Best Ways to Create Buzz for Science Events

10 things we do at events that actually work (and don’t waste our money). 1. Never optimize for demos. Optimize for “WTF was that?” Your job isn’t to be remembered for your pitch. It’s to be unforgettable. No one brags about visiting the “most informative” booth. They brag about the one that made them feel something. Should have a WTF (far away) and a WTF (close up) 2. Pick a theme. Go full-send. No theme = no chance. Everyone in SaaS looks the same. A strong theme makes strangers walk up and say, “Okay… what is this?” 3. Uniforms. Head to toe. No exceptions. Matching shirts aren’t a brand. They’re a HR policy. Costumes = courage. If you go full cosplay, you own the floor. Half-send = half-impact. 4. Assign roles like it’s Ocean’s Eleven. – One hypes the crowd – One schedules meetings – One floats and finds whales – One documents the chaos No free agents. No bystanders. Everyone is on mission. 5. Have ONE CTA. ONE. Not “Scan this QR or enter our raffle or follow our founder’s dog account.” Just one outcome. Ours? Book a meeting. Everything else is noise. 6. Booths are fine. Hype is better. We’ve run events with and without booths. Turns out, it’s not the backdrop. It’s the buzz. If people aren’t pointing at your team and saying “What is going on over there?” You’re forgettable. 7. 90% of ROI happens before you land. – Pre-event outreach – Targeted DMs – Booked convos – Landing pages The event is just the show. The work is the tour. 8. Two-tier swag: vultures vs closers. Leave cheap swag out front. Stickers. Socks. Stress balls for the takers. Keep the good stuff behind the booth - only handed out after a real convo. Scarcity converts. Pity-swag doesn’t. 9. Throw your own micro-event. Doesn’t have to be fancy. – Coffee walk – Tired people lunch – Invite-only patio meetup It gives you a reason to DM people before the event. And makes you a magnet, not just another booth. Maybe a 10k giveaway ;) 10. Become a media brand (for 48 hours). – Record everything – Post real-time stories – Interview attendees – Meme yourself Most booths disappear. We leave with content that compounds. Simple formula: Show up different. Execute with discipline. And create experiences people remember. stay Supered⚡ -matt P.S. An an extra 1 just cuz I luv u 11. Wear the uniform OUTSIDE the event. Together. In Public. People will notice.

The “Dessert Trolley” Strategy: How to Get Decision-Makers Lining Up for Your Event In Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara shares the “Low and Slow” rule. It's as simple as it sounds, but so smart! When delivering a dessert across a restaurant, walk slowly and keep it at eye level. By the time you reach the table, every other guest has already been thinking about that cake. So, how do we get your “dessert trolley” in front of decision-makers before the event begins? The Pre-Event Hype Train (Before the Event) Build anticipation so the right people feel they need to be there. Strategic Pre-Event Messaging (That Aren’t Bland and Boring) – Forget “Register now!” messages. Instead, write messages that speak directly to the right attendees: - Who should attend and why it matters - What problems you’ll help solve and why it matters - What results they can expect and why it matters Ask yourself at every step, "why it matters" to your attendees, and you're already a step ahead of most event messaging. Sponsorships with a Hook – As an event host, don’t just slap logos on signage. Partner with sponsors to create meaningful brand moments. Like exclusive content drops, VIP experiences, or interactive activations. Engage with your audience before they even step on-site. In-Person Buzz (Earn Your Way In) – The most talked-about parts of an event are often the ones you can’t just walk into. Whether it’s an invite-only gathering, a secret session, or a speakeasy networking lounge, make exclusivity part of the strategy. Attendees who know something special is happening, but need to earn their way in, will spread the word for you. Don’t just announce an event. Make it impossible to ignore. The best event experiences don’t start when the doors open—they start the moment people hear about them. ---------------------- Hi, I'm Jay Designing experiences for events that drive ROI for our clients. #business #branding #sales #marketing #eventprofs

Successful event marketers use short videos at 𝒆𝙫𝒆𝙧𝒚 stage of their events. How do they do it? ➝ Before the event: Use shorts as teasers to announce the event and boost registration ➝ During the event: Share short videos of real-time interviews to attract more views ➝ After the event: Repurpose long interviews into short recaps & highlights, and post them across platforms to generate buzz for future events Among these stages, "after the event" is the most important one. Imagine this: Converting a lengthy interview into 10 short clips, each garnering more views than the original video alone. That's 10x the reach. To be clear: Not all short videos will perform. Ensure your shorts: ➝ Deliver a clear and concise message ➝ Drive people to take action ➝ Use visuals (animated captions, b-rolls, etc.) to enhance the appeal And don't just clip recent videos. Repurpose past content as well. It is not only a great way to revive your past content. Shorts from prior events serve as great teasers to promote upcoming ones. HubSpot has mastered this approach. To promote #INBOUND2024 in September, their event team is using Opus Clip to clip highlights from #INBOUND2023 sessions as teaser videos across social platforms. And their VIP tickets are nearly sold out. Undoubtedly, they'll continue to clip more videos during and after #INBOUND2024. Because short videos are the most potent tool for event promotion today.

If you want your event to get the most buzz and attendance - follow this one simple concept. Refuse to feel traditional. Organizations are reimaging how they produce events - and I'm about to tell you how to apply these ideas to your own event. 🔹 Immersive Brand Activations Spotify and LinkedIn took to Cannes Lions and transformed spaces into branded lounges that doubled as networking hubs. 👉🏾 Your Turn: Versus a Step-And-Repeat wall, create a space where guests get to interact with your story. Think: Hands-on demo Branded lounge with entertainment A Themed environment 🔹 Reinvented Corporate Conferences Shopify gave attendees hidden speakeasies, garage style brainstorming rooms, and teaming building via hackathon labs. 👉🏾 Your Turn: Get out of that ballroom beloved. BizBash reported on FX celebrated their season premier at a laundry mat. Unexpected venues will forever surprise attendees and spark interest. 🔹 Fan & Sponsor Engagement Wins During the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) All-Star Weekend, Nike and American Express built fan zones that converted foot traffic into measurable leads because they were interactive. 👉🏾 Your Turn: If you have sponsors, design experiences where guests are actively engaging with them and not walking past yet another logo. 🔹 Purpose-Driven and Sustainable Events Meaningful is the new Must Have. This goes beyond dietary restrictions and plant based food. 👉🏾 Your Turn: Add on elements that shows your value: sourcing local vendors including minority owned, reducing waste, and tying a cause to your event. My key takeaway: Your attendees don't just want to show up. They want a new lived experience, discover something new and have a story worth telling. The question you should always ask during the event planning phase is what story will attendees leave telling. P.S. Did you find this helpful?