TIP for conference presenters offering downloads

If you’re presenting at a conference and using a powerpoint deck or some illustrations, don’t post a URL for your stuff to be downloaded. Instead, set up an email box with a responder into which attendees should send an email if they want copies of the presentation. It can return the presentation as an attachment or simply provide a URL. This way, you can follow up with updates, new thoughts, and follow up emails.  Don’t publish the address on your site, as this opens it up to spamming.Â

You can tell attendees that you will be posting the deck on your blog (give address) in a week or so and that they should subscribe so you can notify them when it’s up. It’s also a good time to introduce some kind of added item that only subscribers will see in the RSS feed. The feed address should be ultra-short if possible. I would leave a page at the end of the deck that says “mystery tips 15-20 available only on my blog, and only through the feed.” If your feed is ungainly, make a 301 redirect to it or use tinyurl. This method is also better if you think spammers are possibly among your audience members.

The chances of them ever opening that presentation are slim… but having a growing list helps to compensate you for the work you do and stay in touch with a very good audience.

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