Speaking up for influencers
Senior content executive for RX Global ’ s IBTM Events , Laura Jensen , looks the importance of speakers at exhibitions and how to use them to drive audiences
peakers at events
S are some of the most valuable assets a marketing team can have , and yet they ’ re not always utilised as effectively as they could be .
Your speakers have been chosen as experts and influencers , both in and outside your industry . They possess a wealth of knowledge and connections that can be leveraged to promote their attendance at your event and , by extension , your event itself .
Build relationships with your speakers While it can be easy to assume that the conference manager for your event can manage and facilitate any type of collaboration you ’ d like to carry out with your speakers , sometimes it can be easier to go direct to the source .
By talking directly to speakers , a marketing team can work to understand the best format for the speaker ’ s message and find out whether they ’ d be comfortable to collaborate on campaigns .
These conversations can be a great way of finding out which speakers are active on social media and how they could support your campaigns through their own promotion . campaigns that provide speakers with all the assets they need to promote their attendance at your event , either through a company like GleanIn or through your own design department , can be a great way of making it easy for a speaker to promote their involvement .
This not only draws awareness to their attendance but also boosts the visibility of the event beyond your social audience and out to their networks , increasing the number of people your campaign can reach .
Collaborate with speakers on your event channels While personal advocacy is the
“ By talking directly to speakers , a marketing team can work to understand the best format for the speaker ’ s message and find out whether they ’ d be comfortable to collaborate ”
Above : Laura Jensen best support for event marketing campaigns , there are a wealth of great options for collaboration with speakers on an event ’ s own channels .
Some are quick wins : social posts promoting your speakers or short promo videos filmed by the speakers to say that they ’ re attending .
Others may take more time but can be incredibly valuable , such as interviews with speakers recorded pre-event to introduce their topic and some of the key points , or post-show blogs or videos that can support the material they delivered at the event .
You can see examples of all these types of content on the IBTM blog or social channels .
This content will do more than just promote the speaker and their topic . It will also drive your audience to your website and social channels , making sure your brand stays visible even after your event has ended . EW
Encourage speakers to become advocates Speaker advocacy can be a powerful tool . According to a recent survey from Oracle , 37 % consumers trust social media influencers over brands and what are speakers if not industry influencers ?
Creating tailored speaker
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