Let’s be honest. We all miss something about in-person meetings, seminars and conferences. Whether it be the occasional rush in the morning to make the opening bell of a show floor or just seeing old friends, colleagues and customers, we all miss some aspect of event life pre-COVID-19.

In-person events will be back soon, but with an additional focus on virtual platforms to help us meet and connect.

Here are some tips that help make the best out of your virtual investment.

1. Make sure you still have KPIs

   1. You don’t want to lose sight of what you were doing before the pandemic and that means keeping your KPIs. Whether tracking actual sales generated, or meetings with potential customers, it’s important to have strong KPIs tied to your event.
      

2. Pre-, At-, Post-Show Marketing

   1. Nothing should change about your marketing efforts for pre-, at-, and post-show campaigns. There should always be a well-rounded campaign to promote any event, whether it be in-person or online.

3. Select the right technology/Software

   1. We’ve all had those horror stories where we scanned a badge at a show and something went wrong and we lost the information for a hot lead. Choosing the right software and technology for your event is one of the most important choices you’ll make. Captello offers a full suite of universal lead capture, event management and gamification tools to set you up for success.

4. Offer engaging experiences and networking opportunities

   1. If you want to create a memorable experience that will captivate your audience, consider things like:
      1. Icebreaker Games. Make them competitive by adding something like a public leaderboard.
      2. Virtual Casino Nights/Happy Hour.
      3. Scavenger Hunts.

5. Incentivize participation and reward participants.

   1. Even though the event or conference has gone virtual, that doesn’t mean you cut back on promo items for attendees. Plan ahead and mail these items before the show or use them as a follow-up to help generate the next meeting.
   2. If you’re offering a variety of different breakout events, be sure to incentivize any activities to build engagement and drive interest.

6. Capture QUALIFIED Leads

   1. Many online events are providing exhibitors with a full list of registrants, which is helpful, but mass mailing a full attendee list is not the best approach. By qualifying attendees, you can reach a much more targeted audience. By using universal lead capture forms, you can capture the the right person at the right time from anywhere across the globe.

7. Set the stage for sales follow up meetings

   1. Remember to not lose sight of why you are either attending or participating in an event. To achieve the best ROI, always plan to set sales up for success after the event is over.
      

Captello provides cloud-based marketing and sales automation solutions that help businesses worldwide attract, convert and close leads.

Lead capture enthusiasts, such as trade show coordinators, retail marketers, and event marketers directly benefit from improved lead retrieval workflow, in particular, being able to send marketing qualified leads to an endless array of CRM and marketing automation platforms. The solution empowers enthusiasts to do their job better by effectively measuring results, capturing crucial sales insights, and supercharging their organization with a seamless lead flow process from capture to close.