How do you choose your events?

As a marketer you are more than surely going to attend some events at some point in your career. It is quite possible that you will also have to organize events, or at least manage your company's participation at an event. Events are a great way to promote your company's services and products, reinforce your brand, find a new audience, or even just network with like minded people.

So let's look at what types of events are out there and how to find the best fit for you.

Four types of events to attend

• Trade shows: These are the most commonly attended events from most companies. Usually organized by type of industry, trade shows are a great way to showcase your latest products, benchmark your competition and get new leads.


• Conferences: Conferences are slightly different from trade shows, consisting mainly of speeches given by industry professionals. The benefits there are more about education and networking, and for the speakers to show their expertise on a particular subject. Conferences are often tied in with trade shows, with exhibitors having some of their staff deliver a speech.


• Workshops: As much as a conference can be quite passive for a participant (visitor), a workshop is a much more practical event, where small groups of people sit in a room to work on a particular subject.


• Gala dinners and sponsoring events: This is quite a different type of event but something that can work very well in a local community to increase your company's exposure. Be a sponsor in an Awards ceremony, or sponsor a local sports event - but make sure you don't just put a logo on a banner, try to be at the event and participate in some way.

Choosing which event you will participate at is important. Being an exhibitor at a trade show for example can be very expensive, with a total average cost of 1'000 euros per square meter in Europe. So you need to make sure you attend the right show, with the right approach, in order to maximize your return on investment.

First, decide why you want to attend an event. Are you launching a new product that is quite innovative? Did you develop a new way of working that could be taught to industry specialists? Do you just want to be more visible in your local community? Ask yourself a series of questions to understand your needs better.

Then start your search.

Here are some ways to find events for your company:

• Google: Of course every search starts with Google! Start searching on internet for industry based events. Make sure you use all the search functionalities of google. For example if you are in the medical equipment industry, type something like "medical equipment + trade show". If you want events just in your country, tell google to display results from your country only. Or add the name of your country in the list. Then use variation in your vocabulary: try "trade show" (if this is what you are after), then "exhibition", then "display", etc..


• Trade Magazine: Since most events are very targeted around an industry, be it mobile technology, fitness, measuring instruments, home and garden, it makes sense to look at trade magazines. Key events for the year will probably be advertised in the magazine.


• Trade association website: Similarly, trade associationoxs might organize some events, or at least list them on their websites. For example, I used to work in a company making headphones for airlines, and we attended the annual trade show organized by the APEX association, for In-Flight Entertainment.


• Your competitors: Have a look on your competitors websites, their newsletters, or the ads they place in trade magazines. Do they announce which events they will go to this year? Chances are you'll need to attend them as well.


• Local community websites, newspapers, boards: If you want to play more locally, then you need to be connected with your town and region. Check the websites, the newspapers, the advertising boards around you for locally organized events. Also look at the local convention center's list of events for the year to see if there is one you can attend.

Finally, once you have a list of events to consider, it's time to select the right ones. The ones that will attract your best clientele, require less travel and offer the best exposure.

Here are things to consider when selecting your events:

• Cost: Estimate how much it will cost you to participate in an event, whether having a booth at a local trade show or speaking at an overseas conference. Consider travel costs, advertising costs, set up fees, etc..


• Audience: Who is attending the show? Are your target customers there? Are there a lot of visitors passing by or is it a really small event? you can get this type of data from the event organizers and should study them carefully.


• Key players: Are your competitors attending (check the list of exhibitors or speakers)? Are there big names there or potential partners you can create relationships with?


• Focus: What is the event about? Is it quite a broad event, meaning that you will see lots of visitors but not necessarily high quality leads, or is it a very targeted event where you will need to send your more specialized staff?

Events are exciting and really useful. But they are a lot of work too, so make sure you select them right.

And to finish, another suggestion: why not organize your own event? You can host an open day, organize a factory tour, co-host a workshop with a partner, etc..

Question: What event do you prefer to attend?