It’s not about registration types or membership categories when it comes to acquiring attendees for your events.

Attendees are motivated by what is important to them, personally, professionally, at the time of clicking “register here.”

On this week’s #ExpoChat we’re going to unpack what Personas are, why they are important, and how you can use them to enhance attendee acquisition and retention.

Here are some questions that will be discussed:

·       What are “Attendee Personas” and how are they different from membership or registration types?

·       Why is it so important today to focus on personalization of the attendee acquisition process for events?

·       What are some examples of “Personas” that organizers can start making adjustments on now?

·       How can organizers consult their exhibitors on better understanding the buyer personas at the show?

·       Why are Personas a key component to Matchmaking and Networking efforts for organizers and exhibitors?

·       Where do you start when it comes to building Buyer/Attendee Personal profiles?

When: March 29, 1 p.m. ET

Where?: Use hashtag #Expochat and any Twitter chat tool! (Tweetchat, for example)

NEW: Come to the chat with questions about anything trade show related. We will use our community to address your issues or maybe even hook you up with some help.

What is #EXPOCHAT?

Expochat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. It takes place most Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (new time slot) and tackles a single topic each week - a recurring pain point, innovative ideas, evolution of the industry, best practices, and what works. Expochat is alternately moderated by three industry thought leaders: Stephanie Selesnick (International Trade Information, Inc.), Terence Donnelly (Experient), and Michelle Bruno (Bruno Group Signature Services).

Expochat has been reformatted from previous years. The discussion (new format) will last a very fast-paced 30 minutes, followed by 15 minutes during which participants may ask questions of the group on any topic. To participate, sign up on Twitter.com and follow the #Expochat hashtag at the appointed time. Questions will be identified as Q1, Q2, etc. Responses from participants should be written as A1, A2, etc. Tools like Tweetchat.io and others can make it easier to participate. Ideas are welcome on Expochat, but commercialism is not.

Trade Show News Network, the leading online exhibition industry news resource, sponsors the chat, and topics are listed in advance on TSNN.com. Reminders will be tweeted out prior to each week's discussion, but if you miss a chat, Storify transcripts will be available on TSNN after each chat. We gladly accept requests for topics at expochat@tsnn.com. Guest moderators are also welcome. #Expochat, now in its fourth year, works because the community supports it. Join us for the best live conversations about the industry that signs your paycheck. Rants welcome.