BLOGS
Blogging before the event can be a great way to get attendees excited and also spread information important to the event. If you already have a blog, add a new category committed specifically to the upcoming event so your users can easily follow. If you don’t have a blog, or the event is of a substantial size, build a stand-alone blog strictly dedicated to the event. We recently did this for FENCETECH (one of the fastest growing tradeshows in America; you can view the blog at fencetechblog.com) We used it to promote the event and its sponsors, as well as keep attendees informed of things to do around the destination city, information about seminars and exhibits, and a whole lot more. We also did some live blogging from the show floor and some of the major events occurring during the show.

EMAILS
Email is another great way to keep in contact with your attendees. We usually keep the emails to a minimum farther out from the show and increase them as the big day gets closer. Of course, the main purpose of the emails is to increase attendance, so that is a focus of each email. However, we’ve found great responses and more interest in the emails we send when they include more information that is useful or interesting to the recipients, such as information on key networking events or fun things to do around the city the event is taking place. It should all be focused around the event, of course. Emails are also a great way to promote all of your other social media.

FACEBOOK
Creating an event on Facebook is relatively easy and it’s a great start! Promoting that event through Facebook ads and interactions can help grow a lot of interest. Facebook allows you to get extremely precise when narrowing in on your target market which can limit wasted advertising dollars and make paid advertisements extremely cost effective. Leading up to the event, it’s good to remind your fans and keep promoting the event in some of your interactions with them.  During and after the event, Facebook is a great way to keep your fans abreast of what’s going on as well as allowing them to have a forum where they can share pictures and thoughts or questions about what they’re experiencing.

TWITTER
There is no better way for massive, instant communication than Twitter. Before the show, grow your Twitter audience (followers) with informative, relevant tweets or promotional tweets to get them excited for the event. Once the event starts you can also use it to communicate last minute changes in schedules, special events or offers, or keep the people who couldn’t attend in the loop about what’s going on. Since Twitter is such a great tool for back-and-forth communication as well, you can really get a pulse of what everyone at the event is thinking and feeling and respond to any questions or concerns as well as engage everyone in attendance in a new way.

YOUTUBE
Not every event is appropriate to be broadcast on YouTube as many in the business world contain sensitive information, but if the content being discussed can be shared publicly, YouTube is perfect! Since videos usually only go up during the event or after, it is mostly a value added service to attendees but can also be a great way to generate interest in your next event from other YouTube users. A great way to do this is through attendee testimonials.

There are many conventions and trade shows that are going the “social media” route – along with FENCETECH/DECKTECH’10, we’ve also noticed conferences such as the Big (D)esign Conference, the HOW Design Conference, and Food Fete using sites such as Facebook and Twitter as alternative ways to connect with attendees. Building a solid foundation with high expectations for the usage of social media now will ensure that your next big event will be the talk of the town.

Here’s my handy little checklist to help you prepare for your next meeting:

1. Create a quick list of what you need. This doesn’t need to be super detailed, just the basics. And if you’re not exactly sure of all that you need, that’s okay! We’ll be able to suggest more options for your needs based on some basic information.

2. Bring in your current materials. If you don’t have any, don’t worry. It just helps us to see what you’ve done and how we can stay consistent with your branding – if you’re not looking for a total design overhaul.

3. Gather samples that you like. We might notice a theme in your samples that we can build from – like all of them use bright colors or have serif fonts.

4. Know your budget. Don’t let a small budget discourage you. That just means that it’s time for us to get creative with your options.

5. Think of a timeframe. Do you need this for an upcoming event? Or are you just in need of a new look? Regardless, we can help create a realistic timeframe for you.

Those five tips should help to get your next project off to a great start. And when in doubt, bring expensive gifts and endless compliments – designers LOVE that!

Do you have any other suggestions on how to prepare for a meeting with a graphic designer?