How to stand out at a conference

How can companies distinguish themselves from the crowd and stand out at a conference? From small startup teams to established corporations, this is a common question companies struggle with when attending an industry event. The answer might surprise you with its simplicity.

One of the best ways to take advantage of a conference has nothing to do with the newest social media trend or the growth-hacking tactics filling your Medium feed. In fact, it’s one of the oldest offline marketing tactics in the book: host a memorable event.

Hosting an event is a tried-and-true method to receive attention from your conference attendees and gain traction. While attending a conference is a great option for a business to learn about an industry and exchange ideas with peers, merely being in attendance no longer guarantees new customers. Unfortunately, it’s far too common to walk away no better off than you were going in.

Offline events aren’t trendy. They’re not buzzword-worthy, and that’s precisely why they work. Chances are your competitors are focusing on digital marketing strategies – not throwing events. What competitors fail to recognize is that events provide an opportunity to impact an audience that can’t always be reached online.

“From the research we did in understanding how to achieve explosive growth, we found that running offline events surrounding large conferences can be a valuable traction channel,” says Justin Mares, who founded two startups and co-author of the bestseller TRACTION: How any startup can achieve explosive customer growth. “These events give you the chance to attract top decision makers, investors, and prospective customers in a friendly environment away from the hustle and bustle of the conference,” Mares explains.

Doing something different gives you the opportunity to reach an untouched audience. However, just throwing a party won’t guarantee success. To really make a splash and attract new customers, you’ll need to think outside the box. While it can involve extra effort to throw an event that garners significant attention, the payoff is well worth it. For advice on how to take throw a stand out, we turned to MDsave, a rapidly growing company with a proven track record.

MDsave, a startup offering a fresh take on healthcare, knew that a memorable event would help them grow their audience at the exclusive J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. They followed Mare’s method to gain traction by creating a signature “Taste of Nashville” event that was glamorous enough to make it high-profile, while relaxed enough to showcase their authentic company culture. To achieve their mission, MDsave looked for a venue with flexibility that could help them bring their event aspirations to reality.

To see the space where MD Save made it happen, check out the upscale gallery’s Peerspace listing.

With unique touches such as a country singer, whiskey bar, and Southern-inspired decor, MDsave was able to attract a quality crowd of investors, potential customers, and business partners. At the end of the night, their event allowed the team to connect 1-on-1 with leaders in the digital health space, make new connections and spark ideas for future collaboration and opportunities. Taking advantage of a conference through an event requires careful planning but the benefits of reaching a high-quality audience and leaving a lasting impression is a worthwhile investment.

If you want to throw your own stand out event, get started by browsing thousands of unique venues on Peerspace.