How to squeeze a conference like a lemon?
Attending a conference can significantly benefit your business if approached strategically. Conference season for the first half of the year is nearly over. As summer approaches and we take a break before the fall events, it's a good time to reflect on the conferences you've attended.
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Conference season for the first half of the year is nearly over. As summer approaches and we take a break before the fall events, it's a good time to reflect on the conferences you've attended. Have you made the most of them? Or do you feel you could have gotten more out of the experience? Regardless of your answer, let's explore how to maximize your conference results.
Conferences offer numerous benefits:
🔵Opportunities to build your network
🔵Acquisition of new knowledge and perspectives
🔵Connections with potential partners or clients
🔵And much more.
At Open Rate, we've been collaborating with polish software house operating in various markets. Part of their strategy to generate more business involved carefully selecting conferences where they could meet potential clients and making the most of those events.
🔍 Let’s check story.
Their CEO attended one of the largest tech events in the US with a well-defined plan. To maximize his time and the value of the conference, we undertook several strategic steps:
- Pre-Conference Outreach: We created a database of local companies in the host city that fit their target profile. By reaching out to these companies via email and LinkedIn before the conference, we arranged meetings in their offices, facilitating deeper connections.
- Attendee Engagement: We compiled a list of conference attendees using the networking app provided by the event. While many use these apps for basic introductions, we took it a step further by contacting attendees directly via email or LinkedIn before the conference. This proactive approach set us apart.
- Post-Conference Follow-Up: After the conference, we continued our email campaign. With so many meetings and activities during the event, it was impossible to meet everyone. We sent messages expressing regret for missed connections and questions about their conference experience, which often was a great beginning for the conversations.
🔍 Results
Our approach yielded impressive results:
🚀 We sent 3,652 emails, with an open rate of 64.4% (2,354 emails) and received 232 positive responses (6.4%). This is particularly notable given the challenges of email marketing in the US. As a result, we secured 5-6 meetings per week for three months for the CEO and his team.
🚀 For local companies, we sent 131 emails with an 86% open rate and a 6% response rate, leading to one highly valuable meeting.
Attending a conference can significantly benefit your business if approached strategically. Thoroughly research and select conferences that align with your goals and potential partners. Utilize the event's networking tools to their fullest potential, and don’t hesitate to go the extra mile with personalized outreach. By doing so, you can ensure your calendar is packed with productive meetings for months to come. Squeeze every opportunity out of your conference experience like a lemon, and you’ll see the results.
