Healthcare Conferences: Maximize your ROI
Healthcare conferences and tradeshows are plentiful these days. And many businesses devote a large chunk of their marketing budget to these events. However, if you’re not prepared and engaged, you might leave the event feeling like you’ve wasted your time and money.
When approached correctly, healthcare conferences and tradeshows can provide a fantastic opportunity to proactively grow your network, engage new prospects, and build stronger relationships with your existing contacts. As the fall conference season kicks in to high gear, here are a few pointers on how to get the most out of your marketing investment:
Make a Plan
Before the event look at the list of exhibitors and attendees to identify those you want to meet. Consider contacting your targets a few weeks in advance to set up a specific meeting time and location. If you’re an exhibitor, let your clients and prospects know your booth number and invite them to visit.
Attend the Functions
Surprisingly, many people spend the time and money to attend a conference, then stay holed up in their hotel room checking emails or huddled together chatting with their colleagues. Take advantage of the networking events, luncheons and other planned activities to meet people. The spontaneous conversations you have at those events often provide valuable industry insights and even business opportunities.
Follow Up and Follow Through
Simply collecting a stack of business cards won’t do you any good. You have to reach out to the people you meet. Send a brief email a few days after the show recapping your conversation and invite these new contacts to connect via LinkedIn. And, if during the show you promised someone you’d send them additional information, do it as soon as possible.
Conferences and tradeshows can be overwhelming. There are oftentimes a large crowd and a jam-packed schedule. That’s why it’s important to plan ahead. If you focus your time and effort toward meeting the right people, the time and money spent will be well worth it.
Here are a few of the upcoming conferences we’re looking forward to:
Physician Hospitals of America Executive Summit