How to fill a conference using a digital campaign

“I can’t believe you came. I can’t believe you bought tickets, made reservations, made a date, got organized, got in the car, drove, parked and came all the way here to see me perform. It’s unbelievable.” That’s how stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld opened his show in Israel. And you know what? Jerry was right. Getting people to leave the house or the office and get to a certain place at a certain time is undoubtedly a challenge.

Try to convince people from a younger generation (those who may not even know Jerry Seinfeld) to leave the house, and you’ll usually encounter pretty cold responses: Who’s leaving the house today? Why don’t I just watch it on YouTube? The conference website uploads all the presentations, why don’t I take it down from there?

When we market conferences and events, it’s very important to understand the reality and create a campaign that breaks existing habits and barriers. It is very important to plan well and follow the instructions so that we can fulfill the conference or event we have worked so hard for. How? Good that you asked!

Know your event

Is the event a fashion event? Home design? Technology? You must know the arena, understand whether it is a private or business audience, get down to the level of the persona, the role and the person. We make sure to know down to the smallest detail – what do I get out of the conference, what am I learning, who is interested in it, what does the audience have to gain from participating, who is the speaker? If the conference is aimed at businesses, it is important to know exactly who the positions within the organization you are addressing are: HR people? Security experts? Maybe even just Angular developers?

When we get to know the conference in depth, we will know how to create the right visual communication for it, the right messages, and later in the campaign to target the audience for whom the conference is relevant. Today, thanks to tools such as Linkedin and Twitter, there are excellent options for smart targeting according to positions and areas of interest. After marketing dozens of conferences and large events, we can say with certainty that smart tactics are the ones that help fill the conference.

Free or paid? Advantages and disadvantages

It is easier to generate registrations for free conferences. Visitors do not hesitate and register, but this comes at a price – the attendance percentage can be low. Paid conferences are more difficult to market and sometimes require a larger marketing budget, because the visitor will think carefully before purchasing. Still, we believe that paying for a conference is actually a kind of seriousness fee that guarantees a percentage Greater attendance. We have experienced situations where a symbolic entrance fee – even 40 NIS – was required to ensure attendance. We are in favor.

Another issue that needs to be carefully considered is the type of registrants. Broadly speaking, they can be divided into two: those who are consumers of the field (customers) and those who market and sell products (suppliers). Just as you would want a bar to have a mix of women and men and not just women or just men (unless it is an LGBT bar, which is great), you would not want your conference to have only vendors trying to sell things to the few customers who are being attacked in the field. It is worth filtering and constantly checking who has registered, in order to be in focus on this process.

If you are holding a conference with a significant fee, it must be a high-quality and professional conference, and requires careful planning of the marketing, content and refreshment budgets. You do not want to charge a high amount for a conference and end up with dissatisfied customers. It is also important to obtain feedback and comments to understand the satisfaction of the conference’s end customers.

Location is also a critical factor. We have heard several times from the average Tel Avivian who says “If I can’t get there by scooter, I’m not coming.” And he has every right to. We live in a changing world, and not everyone has a car or is willing to take their car out for a conference (remember Jerry from the beginning of the article?). It is important to know the audience and choose the right location specifically for them.

Physical or digital?

These days, digital conferences, Zoom meetings and webinars have become part of everyday life. We noticed that there is a certain challenge in filling the registration quota for a Zoom conference – the surfer perceives it in advance as having less value, and the commitment to attend decreases. If you have chosen a digital conference, we recommend investing, bringing attractions, personalities, and pulling rabbits out of the hat that will make it attractive and maximize attendance on the day of the conference.

Choose the date carefully

It is recommended to consult with a professional and the promotion company regarding the date. Certain dates such as holidays and events are destructive to the marketing period. There are periods of the year when it is simply impossible to market. The business market is bustling in certain months and dormant in other months. Choosing a bad date, or even a small World Cup, can eliminate registration for a conference. Choosing a risk-free date that allows for comfortable work is important and critical. Many clients claim that they cannot predict the future regarding wars, storms and a variety of natural factors; we say that it is possible to predict many events, and there are tools and methods to plan for and avoid 95% of the factors that may interfere with the date. We do not control everything, but we can try to control more.

Dividing the process into stages

In our opinion, conference marketing should be divided into 3 main stages:

Announcement – ​​Save the date. Make as much noise as possible during the announcement process. Big boom, we are here. This is the stage to use PR, content, noise and as many ringtones and shares as possible to announce that the conference is happening, and it is important. The announcement stage has a selling power to the more spontaneous audience and it is important to do it properly, on a suitable date and free from interruptions. It is also recommended and worthwhile to provide a discount for early purchase, this helps this stage take off. If, for example, in the announcement stage we have already met 40% of our goal, this allows us to manage budgets comfortably in the rest of the campaign and not be in short supply.

Full exposure – usually we need additional excitement after the announcement. When the buzz of the announcement dies down, we will reveal more details about the conference, such as a performance by an important artist, a great lecturer we brought in especially from the other side of the world, the launch of a new product, and more. This is the stage where we recommend telling surfers “Here – this is the full conference, this is all the information, come and register.” It is worth entering into a routine and regular remarketing format that borders on annoying (of course, gently and not aggressively) that reminds customers to register. This stage appeals to a slightly cooler audience, and not to those impulsive ones who came with the announcement.

Last chance – Even if the conference is empty and you are expected to recreate a scene from Avia’s summer, you should always broadcast “Last chance”. Of course, we will do everything to fill the conference, and if you have listened to the stages so far and the digital promotion of the conference is sharp and smart – the conference should enjoy a full and beautiful attendance. But in any case, towards the end of the process, we start reporting on last-minute opportunities, and if possible, of course, we report on last-minute tickets, and send out an urgency to purchase and sell.

The ultimate aspiration at any conference, event, or show is always two words. Two words that should always be at the top of our minds in event planning and marketing: SOLD OUT.

Good luck! See you at the next conference.