One of the benefits of social media is that events have been transformed into virtual shared experiences. Industry conferences used to be closed-door gatherings exclusive to only those fortunate enough to attend. Today social media removes those physical barriers and enables events to reach and engage a worldwide audience. And with mobile devices making it so easy to capture photos and videos, attendees can create and share valuable content almost instantly.
With SAP TechEd 2013 in Amsterdam this week (following the Las Vegas event two weeks ago), I wanted to outline a few simple ways that attendees can pay it forward by sharing their experiences with their colleagues and peers. While many of the conference sessions will be broadcast on www.sapteched.com/online, the energy and personality of TechEd can only be articulated by the attendees themselves who are “on the ground” and fully immersed in the event.
With that in mind, here are 7 simple ways that attendees can share their SAP TechEd experience:
1. Follow the #SAPTechEd hashtag and contribute: Social feed monitors will be placed throughout the venue so attendees can view tweets, photos and videos in real time. By keeping an eye on the social stream, you can join the conversation by replying, re-tweeting, or sharing your own insights.
2. Tweet the best sound bites: This is perhaps the easiest way to quickly share out information. You will hear a lot of great quotes from numerous speakers - from keynotes to evening events to any of the 1,000 educational sessions during the week. You can help surface the most valuable insights at the show (and don’t forget to use #SAPTechEd to optimize your online voice).
3. Create a virtual tour: One of the most underrated things an attendee can do is to create a 1st-person video of what it’s like to be at TechEd. It doesn’t need to be long, scripted, or filled with analysis. Just point and shoot images or videos of things you find interesting. Examples could include virtual tours of the show floor or a photo series from a compelling session.
4. Share the fun stuff! Let’s be honest – the fun, silly and cool moments are what people remember most from an event. There are so many ways to capture the vibe of TechEd, eg:
- Taking photos of unique activities
- Showing off your free professional headshot to friends and colleagues
- Capturing product demos
- Taking photos of fun swag or even your favorite meal
5. Write a recap: If you have a lot of thoughts to share, write an event recap as an SCN blog. Or you can film a short video interview if you want to play roving reporter :smile: . Here are some great recaps from last year:
- My takeaways from SAP TechEd Las Vegas by gretchen.lindquist
- “Born Digital” Kids Code SAP, and Nearby Show-up Pros by jennifer.lankheim
- Video interviews of colleagues, exhibitors, or SAP employees (this example from sylvia.santelli)
Note: We've also announced a "Share the Knowledge" mission/competition that will help you earn SCN points and badges. Check out christina.millers blog post to get the details.
6. Maintain your connections after the event: This is common senseyet powerful. Whenever you connect with someone at TechEd, try to keep the communication going after the event. You don’t even need a business card (btw does anyone still use business cards?). Just get the person’s name and follow him/her on Twitter, LinkedIn, SCN, or their social network of choice.
7. The TechEd Mobile App: This year we've introduced a new SAP TechEd Mobile App and it is quite robust and awesome. Not only can you quickly access event information, session details, and maps, but you can also post updates and photos, interact with other attendees, and share your posts via social media platforms. You’ll also earn points and badges for check-ins to sessions, partner booths, and other challenges – with Leaderboards shown on monitors throughout the venue. To download it, just go to your App Store and search for “SAP TechEd”.
I hope you found this useful. Remember that many of our colleagues around the world will be jealous of us at TechEd. Let's do our best to include them in our week of experiences.
I forward to seeing you (in person or online) this year!
Follow Chris at @ChrisKimSAP.
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