In today’s digital age, social media has become a powerful tool for professionals preparing to speak at trade shows.  

With its vast reach and potential for engagement, social platforms offer an unparalleled opportunity to generate excitement, build anticipation, and connect with your audience before the event even begins.  

In this blog post, we’ll explore strategies for effectively using social media to generate pre-event hype and maximise your impact as a speaker at a trade show. 

  • Establish your presence

Before diving into pre-event promotion, ensure that your social media profiles are up-to-date and reflective of your professional brand. Optimise your profiles with a clear and professional bio, high-quality profile picture, and relevant keywords to make it easy for attendees to find and connect with you. 

  • Share teasers and sneak peeks

Create buzz around your upcoming speaking engagement by sharing teasers and sneak peeks of what attendees can expect from your presentation. This could include sharing snippets of your content, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your preparation process, or exciting announcements about topics you’ll be covering. Use visuals, such as graphics or videos, to make your posts more engaging. 

  • Leverage event hashtags

Many trade shows and conferences have their own hashtags to facilitate conversation and networking among attendees. Take advantage of these hashtags by including them in your pre-event posts and engaging with other users who are using the same hashtags. This will help increase the visibility of your posts and connect you with potential attendees who are interested in the event. 

  • Engage with your audience

Social media is a two-way street, so don’t just focus on broadcasting your own messages—take the time to engage with your audience as well. Respond to comments, answer questions, and participate in conversations related to the event topic. This will help you build relationships with attendees and demonstrate your expertise in your field. 

  • Collaborate with event organisers and sponsors

Work closely with event organisers and sponsors to amplify your pre-event promotion efforts. They may be willing to share your posts with their followers or feature you on their own social media channels, increasing your reach and exposure to a broader audience. Collaborating with influencers or other speakers attending the event can also help expand your reach and attract more attendees to your session. 

  • Offer exclusive content

Entice your social media followers to attend your session by offering exclusive content. This could include access to additional resources or special giveaways reserved for your social media followers. Creating a sense of exclusivity and urgency can help drive interest and encourage more people to attend your presentation. 

  • Create countdowns and reminders

Build anticipation for your speaking engagement by creating countdowns and reminders leading up to the event. Share posts counting down the days, hours, or minutes until your presentation, and remind your followers to mark their calendars and save the date. Encourage them to set notifications or reminders so they don’t miss out on your session. 

  • Share testimonials and past successes

Boost your credibility and excitement for your presentation by sharing testimonials or highlights from past engagements. This could include quotes from previous attendees, photos or videos from past events, or statistics showcasing the impact of your presentations.  

Social media is a valuable tool for professionals preparing to speak at trade shows, offering countless opportunities to generate pre-event hype and engage with your audience.  

By establishing your presence, sharing teasers and sneak peeks, leveraging event hashtags, engaging with your audience, collaborating with event organisers, creating countdowns and reminders, and sharing testimonials and past successes, you can maximize your impact and ensure a successful speaking engagement.  

Start building excitement for your presentation today and watch as your audience eagerly awaits your insightful sessions.