How to use industry events to get more business

I call today’s idea the Industry Event Brand Boost.

To build a successful business today, you have to have a strong online presence. You have to invest in strategies that help you connect with and convert more people who are looking for solutions to their problems … solutions your business can provide.

But that doesn’t mean you should ignore growth opportunities that exist in the physical world. Despite how important the internet may be to the continued success of your business, you should still look for opportunities to connect with people in the real world.

One way you can do this is by attending industry trade shows and conferences. Not only can attending these events help you connect with the right prospects, it can also help you connect with the right partners. In fact, it’s how I got my very first sponsor for this show all those years ago.

So, here’s my 3-steps to giving your business a boost by attending industry events:

1. Use Google to identify upcoming trade shows and conferences.
2. Decide if you want to participate simply as an attendee, or if you’d like to attend as a vendor and pay to have an actual booth.
3. Schedule to attend at least one event every six months.
   

Pro-Tip: When you’re there, work hard. Don’t be passive and just wander around. Make as many contacts as you can. Get business cards. Email addresses. Phone numbers. Ask questions at the end of presentations. Wear a gorilla suit if you have to! Just be sure to stand out!

That’s my 3-steps to getting a boost by attending industry events.

To help bring this low-cost marketing idea to life, here’s a great blog post that gives you 55 tips on how to network a conference like a Jedi.

So, what have you got to lose?

WHYGTL