiple content types
16. Generating
Great Content
Hire writers
Try and find a web journalist
Invest in graphic design
Good writing + Good Design = GREAT content
Great content is a business asset!
17. What are
popular
content
types?
Social media
Blogs eNewsletters eBooks
White papers In-person events Podcasts
Case studies Traditional media Digital magazines
Online video Webinars Mobile apps
19. Timeline:
9 Months Before Conference
9
Email Marketing MONTHS
Call for papers
Call for speakers
Save the date notices
20. Timeline:
6 Months Before Conference
Start your
6
MONTHS
Twitter activity
Launch your website
Get a blog going
Start an email newsletter
21. Timeline:
4 Months Before Conference
Put together a
4
MONTHS
Facebook page
Post your event to Facebook
Start promoting
„Early Bird‟ discounts
22. Timeline:
3 Months Before Conference
Start a LinkedIn 3
MONTHS
Discussion Group
Post your event on LinkedIn
Start posting event notices
on relevant LinkedIn
Discussion Groups
23. Timeline:
2 Months Before Conference
Start publishing
2
MONTHS
weekly email
newsletters
Increase blogging frequency
(use speakers as guest bloggers)
Publish final conference line-up
24. Timeline:
1 Month Before Conference
1
“Full-tilt boogie” MONTHS
on all social
media channels
Issue tickets online
30. Benefits of
Content Marketing
Tailored to your event
Targets key prospects
Contributes to lead nurturing
Positions you for
increased registrations
Marketing expenses
convert to assets
Cost effective
31. Don‟t Pay
For Attention
BUY attention: Advertising
BEG for attention: Public Relations
BUG people: Sales
32. “EARN attention online by
creating great information
that your buyers want to
consume such as
YouTube
videos, blogs, Twitter
feeds, photographs, charts, gr
aphs and ebooks
– and it is all free.”