Like the paperless office or the Segway, the advent of virtual events came with predictions that the physical trade show would go the way of the dodo bird. In fact, virtual event trade shows and conferences are expected to generate $18.6 Be On Point Like any event, attendees usually show up for the speakers. Be Noticeable At physical trade shows you have the benefit of handing out freebies or staging attention-grabbing gimmicks. Add video or an interactive demo to your virtual booth, or offer a giveaway for a relatively low-priced gadget. MORE >>

Tweet In the old days, monitoring the media meant you’d read various print and trade publications (which usually were a finite number) and get to know reporters and editors. You met these people at trade shows or they’d come to your facility if they were in the area. My only quibble with My mPACT is that it uses your personal Facebook profile versus your Facebook Page. As soon as Gary gave me a demo of this tool, I instantly “got” it. You had cocktails together and got to know each other. Those days are long gone. m really impressed with both tools. MORE >>

If your social strategy is focused on platforms owned by other people (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc), you should be thinking about ways to create direct points of contact with your audience - ways that don't rely on third-party participation. Think about hosting a virtual trade show or product demo that caters to your audience no matter where they live in the Real World. Last week on {grow}, Mark W. Schaefer wrote a post called Is the Social Web Heading for a Meltdown? Where will you go to hunker down until the storm passes? More posts by Jamie. MORE >>

For instance, HubSpot’s homepage suggests that you start a free, 30-day trial or receive a free product demo. Using the free tool, WiseStamp , you can create a dynamic email signature that includes an RSS feed, which shows the title of your most recent blog article and automatically updates as new articles get published. You can either include a link to your personal accounts on sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+, etc., Is there a company trade show coming up soon? And I'm not talking about email marketing blasts here. Your Blog. MORE >>

For example, a visitor to your website's product pages might indicate someone who is further along in the sales cycle and readier to buy, so place CTAs for more middle-of-the-funnel offers like free trails, product demos, or free consultations that speak to the interests of a visitor who is closer to a purchasing decision. On Custom Facebook Tabs: On Facebook, create custom page tabs to highlight or feature your best offers, or consider using a welcome app like HubSpot's to promote an offer and generate leads right within Facebook! And it needs to be good. MORE >>