5 Tips for Integrating Your Online Social Media With Your Offline Events
Much of the world is not on social media. I know…I know…it’s hard to believe. But, the cold hard truth is that, in the greater universe of all business, not as many companies are on social as aren’t. And, some industries have traditional offline events – trade shows, conferences, galas, and more. It’s too early in the game for all of those events to stop and frankly, they probably never will.
I do believe, though, that offline event integration with social media is a big boom for marketers. It gives us a grand opportunity to meld the two worlds together in fun and creative ways. To help you, here are some quick and easy tips to get your creative juices flowing:
Tip #1 – Drive your traffic to a custom event page
I talk about this often, but you have the ability to drive your traffic – your social media links, your videos, your conference flyer, your signage, etc. – to whatever web page you desire. Instead of dumping visitors from your tweet about your event into your standard .com front page, send them to a customized event page. Create a breadcrumb path through your conversion process, always staying aware of where they were before. That way you don’t push too hard too soon yet you step them through the next steps.
Driving your traffic to a custom event page also makes it easy to measure your results, which can justify the budget to do the event again. Use a link shortener or vanity link creator and make it easy to remember and make it custom.
Tip #2 – Offer a strong call to action
It’s easy to forget to do the ask. In social, it’s more often a give, so sometimes the call to action is a join us, like our page, give us your opinion, or sign up for a prize. Whatever the case, use icons to drive a soft yes. You might not get an email sign up but you might get a fanpage like. You might not get a sale, but you might get an email address. But, forgetting to give people the chance, and not being polite enough to ask them to connect, won’t likely get you there.
Anytime you get permission to continue to interact and build a relationship, you are being social. It’s the start of a relationship and if you nurture it, perhaps the start of a lifetime customer. Don’t forget to include a call to action!
Tip #3 – Be mobile device compatible
Many people only surf the web with their mobile device. Most mobile devices have phones that can share pictures of your event immediately. Why not make it easy for people to share by being super mobile device compatible? You might get some free publicity and who can’t use that, right? Back to tip #1, make sure your landing page is mobile device compatible. And have a great looking booth or signage. Make sure your event is ready for its close up because you want people to take pictures and share them. Interesting is always better.
Create a QR code that is event specific, with maybe an online goodie to grab if you go there during the event. Fold in your call to action and you’re golden. Train your offline staff to direct people to the page, explain how a QR code works for those newbies who don’t know yet, and you’re set. People love their gadgets – give them a reason to use them!
Tip #4 – Be interactive
Having a live video display that shows all the real time @reply chatter going on about your brand and during the event is fun. Having something to do that ties the offline and the online worlds together is fun. Extra points when you give your in-real-life guests a hash tag so people at the event can find and connect with each other! Are you sensing a theme, here? Yes, fun. Playful. Interesting. Engaging. Social.
Get creative with ways to tie fun and social into your brand. Yes, there are some brands that can’t be about fun, but most can. Yours probably can. Make it so.
Tip #5 – Use a good CRM system for follow up
After the fun and networking is over, great follow up will help you leverage your hard work and your offline event budget (hey, it’s hard work having fun!…). Follow everyone on social that you met, send them a hello via LinkedIn, or tweet out a thanks for coming with your hash tag included. Engage and keep building the relationship.
Community can build like lightening with physical events but you have to keep the momentum going. Especially cool if your event intake process got you a physical address. Just remember to include your social media icons and your custom vanity URL landing page on your mail-outs so that your contact can escalate the relationship as they prefer. Again, your postcard might not get a call into the office, but it might get you another person following what you say, listening to what you have to offer. Keep sharing value and those initial likes will grow into business opportunities.
Now is NOT the time to pounce
Don’t assume just because someone gave you their card in your giveaway jar that they want you to solicit them to close a deal. They want to keep getting to know you. Be sure your sales staff understands this and continues being social. The sales will come. Relationship first!
Now, go out and mingle…
[graphic by ThinkGeoEnergy]
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