By John Lavey, CEO/President

Going to conferences in your industry can be an incredible opportunity, but what content assets and what kind of approach for using this content might help you derive the most value from your investment for in-person events?

Here are five tips to supercharge your event attendance with content that works. If you are at an event to present and/or attend as an exhibitor, here’s how to enhance your team’s expertise with sales enablement content:

1. Create an e-book that helps tell your story in a highly relevant way that addresses your customers and what they are facing right now. Hitting some of the themes of the show is an outstanding way to frame this content. 
   
   
2. Ensure the content specifically addresses pain points and show examples of how you’ve solved that pain for customers like those in attendance.
     
3. Distribute in print form (yes, that’s still relevant to some) and provide access to a landing page for attendees to access the content you’ve created, with an opportunity to provide a way for them to learn more about your solution.
   
   
4. If you are presenting, you also want to specifically address the pain points faced by your audience and show what a solution looks like. You would marry up your presentation with the same content you are sharing on the exhibit floor. 
   
   
5. Presentations, any collateral and signage at your booth should have a QR code to drive them to your site for a personalized experience.

Don’t think about the content you are sharing as a leave-behind. Think about it as helping your customers with their pain points, showing examples of what success looks like, and making it easy for them to continue in their journey to a solution, with you by their side.

Image: Getty Images

Healthcare organizations’ returning to in-person events and conferences is a welcome sight. We have held the opinion that there is a lot you can do virtually, but nothing replaces being with one another for sharing knowledge, building relationships and developing business.

At the same time, there were some savings that groups realized during the pandemic, and the cost structure of virtual events was a line item that was mighty appealing to some. Airfare, hotels, meals and entertainment are all event costs that will come roaring back, along with the benefits of the in-person environment. 

Some healthcare organizations, prior to the pandemic and now, saw the opportunity to continue the conversation with attendees year round through the development of content that was shared long after the booths were taken down. 

Content can be developed during a conference, such as video content from interviews with attendees, speakers and other key persons. Proprietary research can be developed prior to a conference and shared with attendees as part of the programming for the event. Post-event wrap-ups can synthesize the theme of a whole event. South by Southwest spawned a magazine to share the vibe of its event all year. 

When large investments are made into your events, what other ways can you leverage those investments to continue the value of the event?

Image: Getty Images