I led a few discussions last year based on how valuable events and conferences were to us. While I have always appreciated the opportunity to connect with our clients and present our software at events, you have to balance that with the outcomes.
I am a big fan of “in person”. While deals don’t normally close on the floor, they can start on the floor, or outside the conference at after-hours events. We are all people, and being able to relate to each other in person helps build relationships and trust. Meeting each other allows us to become more than just an email or voice on the phone.
Choosing which conferences to attend is more than just having a desire to connect though. We have to have measurable results. A conference can cost tens of thousands of dollars to attend, both in sponsorship fees and travel and expenses for the staff. We pride ourselves on sending knowledgeable staff that is capable of determining which software we develop will meet the scope of your project. This is important because one of the key measurables we use to determine a conference’s value is by the qualified leads and closed deals it generates. For LINBIT, quality is more important than quantity – if there’s no project to be had, there’s no point in burning your time or our time trying to force something.
One conference that has always provided value in connecting with our clients and prospects is Red Hat Summit (RHS). The attendee list is a wide net of various industries and technologies. Because storage is such a versatile component of many industries, it makes a lot of sense for us to attend. In contrast to other conferences such as CloudStack User Group conferences, Kubecon, or conferences that might focus on a specific set of users. While there is value in attending those conferences, you’re fishing in a smaller pond.
RHS planning begins early in the year, generally early to mid February, right after I get the business taxes in order. First and foremost is getting the sponsorship application submitted so you get first or near first pick of your booth. Having a booth near a food station or refreshment area is always preferred, you get more foot traffic that way. Everyone eats/drinks/snacks, no matter what their interests are – it’s your opportunity to engage. After selecting a booth, the next decisions are: Who is going? How much swag to bring? And more importantly, what swag?
When we decide who is going we try to have at least a one-to-one ratio of sales people to solutions architects or engineers. This ensures that when any technical questions come up, we have the resource on-site to deep dive. This increases the travel cost a bit due to flights, lodging, meals, etc., but provides the best experience for our interactions on the floor.
Selecting what swag to take and have branded is one of my favorite tasks. I have a high bar when it comes to swag items. Quality is extremely important to me. If I won’t personally use it or if it can’t take me beating it up, it’s not good enough to hand out. Normally, I get anywhere between three to five different samples of a particular item. Because I have to test so many samples we start the swag process as early as possible. Whenever possible, we focus on made in the USA, or at minimum a product that donates proceeds to a good cause. Speaking of which, FedEX just rolled up with my latest sample. Once the swag passes the test, we move on to logo placement and preparation. When you think about preparation you might think “How can I prepare shirts to hand out?” Well, we have a process. Developed by Sarah, our Director of Administration and all around helping hand, she folds, rolls, and labels each shirt size accordingly, then boxes them and labels the boxes. Making the life of the team members at the conference orders of magnitude better. Thank you, Sarah!
This brings us to graphic design and branding. This year is a bit different than previous years in that we’re unveiling a new logo/look at RHS. This means new graphics for the backdrops, banners, swag, etc. In addition to these changes on our physical goods, they will be applied to our website and all the accompanying digital collateral as well. It’s a big undertaking for a company that’s 24+ years old.
With all of the moving pieces that go into conferences it can be difficult to consolidate into a single focus. This year we’re taking a more intentional approach to our marketing and booth. Historically, we’ve been the agnostic solution that “works with everything” and marketed to that extent. By focusing on pain points and how we address them in various technologies, we’re hoping to have more meaningful conversations. And in turn gain more users of our software.
This is just a small glimpse of our planning for our conferences, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes logistics that take place (mostly managed by Sarah). If you are attending RHS, be sure to swing by the newly designed booth, check our new logo, talk with us. You can also get some of the aforementioned swag I spoke about.
