The Tech Conference After Party and How it Can Grow Your Brand Awareness

Multi-day conferences have a new counterpart: The After Party. Though not exclusive to technology conferences, after-parties, hackathons, networking mixers and happy hours are cropping

up everywhere around larger conferences.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the after party concept, you may be wondering what all the hype is about. Not only do they serve as a break from the back-to-back panels, keynotes and sessions packed into a typical conference day, but when

done right, the after party can play a pivotal role in growing your brand awareness.

Still reading? Great, we’re about to dive into the details and share with you how you can make the most of hosting your very

own after party.

Meet and Mingle Made More Valuable By a Little Pre-Planning.

One of the most valuable ways, your event after party can help spread brand awareness is by providing a fun and informal setting to interact with the who’s who of the tech conference world.

A personal and memorable conversation can produce more brand awareness through a connection than a sidebar ad or pen with your logo on it. The after party creates the perfect atmosphere for these kinds of meaningful connections to take place.

As an organizer, it is a good idea to compile a guest list of attendees that you would like to have at your event; think clients, partners, customers and industry influencers.

Sending out exclusive invites leading up to your event will generate excitement and help build an attendee list that is valuable and relevant for executives within your industry.

Spread the Word and Excitement Using Social

Use social media to your advantage at your tech conference after party to boost brand awareness. Creating an event hashtag is a great way to start promoting your event.

You can get creative and experiment with different campaigns and contests to help build that initial brand (and event) buzz. Then, during the event you can either use the same hashtag or create a new one.

Either way, it will give everyone a means to engage and share their experiences with other attendees. You may even consider leveraging Periscope or another live-stream app to share footage from the party itself.

A Great Party = A Good Time = Positive Brand Sentiment

This is really a no-brainer. If you throw an awesome after party, it won’t take long for word to get out and there will be a direct association with your brand. The result, your coolness factor goes up by 20 ( just kidding).

But really, depending on the size, you have the potential to generate thousands of impressions and catch the eye of potential clients or sponsors.

We suggest you do your research; figure out exactly what it takes to throw an unforgettable after party.

Hint: There is no generic step-by-step list. Great parties take time, collaboration and awareness; setting some goals and defining a budget is a good place to start.

Leave your guest with something memorable.

Whether that’s a surprise guest appearance at your event or a swag bag, the more you can make a lasting impression on your attendees the better.

A comfy cotton t-shirt, a mobile device charger, a reusable water bottle or a compact umbrella all emblazoned with your logo can help increase brand awareness.

If you don’t have the budget to go all out, you can always hand out or ship individual gifts to any special guests, clients or partners as a token of gratitude.

If you properly plan a great after party, find ways to connect with your guests (and potential clients) and leverage tools like social,

you will definitely see an increase in brand awareness.