Top Tips for Getting the Most Out of Presdo Match

So you’ve decided to take networking to the next level at your event with Presdo Match!

After working with many event organizers who have used Presdo Match, we compiled a list of tips to help you get the most out of it.

1. Launch Presdo Match before your event

   Since Presdo Match is available on web and mobile, your attendees can start experiencing the event before the actual event starts. Although there are no strict rules, launch Presdo Match 4 to 12 weeks before the actual event depending on its size. At the latest, launch one to two weeks before the event. Here are some numbers to go by:

   Attendees	When to Launch
   Up to 250	2–4 weeks before
   Up to 5,000	8 weeks before
   5,000 and above	12 weeks before

   The more attendees you will have, the earlier you should launch Presdo Match. The key is to have enough registered attendees so that the first users will have enough other attendees to interact with. Don't launch too late... or too early.

2. Promote Presdo Match to your audience

   Promote the networking application before and during your event, and even afterwards, as an effective way for attendees, exhibitors and sponsors to connect. The fact that Presdo Match is probably new for your event means that you can promote it as a new and exciting benefit for your audience.

   Here are some really great and specific ways to promote it:

   • Presdo Match’s welcome email - Presdo Match will launch by the sending of welcome emails to attendees that invite them to your event's networking application. You control when welcome emails are sent, what they say, and who receives them. Each email contains a personalized link that takes the user back to Presdo Match to get started.
   • Send a pre-announcement - consider pre-announcing the application to your audience, especially if this will be the first time you are using it at your event. For example, include it as part of your planned attendee communication and tell them that they will receive a separate message welcoming them to the application. You will find that they are more likely to participate!
   • Promote it in the registration confirmation - while you have their attention, promote it in the confirmation message that attendees and exhibitors receive right after registration. Let them know they will soon get access to the networking application.
   • Link Presdo Match to your event site - when you setup an event on Presdo Match, you create a Presdo Match URL that will be the well-defined entry point for users. Create a “Networking” button, tab, or link, to your main event site so that your audience can easily see and access the application.
   • Link it to your event guide - if you have an event guide, advertise the networking application there.
   • Link it to your mobile app - if you have a separate mobile app for your event, link Presdo Match from it.
   • Follow-up with one or more email campaigns and through social media channels - you are probably sending regular communications to attendees and exhibitors until the last minute, so take the opportunity to include periodic communication about the networking application. For example, you can add a section about it in planned event newsletters, or mention it periodically on the event social media channels that you use.
   • Place "meeting point" signs at your event - Presdo Match is ultimately about getting everybody to connect face-to-face at the event. Consider setting up specific “meeting point” signs at locations where attendees can go to find others. If you have networking lounges or a well-defined registration area, these locations can also serve as meeting points. You may even label them as "Presdo Match Meeting Points". Aask us for a logo and we'll send you one! (You will be able to set up Presdo Match to automatically recommend these meeting locations. If you have exhibitors at your event, their booth locations are the default meeting points whenever they have meetings.)

   Remember, your networking application is only as valuable as its use by your audience!

3. Take advantage of Social Invites to build your attendance

   The Social Invites feature of Presdo Match is one of the most effective tools to help you bring more people to your event. It works by enabling your registered attendees to invite their own contacts on popular social networks and email to your event, creating awareness and ultimately motivating new people to register.

   With Social Invites, you can automatically embed a link to your event registration page in the invitation messages that are sent by attendees. You can also set up a promotion, such as a registration discount or another special benefit, to make it more interesting for invitees to register for your event.

   When you set up Presdo Match, take a minute to set up Social Invites so your attendees can help you share and market the event.

4. Send out welcome emails at the right time

   Welcome emails are Presdo Match's way to launch the networking application for your attendees. As the event organizer, you control when welcome emails are sent, so make sure they end up in your attendees' inboxes when they are most likely to pay attention to their emails.

   It is best to send welcome emails during normal business hours between Tuesdays and Thursdays.

5. Develop a regular schedule for importing new attendees and exhibitors

   After launching Presdo Match for your event, people will continue to register until the actual event begins. Develop a regular schedule for transferring attendee and exhibitor information from your registration systems into Presdo Match via CSV files. The schedule could start off weekly and become more frequent as the event draws near.

   After you have imported the newest attendees and exhibitors, don't forget to send welcome emails. Only new attendees and exhibitors will receive them.

6. If you have initial exhibitors and sponsors, launch Presdo Match for them before launching for attendees

   Your exhibitors and sponsors need time to prepare their company profiles before attendees come on, so schedule a launch for your exhibitors and sponsors first. The launch can occur one or two weeks before the launch for attendees. Promote the Social Invite feature to exhibitors and sponsors and recommend it as a way to engage their customer base while it promotes your event.

7. Identify a social media champion on your team

   Do you have someone on your team who is responsible for your event's social media efforts? Give this person responsibility to manage Presdo Match for your event. If they know their way around managing other social media tools, they will easily be able to set up Presdo Match for your event.

   For each event, we can set up more than one administrator for you upon request. Please contact us if you are interested to add more administrators. Please provide their names and email addresses in the request.

   Typical launch timeline

   If you have mostly attendees:

   5 weeks before	Start setting up Presdo Match for your event. Setup is easy and will only take 30 minutes in total, but it might take you some time to pull together various items such as your event logo, initial attendee registration list, and sessions information.
   2–4 weeks before	Launch Presdo Match for your attendees so they can begin connecting with others before the actual event.
   2 days before	Presdo Match sends an automated reminder to all attendees to remind them to take advantage of the application.
   0 days before	Your event begins. Your attendees are satisfied customers of yours because they have already connected with and started meaningful interactions with other attendees!

   If you have a mix of attendees, exhibitors and sponsors:

   9–13 weeks before	Start setting up Presdo Match for your event. Setup is easy and will only take a few minutes in total, but it might take you some time to pull together various items such as your event logo, sessions information, attendee registration list, and exhibitor list.
   8–12 weeks before	Launch Presdo Match for exhibitors first so they can set up their company profiles before attendees show up.
   4–8 weeks before	Launch Presdo Match for your attendees so they can begin connecting with others before the actual event.
   2 days before	Presdo Match sends an automated reminder to all attendees and exhibitors to remind them to take advantage of the application.
   0 days before	Your event begins. Your exhibitors and attendees are satisfied customers of yours because they have already connected with and started meaningful interactions with others!