#7. Get Marketing Material Ready

Marketing Material can make or break a conference. Although as the Marketing Manager, I may be biased. But seriously, it can.

There are four major pieces to prep prior to attending or exhibiting at a conference:

• The Information Document(s)
• The Business Cards
• The Giveaways
• The Booth

Let’s talk a little best practices.

• Make It Interactive – Everyone is going to have the standard one-sheeter. Get interactive with surveys, forms, drawings, tear-off sheets, etc…
• It Should Provide Value – Tell us more than who you are and why you are awesome. Address the real life questions or scenarios that your business/service will solve.

• Change the Shape or Size – Pay a little more for the thicker paper, create a colorful postcard, produce a catalog or magazine or maybe even try out a flip book!
• Make It POP! – A good design goes a long way. It should be eye catching and jump off the page. 
• Less Text, More Pictures – With the creation of the infographic, this should be a no-brainer. But, I still see companies with text heavy documents. Have a lot to say? Use bullet points!

• The Paper – Get paper people can takes notes on. As slick as shiny, small or black business cards look…don’t do it. 
• A Picture – I know it sounds a little cheesy, but add a professional photo to your business card. It helps people remember you.
• Personalize It – We are all human, we have quirks, specialties, etc … let it show on your card. Add something to make you less static, and more real.

• Packable – It should be reasonable in size and weight so attendees can actually take it home. No giant cookbooks please.
• Edible – Or make it edible! Who doesn’t love a nice snack at a conference? Think energy bars, refreshing juice or fruit cups! (or just candy…)
• Something for the Kiddos – Attendees love bringing home gifts for kids! Think toddler t-shirts, stuffed animals or race cars.

• Keep It Simple – Don’t overwhelm your booth design. The design should focus on one or two talking points.
• Make It Pop – Most attendees have already hand-picked vendors to visit. Make your booth stand out with bright colors, big images or something totally out of the ordinary. I’ve seen someone throw a ping pong table in their booth!
• Above the Waist – These booths are big. Don’t waste time designing anything below the waist line. You’ll have chairs, tables and giveaways blocking it.