How to leverage social media at ICSC RECon to build connections and make deals - by Diana Podaski

Diana Podaski, Linear Retail Properties

For many of us, attending ICSC RECon is something we’ve done 10, 20 or even 30 times now. Though the show seems similar year after year, social media is a total game changer here in 2016. Social media allows us to build on our individual and team reputation leading up to the show, add connections during the show and helps us to make deals after we’ve worn out our shoes and returned home. 

Now that we are a few weeks out from the show, it is the best time to become active on Twitter utilizing the show hashtag, #RECON16. This will get your name and/or company name out to the audience attending the show, a projected 36,000. Include as many pieces of content as you can that fit in the allotted 140 characters such as photos, a video, a GIF, your location, other hashtags and other handles (usernames). Do this everyday three weeks before the show. 

While golf carting, roller blading or uber-tut-ing in between meetings, read some #RECON16 tweets and RT (retweet) or quote tweets and follow new people. Also be sure to tweet out a photo of your booth with your location. This will help you virtually meet others. Once back at your hotel to change from your show tie or pearls to your cocktail tie or bib necklace, log some notes from the show while they are fresh in your mind with intentions of writing a blog. Everyone is always looking for stats and articles post show and blogs are great for SEO and driving traffic to your website. 

Once Vegas has chewed you up, given you blisters, dark circles, and spit you out to your home town, it’s time to do your post show follow-up. Go through your collected business cards and find your new contacts on LinkedIn and Twitter. Next, create new contacts in your CRM of all your new digital contacts. Continue to engage with these new connections and businesses over the course of the year. Over time you will turn your digital connections into close relationships and most likely share information and conduct deals. 

Social media fun fact: What happens in Vegas stays on social media.

Diana Podaski is VP - marketing and social media at Linear Retail Properties, Burlington, Mass.