RSAC 2024: Top four things to avoid at cybersecurity events
This year’s RSAC is closer than you think, so if you’re exhibiting or attending this year, it’s time to make sure you have everything in order. Last time, we shared five top tips for surviving and thriving once you hit the conference floor. This time, we’ll look at some of the most important things to avoid if you want to make the best of RSAC 2024, or any other cybersecurity event this year.
Neglecting your booth
Exhibiting doesn’t come cheap at cybersecurity events, so you really need your booth to pay its way. With hundreds of other booths fighting for attention, you need to make sure there’s a reason for people to visit yours. Unless you’re a big brand that people already know, this means putting some extra effort into it. Interesting marketing campaigns, product demos, and free trials will all help get some valuable attention. And while spending the big bucks doesn’t necessarily automatically translate into traffic, offering up some food and drink is sure-fire way to collect passers-by, especially if you can stir up a bit of a party atmosphere.
Slacking off
A booth is only as good as the people manning it, so your team needs to have their game faces on. A group of reps slacking off on their phones isn’t going to excite a lot of interest from passing prospects. There is a lot of partying to be done at industry events, but during the day, everyone needs to focus on work. If you’re not at an existing meeting, your job is to make meetings and interactions happen, not scroll on your phone!
Starting too late
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to leave things to the last minute. With tens of thousands of attendees at big cybersecurity events like RSAC 2024, all of the local amenities will be very much in demand. As well as the obvious things like air travel and hotel accommodation, think about booking slots at restaurants and meeting spaces ahead of time too – even if you don’t have anything to fill them just yet.
Underestimating your budget
Cybersecurity events always cost more than you might initially think. Being overly optimistic about how far your money will stretch could end up limiting your options, or at the very least, hitting your ROI projections. Whatever you expect to spend, make sure you have the flexibility to cover any unexpected expenses.
You can download our full cybersecurity events guide for free here.
Gianna Whitver, Co-Founder and CEO of Cybersecurity Marketing Society
Gianna Whitver is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cybersecurity Marketing Society and a co-host of the Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing Podcast. As a Marketing Advisor, she lends her expertise to top cybersecurity and technology companies. Previously, she held the position of VP of Marketing at Votiro and worked in various marketing and operational roles across industries, including cybersecurity and commercial real estate. Gianna frequently speaks at industry events such as RSA Conference 365, (ISC)2, and InfoSec World. She holds a dual B.A. in English & Textual Studies and Advertising from Syracuse University.
