Best Practices for Engaging Customers at Your User Conference

Jenni Adair · 2025-09-30 05:34:49.744903+00

Company User Conference - Can you tell me best practices of what all you would do with your customers at your annual user conference? For instance, you could survey them before or after, ask for a review at the event, ask them to join your advocacy program, ask them to do a video onsite, ask them to post on social. Anything else you can think of that you should do while they are all there with you at your event? Thanks!

Best Practices for Engaging Customers at Your User Conference | CMAweekly Customer Marketing and Advocacy Slack

4 comments

· Sorted by Oldest

Evan Jacobs
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Hey Jenni Adair . That’s a great list! A few additional things to consider adding to your list would include: 1) a Customer Advisory Board (CAB) the day before the user conference 2) Executive Briefing Program (EBP) for select top accounts 3) arranging your key customers to speak with media or press during the conference 4) Onsite UX Research Lab events with select customers Probably lots more I missed, but hopefully it’s helpful. Thanks!🙏
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Amy
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For videos, I suggest planning those way in advance so customers have a signed approval (media release) to participate and talking points and / or example interview questions specific to their success story. Studio needs to be conveniently located as well as soundproof - which can be a challenge at events. Be sure to have the video vendor take headshots before or after the interviews. You can use those for social cards, etc. The more formal videos have a much longer shelf life versus “man on the street” videos.
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Lauren Turner
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All these suggestions are great! Adding: -recruitment table for advocacy programs/community -identifiers (ribbons, badge flair, etc) for community/advocacy program members -reserved seats for customer VIPs -awards ceremony (or re-announcement of winners if one already took place, or announce the application window if the awards haven’t happened yet) -table talk discussion starters
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Elana Heffley
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love all these suggestions especially a CAB day or lunch ahead of time! I’d also suggest getting your sales and CS teams enablement materials to encourage them to take big accounts out for dinner or lunch after to deepen the engagement at the account level, and put your leadership team in those meetings/side events where it’s lucrative. for video, a mix of “on the fly” and formal/well produced is good to consider (you’ll thank yourself for variety!) if your budget allows for custom merch I love adding that in if your event is a single track, making sure you have a session that’s interactive (a small group workshop or some equivalent) goes over really well to get them working and thinking together!

Evan Jacobs
·
·
Hey Jenni Adair . That’s a great list! A few additional things to consider adding to your list would include: 1) a Customer Advisory Board (CAB) the day before the user conference 2) Executive Briefing Program (EBP) for select top accounts 3) arranging your key customers to speak with media or press during the conference 4) Onsite UX Research Lab events with select customers Probably lots more I missed, but hopefully it’s helpful. Thanks!🙏
💡1
1
Amy
·
·
For videos, I suggest planning those way in advance so customers have a signed approval (media release) to participate and talking points and / or example interview questions specific to their success story. Studio needs to be conveniently located as well as soundproof - which can be a challenge at events. Be sure to have the video vendor take headshots before or after the interviews. You can use those for social cards, etc. The more formal videos have a much longer shelf life versus “man on the street” videos.
🙌1
Lauren Turner
·
·
All these suggestions are great! Adding: -recruitment table for advocacy programs/community -identifiers (ribbons, badge flair, etc) for community/advocacy program members -reserved seats for customer VIPs -awards ceremony (or re-announcement of winners if one already took place, or announce the application window if the awards haven’t happened yet) -table talk discussion starters
❤️1
Elana Heffley
·
·
love all these suggestions especially a CAB day or lunch ahead of time! I’d also suggest getting your sales and CS teams enablement materials to encourage them to take big accounts out for dinner or lunch after to deepen the engagement at the account level, and put your leadership team in those meetings/side events where it’s lucrative. for video, a mix of “on the fly” and formal/well produced is good to consider (you’ll thank yourself for variety!) if your budget allows for custom merch I love adding that in if your event is a single track, making sure you have a session that’s interactive (a small group workshop or some equivalent) goes over really well to get them working and thinking together!