CEE Legal Matters recently concluded a series of local and regional events – the Hungarian, Balkan, and Turkish General Counsel Summits – with around a dozen law firms participating as sponsors across the three summits.
Observing how various law firms promoted their involvement made one thing clear: there is significant untapped potential in how law firms can leverage their event participation.
After all, they spend significant resources to be there, and it’s not just about the investment of money. It takes time, strategic planning, and preparation of presentations.
Most firms do the basics: a short write-up announcing their participation, a few images on social media shared post-event, and perhaps a quick recap on their blog.
While these steps are certainly helpful, they barely scratch the surface of what is possible. So here are a few ideas of how law firms can maximize the value of industry events.
1. Promote proactively before the event
Pre-event marketing can help set the stage for meaningful on-site engagements. So instead of a single announcement, consider adding to your marketing planning such content forms as:
- Weekly social media posts highlighting your team’s participation
- An interview with the speaker/panelist from your firm published on your website and LinkedIn
- Agenda highlights where you review the sessions and panels and write about the topics you’re most excited to hear
- Insight articles that link market trends to the issues your firm will present on.
WHY: These activities help increase awareness and position your firm as engaged, knowledgeable, and prepared.
2. Share live updates during the event
The event itself is a content goldmine. Make the most of it by:
- Taking photos of your team and panelists/presenters
- Writing shot updates or takeaways of key panels or discussions
- Coordinating with your marketing team to post real-time content to social media and your website.
WHY: It’s during the event itself that the social media buzz around it is most active. Ride that wave by being an active part of the conversation.
3. Extend the event with post-event content
Yes, post a quick note saying your team was there. But don’t just stop there. The follow-up is where many firms miss out. Expand your reach by:
- Publishing a series of articles, each covering a presentation or panel from the event
- Bundling these into post-event reports and distributing them to your network (newsletter subscribers, clients, leads, etc.)
- Adding your firm’s unique insights or point of view on each topic – why it matters, how it ties into larger market conversations, what your readers should be aware of, and so on.
WHY: This contributes to your firm’s thought leadership and gives you an excellent opportunity to share insights with those who were not able to attend the event.
4. Engage with key contacts directly
Most law firms attend events to build relationships. To assist in those efforts, you can:
- Work with your marketing team to interview general counsels and other key contacts your firm met (of course, mention this possibility to these contacts when you interact with them on-site).
- Use these interviews to deepen relationships and generate content that reinforces your firm’s position as a trusted partner.
WHY: This helps convert one-off event interactions into ongoing engagement opportunities.
5. Repurpose your firm’s presentation
If your firm presented at the event, that’s ready-to-go content right there. Don’t limit its reach. Instead, turn your presentation into:
- A standalone article presenting key points and insights
- A downloadable resource or report for clients and prospects
- A LinkedIn carousel highlighting takeaways
WHY: This extends the life of the presentation that the presenter spent hours preparing. It also reinforces your firm’s expertise and thought leadership in the topic of the presentation.
Events are an investment and, as such, their value depends in large on strategy and follow-through. A conference should not just be a date in the calendar. Rather, it should be a platform for visibility, relationships, and business development. If done right, the impact of your firm’s event participation can extend for months.
By Saida Ayupova, Founder, Five-o-eight
