At the end of June, the edtech industry will converge on Philadelphia for the ISTE 2019 conference to discuss the future of the industry, to network with favorite brands and education players, and to foster new business relationships.
Some in the industry may be skeptical about the value of conferences, but ISTE is unique in that it’s the only major edtech industry event that overlaps two sales cycles. You can close deals with customers looking to wrap 2018-19 orders and acquire new leads for 2019-20 to kick-off your back-to-school marketing efforts.
To help you take advantage of this rare opportunity, we’ve compiled the seven best ways to secure leads and drive sales during ISTE 2019.
Social Media Advertising to Drive Booth Traffic
ISTE is a great opportunity to spotlight your brand… both offline and online. Standing out on social media is extremely important, and with new offerings from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other platforms, it is easy for your business to foster engagement and drive booth traffic through social media advertising.
To leverage social media for brands, CB&A crafts and manages paid social media campaigns that drive ISTE attendees to exhibitor booths to initiate in-person conversations and exchange profile contact information. We work closely with clients on copy, imagery and targeting of ads to reach the exact audience, maximizing ROI.
Ultimately, at any edtech event your organization is looking to turn social media engagements into business leads and sales, and we can help you achieve that goal.
Focus Groups to Gain Education Insights
Feedback gathered from a focus group of educators or administrators can be used to inform future product offerings, shape marketing plans, fine-tune launch strategies and provide valuable input on messaging pillars. And the best time to round up such an eclectic group? At an event such as ISTE, which stands above the crowd due to its sheer size and healthy mix of attendees by role and region.
An ISTE focus group comprises 10-12 attendees with job titles matching your target audiences. We assemble your honed-in audience in a room with a specifically prepared discussion guide and a professional moderator. Then, we all learn together, engaging with educators on an extremely personal level. We determine what works and what could work better with marketing and selling your edtech product or service.
After each focus group, CB&A shares the participant list, provides a transcript and compiles a summary report complete with insights from the experienced moderator. You’ll establish solid connections with the industry leaders in your focus group, and gain valuable insights to inform future marketing initiatives.
Media Relations to Boost Industry Visibility
While social media can draw targeted audiences to your booth, and a focus group can take your learning to the next level, a third key tactic is your media relations strategy. ISTE overlaps two sales cycles and attracts K-12 decision makers, journalists and industry leaders all at the same time. It’s an ideal opportunity to announce and discuss timely news from your organization.
When it comes to planning and executing a media relations strategy, CB&A is an unmatched partner. Tap into our decades of experience to facilitate conversations with top-tier education media contacts and establish relationships to leverage down the road.
Our media relations chops are about more than relationships. At CB&A, we develop smart strategies for sharing news with the right audience, draft compelling news releases, and facilitate interviews to secure high-quality earned media coverage. Immediate ISTE coverage will put you in the spotlight at the event, and continue to raise awareness into your back-to-school season as well.
CB&A Speed Meeting
CB&A’s Speed Meeting at ISTE 2019 is sold out.
A CB&A original, our Speed Meeting event is a highly-coveted opportunity for both brands and media outlets. In the two-hour event, participating firms discuss earned, paid and shared media opportunities with editors and publishers of leading education trade outlets. The goal of these conversations is to discuss media opportunities that will raise awareness of products, secure new leads and nurture leads through the sales funnel.
Those lucky enough to have a spot will meet in a speed-dating format to share news and build connections in a rapid succession of high-impact meetings. A big benefit of these meetings is to secure earned media coverage. Again, all business is relationship based, and that is especially true of media relations.
Firms that participate in Speed Meeting establish connections with industry journalists, generate new ideas for reaching their target audiences and possibly even secure a few pending media placements.
Connect with Journalists at In-Booth Meetings
Demo your latest product, discuss recent company news, or even pitch your most compelling customer stories to journalists during meetings at your booth. These encounters are ideal for showcasing the features and excitement behind your products and services. But why bring in an agency partner? That’s easy. We’re worth it.
CB&A will do all the prep work: scheduling meetings with journalists and bloggers, briefing you on the meeting before the conference and facilitating interviews during ISTE. All you need to do is speak passionately about your products and services, and their positive impact in classrooms. We’ll give you bonus points for sticking to the talking points we generate together!
In the end, you’ll build valuable relationships with reporters, secure earned media coverage and raise awareness of your organization.
Host a Special Event to Build Relationships
From product launch parties and VIP customer briefings to lunch-and-learn trainings and large receptions, connecting 1:1 with top customers, prospects and media off the show floor is another rewarding way to utilize your conference time. After all, our ISTE hosts plan networking breaks with you in mind!
CB&A works with budgets of any size to organize events and sponsorships that coincide with ISTE. We conduct venue research, plan menus, write presentations, brainstorm party activities and share key takeaways we learn along the way. For any edtech business, ISTE special events ensure you leave Philadelphia with new leads and improved brand awareness.
Drive New Business with 1:1 Sales Meetings
Face-to-face interactions make a difference – no matter what industry you’re in. This is especially true when it comes to establishing relationships with schools and districts. Before you travel to ISTE, you’ll want to fill up your schedule with 1:1 and small-group meetings with top sales targets. In an intimate setting away from the show floor, you can converse in more detail about customer needs and pain points, and offer a solution in return.
We make this easy for you by conducting outreach to conference attendees with titles that match your target audience until all available meeting slots are filled, or the attendee list has been exhausted. CB&A manages all the details, including finding meeting space, and preparing a representative from your organization to lead the meetings.
Plan for a Successful ISTE 2019
When you follow the marketing guidelines and strategies outlined here, you’ll walk away from ISTE 2019 with new business leads, valuable industry insights, new relationships with both media and customers, and (did we mention?) more leads. You can also download our 2019 Marketing eBook if the above insights didn’t satiate your ISTE interest.
Edtech conferences have evolved over the years, and we know how to get you in front of the right people. An event like ISTE is one of the best avenues to help you meet your sales goals this school year and get a strong start for the year ahead.