This document provides tips for maximizing return on investment from events using social media. It recommends discovering target audiences on Twitter and blogs pre-event, engaging with event participants, and preparing content to share during the event. At the event, the guidelines suggest broadcasting interesting information using relevant hashtags and media like photos and videos. Post-event involves staying engaged by sharing additional content from the event.

1. Maximizing Your Event ROI with Social Media An NML Best Practices GuidePresented by: Colin BrowningVP, Client Strategy cbrowning@newmarketinglabs.com

2. Building targeted groups of followers and & content support Pre-Event: Building The Foundation for success

3. Maximizing Event ROI :: Pre-Event Pre-Event: Discovering Your Target Market on Twitter v PeopleBrowsr enables targeted searches of individuals bios on Twitter. Example: Search for CIO or VP Technology of target accounts or search for targeted industries. PeopleBrowsr is one of the only utilities to allow exports of these targeted lists. v

4. Maximizing Event ROI :: Pre-Event Pre-Event: Discovering Your Target Market on Twitter Buzzom enables the rapid growth of a Twitter follower base. Buzzom allows you to Unfollow those that do not follow you back, reciprocate to those that are following you, and then target new followers. The lock feature enables you to not request the same people to follow you repeatedly.

5. Maximizing Event ROI ::Pre-Event Listening: Discovering Target Bloggers Identifying the relevant bloggers and blog searches optimizes your efforts. AllTop, Technorati and IceRocket, enable you to find the targeted bloggers.

6. Maximizing Event ROI ::Pre-Event Pre-Event: Taking action on your blog feeds Organize blog within your favorite RSS Reader (such as Google Reader). Organize topics (or events) by folder. Review 2x a day (depends on number of blogs and frequency of updates) Star items that are interesting for Twitter/Blogger follow up

7. Maximizing Event ROI :: Pre-Event Pre-Event: Engage with other event participants Research speakers blog and Twitter presence and reach out Best practice: Engage with the event community prior to the event, find other attendees, speakers, sponsors

8. Maximizing Event ROI :: Pre-Event Pre-Event: Prepare your site Populate Slideshare, YouTube, and your community with event information including: speaker schedule and background on relevant topics

9. Maximizing Event ROI :: Pre-Event Pre-Event: Prepare to Develop Content Bring necessary equipment: remember to empty memory before event and bring fresh batteries! Prepare interview questions for audience members and/or speakers. Keep questions simple, focused, relevant and topical.

10. Building relevant, targeted content During Event: Connect and Engage with Audience

11. Maximizing Event ROI :: During Event During-Event: Broadcast and Engage Share relevant and interesting information from the event. Use other attendees and speakers Twitter handles when appropriate Always use the event hash tag to tie your Tweets to the event Don’t just cover your company’s participation, broadcast all interesting information from the event. Event Hash Tag

12. Maximizing Event ROI :: During Event During-Event: Broadcast and Engage Use all media possible to create interest. Conduct video interviews with speakers. Photograph event & attendees.

13. Maximizing Event ROI :: During Event During-Event: Monitor Conversations for Engagement Track the event hash tag in Search.Twitter.com (or your other favorite search engine) to engage other audience members in conversation and to gain new targeted followers.

14. Summarize, connect, thank, and post additional content Post Event

15. Maximizing Event ROI :: Post Event Post Event: Stay Engaged and Connected Upload speaker presentations to Slideshare and post recaps & interview content where appropriate

16. Questions? Colin BrowningVP, Client Strategycbrowning@newmarketinglabs.com http://constructingsocial.com Photo credit: mworrel