How Can Startups Benefit from Attending Marketing Conferences in 2021?
Apart from impacting the health of almost half the world, COVID 19 has also impacted the global economy like no other. It has led to shifts in the economies like never before and has had a few industries collapsed as well. However, amidst all this, there were certain positive shifts happening around the world. As much as the individuals and both big and small businesses had to face challenges, there has been an immense rise in the employment opportunities for all the economies. Be it the educational sector, transportation & automotive sector, marketing & advertising arena, or the healthcare sector; all the industries have witnessed rapid advancements and sudden shifts that have led them pass through this phase and prepare for the future at the same time. It therefore becomes even more important to stay up-to-date with all the advancements (technological or fundamental) of your industry to think better, and plan better for the future.
Just like any other industry, the marketing & advertising industry is also hit by the pandemic and there have been shifts in this industry too. The best way to stay updated and get back on the track is by attending marketing conferences in 2021. These international conferences offer a range of benefits to the marketers and advertisers. Although all the groups can immensely benefit by being a part of global events and summits, there’s this one group that can make the most out of these conferences – the startups! Summits are an amazing place to connect and build the network that the startups may want to recruit from in the future. Startups often wonder if these conferences are worth their precious time and investment; well, the points below might help you decide for yourselves.
- Great Networking Opportunities
Being a budding entrepreneur or a startup in the marketing and advertising industry, one of the major benefits of attending an international marketing conference is that you get to meet a plethora of visionaries of the marketing and advertising world. This being your learning stage, it is quite imperative to get in touch with the leading marketing professionals and get to know their thought process, their abilities, and what makes them unique. This will not only help you know the leaders, but will also help you grow as an individual by getting fresh perspectives. Getting to meet such visionaries in person is only possible in conferences, summits, and exhibitions.
- Have an idea? Pitch it at the global stage.
One of the major benefits of conferences is that you get to pitch your product or service in front of the VCs and angel investors; who might even decide to fund your startup if they found your business idea captivating and worth the investment. Leading marketing conferences such as MARsum have a separate slot fixed for the startups to present their pitch in a given time-frame and if they’re lucky enough, they surely shall get the much-needed funding for their business.
- Put up your exhibition booth.
Another amazing benefit of attending the marketing and advertising conferences is that you get to showcase your product and services by putting up an exhibition booth. But, before you go ahead and register for any exhibitions, make sure the conference’s agenda has a dedicated time slot for the attendees to have a look at the exhibitions. What’s the use otherwise?
The best is, you might even get to clinch deals right there! You might as well have a look around other exhibitions and take away what they have in store that’d benefit your startup and can contribute to your growth.
- Take part in keynotes and panel discussions.
The exhaustive agenda of the marketing conferences covers all the core issues of the industry and the ways to tackle them. This is the best chance to show the leaders what you’ve got. If you know you’re knowledgeable enough and can help other attendees gain insights into the important topics pertaining to the marketing and advertising arena, you should not think twice before getting yourself registered as a speaker and reserving your slot before it gets filled.
- Be visible.
If you’re keen to get noticed for the vision, knowledge, or the skills that you possess, take part in the panels and keynotes. Ask questions to the speakers. Conferences do reserve a good 5-10 minutes of time after every keynote or panel session for the attendees to clarify any doubts that they might have. Apart from that, network with the leaders in the teak breaks. It’s a great way to forge professional relationships and build great contacts while enjoying a sip of your favourite beverage. Most importantly, make sure you’re present on all 2 or 3 days of the conference depending upon the duration of its course. You might not want to miss out on any opportunity that can make you stand apart from the crowd and benefit you in unexpected ways!
- Lastly, enjoy!
Keep in mind that all of this is an experience that you’ll not forget in your lifetime. Make sure you make the best out of it and take home all the good memories as you can. You might as well consider taking your colleagues or friends along who’re keen to learn as much as you do. International conferences like these are a great way to engage, involve, share, learn, and grow while you’re at it!
Main-stage keynotes, exhibition booths, engaging and interactive panel discussions, vc panels, startups with their brilliant ideas, networking and coffee breaks, a gathering of over 300-400 world class professionals, and whatnot! Attending one of the global marketing conferences can be one of the best experiences for you! Just a tip before you plan on attending any conference – when looking at upcoming marketing and advertising conferences or summits, make sure they align with your customer profile and venture needs. Depending on the stage of your venture, you’ll be interested in networking with different attendee audiences. One important distinction to make is to determine if you need a B2C or B2B audience. Once you figure this out, it’ll be easier for you to shortlist a conference that you’d want to attend and reap maximum benefits out of it!
