Anybody who’s attended a number of conferences is aware of that power drives success within the occasion world. A sense of pleasure and inspiration prompts individuals to attend within the first place after which come again every year. It’s additionally the explanation individuals share their experiences afterwards.
A good way to foster this power amongst conference-goers (and potential conference-goers) is to incorporate video into your convention promotion technique. Simply try this video from the Electronic mail Design Convention — the whole lot from its tempo to its music conveys power and pleasure:
Equally necessary is a sense of intimacy.
No matter whether or not you may have 10 individuals or 10,000 individuals attending your convention, each attendee ought to really feel related with one another, together with your model and with audio system on a extra private stage.
Able to create extra emotions of intimacy, power and enthusiasm amongst your attendees and get individuals coming again for extra 12 months after 12 months? Let’s take a look at methods you possibly can efficiently use video to advertise your conferences – earlier than, throughout and after the occasion.
Earlier than the occasion
Utilizing video earlier than your occasion is all about producing enthusiasm for individuals who have already bought tickets in addition to persuading those that are on the fence about attending.
By providing a convention sneak peak, you give individuals a really feel for what their expertise will likely be like.
Take a minute to look at this video produced by Moz for final week’s MozCon. Not solely will you get goosebumps from watching the video, however you’ll in all probability additionally really feel a little bit of remorse for those who missed out on it:
Hold these greatest practices in thoughts when utilizing video earlier than your occasion kicks off:
- Embrace loads of B-roll footage. B-roll refers to footage that’s distinct from the first content material of the convention. It’s the footage of individuals chatting, sharing a beer, having lunch. It is perhaps paired with a voiceover about how the occasion brings individuals collectively for studying, in addition to enjoyable. It’s the B-roll that actually offers individuals a really feel for the tone of the occasion.
- Embrace testimonials from many alternative voices and personas. You need your potential attendees to have the ability to think about themselves collaborating.
- Don’t attempt to do an excessive amount of with a single video. For those who’re making an attempt to generate enthusiasm, hold the video quick and candy and targeted on that single purpose.
What ought to that single purpose be? Listed below are some examples of how video can play a task earlier than your occasion begins.
Save the date
Create a enjoyable and compelling video to remind individuals to avoid wasting the date in your upcoming occasion. Extra compelling than simply textual content, this video can encourage individuals to join extra information, and ultimately, buy a ticket.
Take a look at this “save the date” video we made for WistiaFest:
Convention touchdown web page
Many occasions now have their very own touchdown pages or microsites — devoted pages that focus in on the occasion alone, in order to reduce distractions and encourage extra signal ups. Take a look at this web page for AWeber’s ASCEND Summit:
With video’s potential to increase landing page conversions by as much as 80%, entrepreneurs ought to be paying consideration. Coupling your convention touchdown web page with an attractive video just like the one on AWeber’s web page could possibly be simply what you could rating extra registrants.
Begin testing movies in your conference landing pages at the moment.
Woo audio system
It may be tough to persuade thought leaders to talk at your occasion, however video permits you to woo them in a novel method. Whenever you attain out to them initially through e mail, you possibly can present them precisely what the occasion is like, have previous audio system give testimonials and supply a private connection that written textual content simply doesn’t provide.
You may as well proceed to woo them after they’ve accepted. Right here’s an instance of a video Wista has used when individuals have signed on to affix us:
In the course of the occasion
Among the best methods to make use of video throughout an occasion is to get individuals speaking concerning the convention’s content material, each in particular person and on-line.
As an example, check out this four-minute video of the keynote with Danny Sullivan and Amit Singhal from SMX West final 12 months:
Releasing a video like this throughout a convention — particularly on-line — will get individuals who aren’t even attending chiming in and creating extra momentum and enthusiasm.
Moreover, by recording your whole classes, you possibly can reuse that content material and probably even promote it for those who’re in search of extra methods to drive occasion income.
To make your in-conference movies as efficient as attainable, keep in mind this one important greatest follow: put together forward and take a look at early and sometimes.
This implies getting stakeholder buy-in about no matter movies you intend to indicate. This additionally means testing your tools and connections earlier than the occasion begins after which once more throughout breaks. Nothing feels as awkward (for the speaker and the attendees) than seeing somebody on stage falter when one thing fails to play or show correctly.
Speaker intros
Giving your audio system a correct introduction creates hype and units the temper for a extremely nice presentation. Contemplate this video we made about Moz’s Rand Fishkin for WistiaFest 2014. It was performed in the principle convention corridor, proper earlier than he walked as much as ship his speak:
You may inform earlier than Rand even comes on stage that he’s a enjoyable, playful man who likes educating others. You may inform he loves his mission, which helps set the stage (and the room) with the proper power for his speak.
For those who select to go this route, there are some greatest practices to remember:
- It’s okay to poke enjoyable a bit, however tread calmly. Don’t danger offending any audio system or attendees.
- Don’t use too many inside jokes. These sorts of intro movies work greatest when everybody feels included within the enjoyable.
- Final, search for images or video footage on-line for inspiration. Most audio system have a number of content material on-line, typically relationship again 12 months and years. You will discover some nice stuff (learn: hilarious former hairstyles) by digging by publicly obtainable content material.
Examples throughout talks
Most audio system wish to use video throughout their speak, however as a consequence of “technical difficulties” are sometimes afraid to take the chance. Reality is, although, audiences love movies, and they permit the speaker to present, fairly than simply inform.
Folks love being proven how one thing works; 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube each minute. So work together with your technical staff to be sure you can confidently provide audio system the power to indicate movies throughout their talks.
Actual-time video throughout events
As a lot as we love conferences for his or her content material and networking alternatives, we additionally all love attending the events.
Providing video in real-time is a enjoyable method for individuals to document recollections and highlights. The content material can then be circled and shared on social media to generate much more buzz in your occasion.
Right here’s an example from the Boston Content material group’s bash final fall, which was edited in real-time and shared with individuals through the occasion. A lot of the content material was recorded in an advert hoc video sales space arrange in a nook of the occasion, earlier within the night:
After the occasion
When an occasion ends, individuals normally (hopefully!) go away feeling impressed to take motion.
However over time, that inspiration loses its luster, and folks are likely to fall again into the mundane.
With video, although, you possibly can prolong the recollections and persistently remind individuals why they attended, what they discovered and extra importantly, what they meant to carry again to their each day lives. It’s virtually like renewing vows, in that you simply’re serving to individuals maintain themselves accountable to be the absolute best model of themselves.
Conferences that leverage video effectively after the very fact are likely to comply with two greatest practices:
- Make sure that some video content material is freely obtainable. Even if you wish to monetize recorded talks, don’t put the whole lot behind a paywall. Share at the least some of your video content material totally free, so that individuals get sufficient of a style that they wish to have interaction additional.
- Create totally different sorts of movies for various contexts. Make quick, teaser content material to share on social media. Share longer, uncut recordings of the talks in your web site. Edit collectively testimonials and suggestions for a high-energy video to advertise the occasion amongst new viewers members.
Listed below are some particular methods you possibly can leverage video post-conference.
Recaps and spotlight movies
For these individuals who didn’t attend, providing a spotlight video is without doubt one of the greatest solution to drive future gross sales through FOMO (worry of lacking out). This highlight video from MozCon 2014 reinvigorates the emotions attendees skilled in particular person.
For those who didn’t attend, this video would possibly simply be sufficient to get you there the next 12 months.
As a bonus, it permits Moz to generate further income by teasing individuals with this spotlight video earlier than asking in the event that they wish to pay for the video recording bundle.
Speaker recordings
No matter if individuals attended a selected session or not, they’re going to need the recordings.
Whether or not to re-watch themselves, share with their groups or present colleagues, be sure you document as most of the speaker classes as you possibly can. You’ll be glad you probably did.
Sneak peak providing for subsequent 12 months
One of the best ways to drive future ticket gross sales is to present individuals a sneak peak of your subsequent occasion/convention.
You may present sneak peaks of town, venue, audio system, sponsors, actions… something that’s compelling concerning the expertise you’re providing future attendees.
Lights, digital camera, name to motion
By now, it is best to have tons of inspiration for utilizing video in your subsequent occasion.
As with something you do, make sure that to customise all of the following tips and suggestions to greatest go well with the wants of your organization.
Begin together with your objectives — whether or not it’s the variety of attendees, income or attendee satisfaction charge.
Then take into consideration the entire ways in which video can probably assist attain these objectives. You simply would possibly discover that video can play a key position within the success of your convention marketing campaign technique.