Un-Boring Your Events: How to Make Your Presence Unforgettable
Events are back, baby! Yet, most companies treat events like a box to check: Book flights. Ship swag (late). Smile for three days. Fly home.
The problem? No one remembers you. Not your brand, not what you sell. And you probably forgot to send pics to marketing for socials.
That’s a missed opportunity. In an AI-saturated, automated world, events are one of the last places you can make a real commercial impression.
Events put your customers, investors, partners, and competitors all in the same room. If you’re going to spend the time and money, don’t blend in. Make the moment matter. People should leave knowing:
Who you are
What you do for them
Why they should talk to you again
Here’s how to stand out:
1. Prepare Like You Mean It
Know your best (and worst) customers and ICPs—filter conversations accordingly.
Have a killer opening line and a thoughtful follow-up.
Research who else is there. Plot the panels and people worth your time. And then show up. Listen, comment on LinkedIn about them and the panel. Be present and sit up front.
Announce your presence on LinkedIn before you land.
2. Track Like a Pro
Lead capture is not optional. Plan how you’ll log every contact (LinkedIn, Slack, phone notes). If you don’t, you’ll come home with nothing but sore feet. Follow up within 48 hours.
3. Make Your Brand Wearable
Your people are your presence. Whether it’s a yellow suit (👋Liz), bold tie, or specs, funky socks, or signature greeting—be remembered as a person, not just a booth. Create some memorable intrigue.
4. Swap Junk Swag for Experiences
Nobody wants another pen. Think high-quality, useful, or fun. Better yet: give them an experience that makes follow-up easy because they’ll remember it.
We once brought in a pancake artist for a booth. It cost less than t-shirts and was the talk of the floor.
Or hire someone unforgettable like @troyhawke (yes, the sponsor-hired hype man at the 🎥 Genesis Scottish Open—we’re obsessed and can’t wait to book him for a client event).
Other ideas: tasting stations with branded snacks, a hot cocoa bar, quick skill challenges tied to your tech, brand your own key chain, or a photo setup that speaks to your industry.
5. Build Collateral People Keep
Most handouts hit the bin as soon as prospects are at a respectful distance from your booth. Create reference guides, checklists, or pocket one-pagers. Or skip paper: a QR code to a personalized landing page travels further.
6. Work the In-Betweens
Your best connections happen in (long) coffee lines, between panels, or at the hotel bar. Be curious. Start conversations when people are just being people, and aren’t in “sales mode.”
7. Don’t Forget the Afterparties
Can’t afford the badge? Show up at the lobby, coffee shops, or off-site dinners. Often the most valuable deals start over a drink, not a booth.
8. Personalize the Follow-Up
Forget demographics—pay attention to what they care about. Dog lover? Send a branded travel bowl. Golfer? Branded tees. It’s not about the object—it’s about being remembered.
The Point
The real measure of an event is the strength of the relationships you build and the conversations that continue after it ends. A booth can attract attention, but that’s not the same as influence. The human connection and thoughtful follow-up turn attention into deals, partnerships, and investment.
