1. Kendra Wright
THE POWER OF ASSOCIATION:
TEN WAYS TO CONNECT

2. It’s going to be a wild ride,
but we’ll send you slides!
GET READY!

5. PORTFOLIO
OVER 120 EVENTS,
DESTINATIONS &
ASSOCIATIONS

6. SAFFIRE ASSOCIATION PARTNERS

11. To get people EXCITED
to come to fairs
& To keep fairs SANE
in the process!
OUR GOAL

12. ASSOCIATION

13. ASSOCIATE

14. CONNECT

16. TEN WAYSTO CONNECT

17. 1
Make Social
EASY

18. GOOD: CONNECT WITH MEMBERS
1. Follow members on Facebook.
Overachievers: Follow members on Twitter.
2. In your communication, ask them to follow you.
Overachievers: Ask them to Get Notifications.

20. BETTER: POST ABOUT MEMBERS
1. Inspire connection BETWEEN MEMBERS:
@bigfair starts today! LIKE to wish them good luck!
2. Inspire connection WITH YOUR ASSOCIATION:
Post behind the scenes, when you meet with members, etc.
3. Don’t forget sponsors, exhibitors, etc.
Your members probably follow them!

21. TAGGING
If you want to use
Use FACEBOOK to schedule posts!

23. WHERE TO POST
1. Facebook
2. Twitter
3. Google+
4. LinkedIn
5. Pinterest
6. Instagram – this one is strategic!

24. BEST: CONNECT PLATFORMS
Time-saving tip: Connect social media platforms.
Strategic choice: Are you going to use Instagram?
For fairs, Instagram is a MUST.
For associations, maybe not.

25. BEST: CONNECT PLATFORMS
If NO Instagram, use BUFFERAPP.COM.
Posts to Facebook, Twitter, Google+ & LinkedIn
PRO: Can schedule posts
CON: Doesn’t include Instagram

26. BUFFER-FOR NON-IMAGE POSTS

27. TWERIOD

28. BEST: CONNECT PLATFORMS
If Instagram, use IFTTT.COM.
When you post to Instagram, posts to Facebook, Twitter, Google+
& LinkedIn.
PRO: Includes Instagram
CON: Can’t schedule posts

31. 2
Adapt to the new
FACEBOOK REALITY

32. NEW FACEBOOK STRATEGIES
There has been a decline in “organic reach”
for Facebook posts from >20% to <3%.
1. Re-evaluate your Facebook investment.
2. Optimize posts for sharing.
3. Engage your fans elsewhere.
4. Pay up. (cheap… for now)

33. FACEBOOK AD TARGETING
• Your Facebook followers & (potentially) their friends
• Your email list & (potentially) “look-alikes”
• People who went to your website
• People who are interested in related organizations

34. 3
Start using
LINKEDIN

35. GOOD: CONNECT WITH MEMBERS
Connect with all your members, potential members, sponsors,
exhibitors.

36. GOOD: CONNECT WITH MEMBERS
If you hear of a potential member, check LinkedIn to see who you
know in common.

37. BEST: CREATE A LINKEDIN GROUP
1. Go to LinkedIn.com, then Interests, then Groups.
2. At bottom right, “Don’t see what you’re looking for? Create
a Group.”
3. Invite your LinkedIn connections.
4. Be prepared to “seed” the group at first.

38. 4
Increase your
EMAIL EFFORTS

39. GOOD: BEEF UP YOUR LIST
1. Export your email contacts:
Outlook  Options/Advanced/Export to a file
Gmail  Contacts/More/Export…/Outlook CSV
2. Filter out all but business contacts.
3. Import your business contacts into your email sending tool.

40. BETTER: USE EMAIL TOOL
1. Friends don’t let friends use Outlook for enewsletters.
CON: Can only send 50 at a time
CON: No scheduling
CON: No statistics
2. Lots of tools available:
Constant Contact, MailChimp, SaffireMail (free with ad)

41. BETTER: USE TEMPLATE
1. Have a template with your logo and the look of your site.
2. Allow website email signups.
3. Have email signups go directly into your email list.
4. When you’re ready, Just Add Content!

42. FFF: BEFORE & AFTER

43. BEST: SCHEDULE EMAILS
1. Especially during your busy season, schedule those emails!
2. From year to year, copy old emails to new campaigns and
edit them.

44. EDITORIAL CALENDAR
www.SaffireEvents.com/calendar

45. 5
Use
IMAGERY

46. GOOD: CREATE IMAGE LIBRARY
Try to include an image with every social post and email.
How to create your library?
1. Ask your events for images.
2. Put them all in one place to create an image library –
Dropbox is awesome & free!

47. BEST: IMPROVE IMAGES
99% of the time, you should:
• Crop
• Brighten
• Filter
New, awesome tool: WWW.CANVA.COM

48. BEST: IMPROVE IMAGES

49. BEST: IMPROVE IMAGES

50. 6
Do business
DIGITALLY

51. GOOD: PUT FORMS ONLINE
Have online:
• Convention forms
• Membership forms
• Etc.
Make your registration form available as a web form,
so you don’t have to re-enter them!

52. BEST: TAKE PAYMENT ONLINE
Allow online:
• Convention payments
• Dues payments
• Sponsor payments

53. 7
Do some
MATCH-MAKING

54. GOOD: MEET THE MEMBER

55. BETTER: HELP FIND RESOURCES
Example: X fair is looking for a
50-foot Christmas tree, barge rental, etc.
• Send out via email.
• Post in LinkedIn group.

56. BEST: SPEED DATING
• Set up 10-minute meetings between fairs and vendors.
• Vendors “pay to play.”
• You can also do this at newcomers reception
• Split into two groups
• Inner circle and outer circle
• 5-minutes, then one circle moves

57. 8
Get a
JOB

58. GOOD: HELP MEMBERS FIND JOBS
Encourage members to send job announcements:
• Via email
• On your website (keeps people coming back!)
• LinkedIn group post

59. BEST: PUT JOBS ON WEBSITE

60. BEST: SEND JOBS VIA EMAIL

61. 9
Be a consistent
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE

62. GOOD: ONGOING ONLINE EDUCATION
• Link from your website to other online resources
• Guidelines
• Laws
• Government entities
• IAFE web pages

63. BETTER: KEEP EDUCATION GOING
• Other website resources
• Publish (or guest-publish) blog articles
• Promote industry podcast (shameless plug:
The Amplifier Event Marketing Podcast)

64. BEST: KEEP EDUCATION GOING
• Host (or co-host) webinars
• Additional in-person seminars

65. 10
Be among
THE BEST

66. BEST: BE RESPONSIVE
If a member asks a question that you can’t immediately answer,
email and say “I’m on it!”

67. BEST: BE FUN TO HELP
“People don’t value what they don’t pay for.”
• That’s tricky, because most of us rely on in-kind donations!
• If you get help that you don’t pay for, try to treat it like
you did.
• Go as quickly as you would if you were paying.

68. BEST: ASSUME GOOD INTENTION
Many service members actually like being of service!
• Remind them that when it’s education, stick to education.
• But then let them help out!

69. BEST: BE ENTICING ONLINE
Have a “resourceful” website!
• Some make you excited to be a part of them.
• Some make you feel like it would be a lot of work.
Once is a fluke; twice is a trend. When you get a question twice,
put the answer on your website.

70. BEST: BE MOBILE
We go to lots of conventions, wear a lot of lanyards, try to keep
up with a lot of convention schedules.
• Be mobile, so it’s easy to look things up!
• Include room names/numbers!

71. If you give me your card,
I’ll send you these slides.

72. UTILIZE SAFFIRE AS A RESOURCE
• Ask us:
• For newsletter or blog articles
• To co-host webinars
• To speak at your convention
• Use SaffireMail for email newsletter
• Promote The Amplifier Event Marketing Podcast

73. FOLLOW SAFFIRE
Website www.saffireevents.com
Facebook Saffire Events
Twitter @SaffireEvents
Instagram saffireevents
Pinterest saffireevents
YouTube saffirestudio
Amplifier www.saffireevents.com/podcast
Questions?