Printed marketing materials need to be managed properly

Are you partnering with the right printer for your conference’s printed marketing materials?

I know, the last thing you need is one more thing to worry about when you’re in the middle of planning your conference. After all, you have enough on your plate — attendee needs, speakers,  staff, both on- and off-site, decorations, catering, logistic services before and after the event, and the seemingly endless list of other duties that must be handled if you want your conference to be a success. But I ask the question because managing the production and distribution of printed marketing materials for your conference is key to all that you’re doing. Which is why you must choose a printer that you can trust and who specializes in conference fulfillment printing.

How do you find that right partner? You have to ask the right questions. Here are some to ponder:

• How much inventory should you keep on hand at the conference itself?
• What types of printed marketing materials do you need (there are many to consider, short- and long-run, web, digital, variable, large format, etc.)?
• How do you handle a shortfall should you run out in the middle of the conference?
• How will your printed marketing materials be shipped to the conference, when and to whose attention?
• What follow-up mailers or other printed pieces will you need to send out to exhibitors?

These questions represent just the tip of the iceberg. That’s why it’s so important to choose a printer who totally understands your needs, and has considerable experience with these events.

Printed marketing materials inform and satisfy attendees.

It’s true that today more and more forms of communication directed at attendees have shifted from offline to online. But printed pieces are still essential if you want to improve the onsite experience of those who attend your conference. Here are a few of the types of printed marketing materials that help make for a more a successful conference—

• Event tickets
• Advance programs
• Exhibitor and attendee badges
• Conference dailies/newsletters
• Conference guides and maps
• Presentation folders
• Session handouts
• Brochures and flyers
• Booklets or pamphlets
• Signs, banners and posters
• Post-event materials

With so much to do to ensure that everyone exhibiting and attending your conference has a good experience, you can see why it makes so much sense to enlist the services of a partner you can trust who specializes in this area.

Have a Great Day!

Audrey Ferrante
Ferrante & Associates, Inc.