I’m very excited and honored to be helping the DC Chapter of the AIA in promoting the 2012 National Convention. Because of my involvement, I’ve been lucky enough to get a bit of a sneak peek at the awesome Host Chapter events the team has planned this year and thought I’d take a moment to share some teaser info and offer a little helpful marketing advice for attendees!
Registration isn’t open yet, but the chapter has lined up more than 100 educational tours and events, ranging from touring Frank Lloyd Wright’s work to having a night out with the Nationals. So, once registration is open, it’s probably safe to say that spots will clear out fast. Beyond getting registered early, here are three ways to increase the value of your trip to the AIA National Convention and get the most out of your time and investment.
Sponsor, and Do It ASAP
Sponsorships can be difficult to justify sometimes, especially when there are only limited ways to do so and few of them meet the demands of your marketing budget. However, this year there are so many different ways to sponsor that you can choose one that makes the most sense for you. If you plan to sponsor, do it EARLY to maximize the exposure you can get for your investment. Also, capture the effectiveness of your sponsorship by sending traffic to a landing page when possible, not just the homepage of your firm or business.
Volunteer
Sponsorships costs money, but volunteering costs nothing. In fact, volunteers save $50 off of their registration this year. The major benefit to volunteering is a richer connection with more business contacts though. It can sometimes be difficult to break the ice at a convention, but being a volunteer allows even the biggest wallflower to be a resource and opens up communication with peers you may never have met.
Get Up and Get Out!
The conference floor or classrooms are not the only place to meet people. Getting out and taking part in some of the tours can actually put you in a better, more comfortable networking environment, so that you have a chance to develop business while getting your Learning Units.
Useful Info
This wouldn’t be a very helpful post if I didn’t at least share some points of contact. If you think sponsoring sounds right for your firm, Jody Cranford is in charge of sponsorships for the chapter and she can be reached at 800-818-0289 ext. 101. The chapter also has a volunteer coordinator, Liz Reynolds, and she can be contacted at lreynolds@manceandassociates.com.
I hope to be able to share more info about the convention throughout the coming months. Be sure to check back and click this link if you’d like to view posts specific to the convention, I’ll use the Label “AIA National Convention”.