San Francisco, CA- Strata Data! Its all about the Big Data here, folks. Whether you’re targeting data scientists, data architects or data engineers, they’re going to be interested in data manipulation demos at Strata. This conference is a perfect example of how the best engagement tactics are completely dependent upon the target demographic. I spent this show conducting exit interviews for a client and learned that these data folks are interested in 1 thing: demo’s. Oh, and maybe stickers as well. In this edition of my ongoing series of post-show tactical analyses I offer up a brief overview of the some of engagement techniques I observed at Strata Data 2019. I hope you can use this info to increase your booth effectiveness while saving the money and time wasted on unsuccessful tactics.

Carnival Games

Conference organizers placed 2 Skee-Ball games at the entrance to the expo hall at Strata. These were empty most of the show, and this carnival game trend may be fading away for now (till next time, that is). However, they were part of a relaxation area with seats, desk space and phone charging, which saw quite a bit of use. Attendee seating and phone charging amenities can gain traffic, however prospects won’t necessarily be willing to have a conversation. Passive messaging like looping demo videos work well in this setup.

Rating: D

Professional Headshot Station

Conference organizers provided a professional headshot station for attendees smack dab in the middle of the expo floor. Lines down the aisle were pretty much non-stop throughout the show. Here’s an engagement tactic that truly offers a valuable, usable takeaway for prospects- I would’ve lined up as well if I had the time! A headshot station offers a huge opportunity for direct prospect engagement as long as booth staff has been properly trained to elicit conversations rather than simply scanning badges.

Rating: B

Live T-Shirt Screenprinting

Following the headshot station, the next biggest draw at Strata Data was the live T-shirt screenprinting station, also sponsored by conference organizers. I must admit, I am bewildered by the popularity of this tactic (aren’t they making the same shirts that most other booths are giving away?), but I can’t argue with the lines of prospects that this tactic creates. Also, having booth staff inquire prospects about which design they prefer provides a great opening for a qualifying conversation.

Rating: B

Product Demo plus Trivia Game

This concept was the closest thing I saw to an engagement home run at Strata Data. The data scientists I spoke with had no patience for silly sales pitches and wanted efficient and knowledgeable product demos. However, if the knowledgeable product demo was combined with a fun, content-appropriate trivia challenge where they could show off their own knowledge, they were hooked. Demo staff had to be not only charismatic, but also highly knowledgeable and able to respond to prospect curveballs. Consider bringing on a professional presenter only if you have time to thoroughly train the presenter on the product. This demographic will not suffer fools gladly!

Rating: A

The data scientists, data architects and data engineers at Strata Data were interested primarily in learning through demos on the expo floor. However, the headshot and screenprinting stations were popular draws as well. Whatever your target demographic, be sure to spend some time investigating your prospects’ engagement preferences while planning your booth engagement tactics, or hire an engagement consultant like myself. Bottom line, every prospect wants a knowledgeable conversation about a solution to their company’s problem. The question is: how do most efficiently start that conversation with your target prospect?

Until next time, best of luck planning your next event marketing initiative. We’ll see you on the show floor!