Recently, I attended the annual VivaTech technology conference for top startups and leaders in Paris. It was an incredibly organized event that attracted 165,000 people from all corners of the world. They came not only to listen to guest speakers: the organizers estimated that participants connected over 400,000 times during the four days of the conference. It's logical: various thematic events are places where potential clients, partners, investors, and like-minded people converge. Conferences are an ideal pool of opportunities; failing to take advantage of them is a loss for any business.
How to get the most out of it?
The first obvious but quite challenging option is to become a speaker.
Participating in relevant conferences as a speaker is one of the main tools for scaling your brand, showcasing your authority and expertise, and introducing your business to the audience. Additionally, networking with other speakers, industry insiders, and media representatives is essential. Speakers also gain additional business networking opportunities through exclusive closed events. Getting invited to these is a significant challenge, as these events don't host random people.
What should a PR professional do to make organizers fall in love with their speakers?
The optimal option is to become a conference speaker to maximize various thematic events. In this case, a PR professional must fully utilize their negotiation skills, communication experience, and networking talents to convince and charm the organizers.
Every detail matters:
- How well-known you are as a PR professional within the community;
- What authoritative figures in your field can say about you;
- How you present your client (or yourself);
- Your persuasiveness and ability to establish business connections;
- The relevance of your contact base with organizers and producers — and how quickly you can find the necessary contacts.
All these nuances can come in handy when negotiating with organizers for your client's participation as a judge in various internal competitions or events. Being on the jury, deciding the fate of a startup battle participant and other industry authorities, exchanging experiences, and debating are prestigious and honorable. It opens the same doors for you (or your client) as for speakers.
It's hard, sometimes exhausting, but worth it. One closed event with a couple of dozen people can be more effective for you than a day spent at a massive conference.
In Paris, during VivaTech, I attended the closed event, organized by The Female Founders & Investors Networking Dinner. Given that this year's VivaTech focused heavily on women's role in technology, this event's mission was to help women exchange valuable ideas and inspire each other, fostering a strong community. There were 30 of us, and this dinner was an ideal opportunity to gain useful information, meet potential colleagues, and discuss potential deals to finance our projects. A few years ago, at one of the WebSummit events, friendships formed in the speaker lounge with journalists have lasted to this day.
What if speaking didn't work out? What are the additional ways to make a connection?
Among other opportunities to establish connections, I note the following:
- Startup competitions
Various startup battles, such as TechCrunch Startup Battlefield, Unicorn Events, Atlanta Startup Battle, and others, offer a chance to shine with relatively minimal expenses. In addition to the entrance ticket to the event, a shortlisted participant can be remembered by pitching their startup or product. Of course, the substantial cash prize for the winner is also worth starting to Google interesting upcoming events for 2024-2025.
- Participating in delegations
This is an ideal springboard for startups that can't independently apply to participate in a coveted event. Recently, the Ukrainian Startup Fund, IT Ukrainian Association and the Ministry of Digital Transformation have been regularly providing such opportunities. In the first half of 2024, several Ukrainian startups secured spots at national stands and participated in delegation activities (side events, various meetings, etc.) at conferences like VivaTech, London Tech Week, and SelectUSA Investment Summit. The conditions are simple: meet specific criteria and successfully pitch yourself/your product during selection. And be ready to use every moment to present yourself to the right audience.
- Brand representation with a stand
Borrowed from marketing, this classic tool works great if approached creatively. Forget about newsstand-like booth setups with promoters handing out flyers! Modern stands occupy much larger spaces and can accommodate various activities to attract attention. Product demonstrations, test drives, games and raffles, and unique visual designs can all be utilized, depending on your imagination and budget.
The rewards are:
- Leads;
- Useful acquaintances;
- Guests whose visits can become additional newsworthy events.
For example, visits to the Ukrainian stand at WebSummit by Olena Zelenska in 2022 or by representatives of the European Commission led by Sofia Moreira de Sousa in 2023.
- Public mentions by conference organizers
If you successfully pitch your product/services to the organizers, you have a chance to attract the attention of visitors and, very importantly, media representatives long before the event itself.
This happened with the startup Esper Bionics at VivaTech 2024. Impressed by the idea (creating bionic prostheses using artificial intelligence), the organizers did not hesitate to mention and announce the company as a participant in their informational messages. The result: increased attention from visitors and numerous media representatives.
"It is our first time at Viva Technology — and we could not have asked for a better reception from the media and event visitors!", commented Esper Bionics.
- Organizing side events and other activities within the conference
You couldn't become a speaker in the main conference program? Host your event: organizers usually allow this. At VivaTech 2024, over 150 participants attended Ukrainian Tech Night 2024, where representatives of Ukraine's tech and business sectors exchanged experiences with French colleagues. Also, side events at WebSummit organized by Wtech, Reaktor and Portuguese Women in Tech gathered 2 years ago, and last year our another side event gathered 300 participants, including international media representatives. This year, the international Wtech community organized the Ukrainian pavilion at the Women in Tech Perspectywy conference.
Together, we are stronger
I want to emphasize the importance of communities, which are only now beginning to be truly valued. Communities are primarily a powerful and effective way to build relationships with your target audience.
A community of people united by specific values and goals can move mountains. It can defend a business in times of attack, make it famous, or "sink" it informationally within hours. Therefore, before diving into this world, consider whether you have the time and experience to manage your community. It's meticulous daily (if not hourly) work involving the founder, the team, and each community member.
If you lack the resources to create and moderate your community, you can join an existing one, becoming a participant, mentor, partner, etc. In any case, the benefits will justify your time and resource investments. Collaborations with a like-minded community will only strengthen your brand, provide quicker access to the right audience, help you integrate into the international environment, and open doors to new markets.
From my experience: a year and a half ago, Wtech had 12 branches in Ukraine and two offices abroad, in London and Berlin. Today, our community has over 7,000 members and operates in 31 countries worldwide, with 100 partners representing the community in these countries. Additionally, 30 brand ambassadors take care of the daily development of the Wtech brand. And many processes become much easier and faster, and new perspectives open up when you have like-minded people worldwide ready to step in whenever needed.
The realistic PR professional's favorite question: to what end?
You can gradually achieve your desired outcome by varying all the approaches I mentioned above and using every opportunity for ethical networking (by no means to be confused with aggressive sales).
Since lifting the first quarantine restrictions after COVID-19, we have intensely felt the importance of offline contact and how much the industry missed it. Conferences, events, and community participation provide the best opportunities today to establish necessary connections much faster. After all, every public appearance, speech, and contact is a step toward your goal. And a successful pitch can "hit" in ways you never expected.
