This document discusses how social media and events are interconnected. It is authored by Scott Niesen, who has over 20 years of experience managing corporate communications and marketing. He discusses how event attendance has declined in recent years but maintaining customer intimacy through events can still provide value. The document also provides tips on how to use social media to build engagement before, during and after events. This includes connecting with attendees, hosting conversations and extending the event experience online. Metrics are suggested to measure the impact of social media strategies on events.

1. FACE TO FACE
SOCIAL MEDIA
&
EVENTS
scott niesen
scott.niesen@comcast.net
twitter: @sniesen

2. WHO IS THIS GUY?
MANAGED CORPCOM &
MARCOM FOR MORE
THAN TWO DECADES

3. WHO IS THIS GUY?
MANAGED/PARTICPATED
IN MORE THAN 50 EVENTS
FIRST TO LAND
LAST TO LEAVE

4. WHO IS THIS GUY?
USING SOCIAL MEDIA
SINCE 2004

5. WHO IS THIS GUY?
OH…
AND I MARRIED AN EVENT
PLANNER

6. WHAT I’VE LEARNED
ALL CAREERS LEAD TO
EVENT PLANNING

7. TRADE SHOW
ATTENDANCE IN 2008

8. -5%

9. -10%

10. 2009 IS
-22%
WORSE

11. $16 TO $24 SQ. FT.

12. “Many marketers will look to cut
budgets in the next few weeks and
while the pressure to cut trade shows
and events will be high, keeping the
intimacy with customers will pay
dividends, even during a recession.”
G.Oliver Young - Forrester

14. PEERS &COLLEGUES 84% IMPORTANCE OF EACH SOURCE
INFORMING PURCHASE DECISION
VENDOR, TRADE, PROFESSIONAL 80%
WEBSITES
BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS 77%
DIRECT VENDOR SALESPERSON 75%
CONSULTANTS, VALUE ADDED 68%
RESELLERS
INDUSTRY EVENTS, TRADE SHOWS 65%
CONFERENCES
SOCIAL NETWORK SITES, ONLINE 64%
COMMUNITIES
NEW OUTREACH IS
INTERACTIVE MEDIA – PODCASTS, 61%
ONLINE VIDEO
CHANGING THE GAME
EMAIL - NEWSLETTERS 60%
WEBINARS 60%
VENDOR/INDUSTRY BLOGS 57%
ANALYST FIRMS 56%
BROADCAST 42%
DIRECT MAIL 41%
SOURCE: FORRESTER RESEARCH ENTERPRISE & SMB HARDWARE SURVEY NA & EUROPE – Q3 2008

15. GETTING MORE FROM
YOUR EVENTS WITH
SOCIAL MEDIA
BEFORE | DURING |AFTER

16. CONNECTION
CONVERSATION
EXTENSION

18. IT’S FREE

19. SORT OF

20. DOESN’T
COST
MUCH

21. BUT

22. IT TAKES
WORK

23. ANATOMY OF A WEB 2.0 EVENT

25. IF YOU BUILD IT
THEY WILL COME…
MAYBE.

26. EVENT MANAGEMENT TAKING THE LEAD

27. BUILD THE BUZZ

31. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
4,966
FANS

32. 545
MEMBERS

33. 10,989
FOLLOWERS
1,230
UPDATES

34. BUILD THE BUZZ
ORGANIZERS
SPEAKERS
PARTICIPANTS

35. LEAD & JOIN THE CONVERSATION

37. 700 TPH

39. SHARE THE LOVE
SET THE CONTENT FREE

40. SHARE THE PITCH

41. SHARE THE PITCH

42. SHARE THE PITCH

43. SHARE THE PICS

44. SHARE THE VIDEOS

45. IT’S ALL
MEASURABLE

46. START OVER

47. WHAT NOW?

48. LEARN THE
TOOLS

49. CREATE THE
MIX

50. EXPERIMENT

51. MEASURE

52. WHERE NOW?

53. THE EVENT
COMES TO YOU

54. PARTICIPATION
WITHOUT
EXHIBITING

55. THE
UNCONFERENCE

56. INTIMATE
CONFERENCE

57. EVEN PLAYING
FIELD

58. POWER TO THE
ATTENDEES

59. thanks
scott niesen
scott.niesen@comcast.net
twitter: @sniesen
http://marketinggoon.wordpress.com