Events represent  a significant investment for many B2B companies.  Marketers go to great lengths to ensure their event features the right content or entertainment; is held at the perfect venue;  and includes memorable food and beverages. However, it used to be that once an event was over,  there was very little opportunity for marketers to engage customers or prospects who were unable to attend.  There were also very limited ways  to engage with attendees after the event.

Social media has changed all that. It provides companies with an opportunity to extend the life of their B2B events by creating a way to experience the events online. It also allows marketers to use social media channels to reach out to attendees and non-attendees in new ways — often with a multimedia experience. Here are five ways to make social media part of your B2B event strategy.

1. Prior to the event, create a hashtag for the event on Twitter. Hashtags  help people find your event on Twitter and see what people are saying about it. Encourage people to talk about their plans to attend the event. Talk about speakers, content, who’s attending, etc. Remind attendees of the event hashtag before, during and after the event.

2. Before the event, engage prospects with a survey designed to identify their needs.

3. Share photos and videos on Facebook and through social sites such as YouTube and Flickr.

4. Share speaker slides on SlideShare, as well as through your event home page .

5. Interview customers at the event to share what they liked about the event. Post videos on You Tube and your event homepage.

Who’s Doing it Right on Social Media Channels

On John Deere’s Facebook page, you will find an amazing time-lapse video for the Can Do Project – They built a combine out of more than 350,000 cans of food. It took five days to build,  but you can watch it under three minutes.  Even if you missed the event itself, you could still learn about the experience.

Western States Cat does a great job of promoting its Dump Hunger campaign on Facebook. This year their goal is to collect 300,000 pounds of food.

You have to love Bacon Fest Chicago. They keep the excitement for this event  building through their blog,  a You Tube channel and an engaging Facebook fan page.

With a little planning and good use of social media tools, you can keep generating social buzz for your B2B event, long after the event is over.

Are you overwhelmed by social media? Content for Biz can help you formulate a strategy that makes sense for your business.