A small business convention site?

[Menard]

I am considering running a local convention targeted toward small business. Do keep in mind that the time-frame for the convention would be in one or two years, and in the Spring of the year; no time like the present to start planning.

It has been a while since I have run a convention; 1991 to be exact. The basics of running a convention are the same. New dynamics, however, have been introduced in the promotion of one with the internet.

Along with a convention comes the idea of a website for promotion and contact. New promotion concepts will, however, not replace time tested tactics, and those old tactics are still very much necessary to keep in touch with small business that has no web presence, or even small business owners, and there are plenty of them, who do not use the internet.

For those small business owners who are internet savy and connected, I will have a website available where I can make information available for registering for space, getting directions to the location (which will come after securing a location), finding out about who else will be there, and access to sponsors (as I have found out in the past, sponsors are very helpful in promoting an event).

Being that some of you have designed websites for business clients, I thought I would I would get some input on what you would, from your experience, consider a turn-off to prospects when visiting a site.

My first consideration is always access. No BS Flash or other heavy elements that are only broadband friendly. My potential prospects will be anywhere from someone running a successful multi-million dollar business to someone running a business out of their home who is feeling the crunch of a poor economy on their business. Requirements for the prospect to have the latest, greatest computer with every plugin updated just to visit the site would be contrary to the spirit of the convention itself.

I don't like PSD templates. Not only are they a pain to edit and slice, but they are fixed in their dimensions and they are heavy downloads for someone on dial-up.

Do header graphics look professional, or would it look more business-like to use a logo and either a simple header text or a graphic with the site name?

Though I don't care for green, it has been an accepted standard, along with maroon, in the business world. What colors have been popular with your business clients when developing a business-to-business website?

Though I had, momentarily, considered having a feature where small business in the region could have a page for their own business, another consideration is only having sponsor pages on the site. The main reason for this is to provide a service for sponsors, not openly or freely available on the site, that makes sponsorship attractive.

I realize that there is a lot of generalities to all of this at present. I am looking around for templates at present; though I may do one of my own. I was just looking for some feedback that may provide some guidance in what I am looking for.

The only thing that is set is that there will be three domains attached to the website. The primary will be a dotorg domain, as well the matching dotcom for the sake of those who get the address wrong. There will also be a dotbiz attached, which is shorter, and primarily because it is available. 

[Andy]

I think your main consideration should be capturing leads so you can email or snail mail them information about the convention.

The home page would aim to get people to pre-register their interest in attending the convention.

So the page would be a sales letter with an enticing headline, benefits of attending such an event, testimonials from attendees of your previous convention, more detailed information and a registration form.

You could also offer a bonus for early-bird registrants such as a discount on the ticket price.

Providing web pages for businesses is a totally different thing and is something I have been heavily involved in recently. The best way is via the local business portal. But it is something you will have to outsource IMHO since it is much more complicated than creating a lead capture page. We are talking weeks of work as opposed to days for the lead capture page.

btw Menard, I can provide you with the perfect template/script for the lead capture site in exchange for a testimonial since this is what I am working on at this very minute. Also, I have another helper who is organizing a "writer's convention" and I recently created a demo page for her (but it is a private page at the moment).

My script is aimed at creating mini sites that drive free traffic to the home page from inner article pages. Also, it can auto-build from visitor contributed articles.

As regards a header graphic, I don't think it is required, but if you have one it must look professionally designed.

Also, if you want to attract small businesses without a web presence, you will have to go and physically visit them and chat with the owners.

I suspect that to attract large businesses, you would need to convince them that you have what it takes to not let them make a fool of themselves by associating with your convention. The word "professional" springs to mind. I would expect to have a series of meetings with their marketing/PR department.

[Menard]

I apologize for a few days absence, but I didn't pay my cable bill on time and had it cut off for a few days.

btw Menard, I can provide you with the perfect template/script for the lead capture site in exchange for a testimonial since this is what I am working on at this very minute. Also, I have another helper who is organizing a "writer's convention" and I recently created a demo page for her (but it is a private page at the moment).

My script is aimed at creating mini sites that drive free traffic to the home page from inner article pages. Also, it can auto-build from visitor contributed articles.

That would be great.

In addition to a testimonial, I would also give you a sponsor page, as that would effectively make you a sponsor.

As regards a header graphic, I don't think it is required, but if you have one it must look professionally designed.

Although I have loads of headers graphics that were professionally designed, and in psd format so they can be easily edited, I have been leaning against the use of a header.

I had worked with a company for a short while that had a flash heavy website and used several graphics of business people, whom I assumed were associated with the company. I later discovered these same people on several other websites, not in any way associated with the company, and came to discover that the graphics were nothing more than I could buy and use. Considering that I was working for the company, that did not impress me with them.

I'm wanting to avoid any carbon copies where the graphics are concerned so I don't come off the same way to potential clients.

Also, if you want to attract small businesses without a web presence, you will have to go and physically visit them and chat with the owners.

That's not a problem for me.

In addition to my own dealing with small business in regards to advertising specialties, I do have an in with some niche businesses due to my association with others, like the souvenir wholesaler, in their own business which I can use. I can provide the associate business with a sponsorship position, or other advantage, in exchange for either putting me in touch with their clients, spreading the word themselves, or participating in a shared newsletter which focuses on several sponsors but is mailed to the collective of clients.

I suspect that to attract large businesses, you would need to convince them that you have what it takes to not let them make a fool of themselves by associating with your convention. The word "professional" springs to mind. I would expect to have a series of meetings with their marketing/PR department.

Larger businesses would primarily be in a sponsorship position where their products or services relate to the potential clients (a.k.a. small business) which the convention would attract.

You could also offer a bonus for early-bird registrants such as a discount on the ticket price.

The only charges would be to those setting up at the convention; the fees for their space. Those coming to the convention will pay no ticket fees.

If someone is coming from out of town, and there will be quite a few, I can work something out with a local motel or two in the vicinity to offer a discount rate to anyone I refer to them. The attendee can pre-register to get the discount code.

Keeping the attendance free works out better for those setting up at the convention.

[Andy]

In addition to a testimonial, I would also give you a sponsor page, as that would effectively make you a sponsor.

Cool! I sent you a download link for the script.

It will be very interesting to follow your progress. A while back, I suggested to a prominent blogger who seemed to be struggling to make money online to go offline and create a convention for bloggers in the UK but she thought I was joking I think.

I know you don't have a problem hitting the streets to drum up business, I was thinking more about readers that may get the impression that all this is possible from a web page and internet marketing which it isn't.

It should work best with a free entry for visitors I think, it's just that all the conventions I seem to read about in the USA charge a fee to attend and some are very expensive.