Audience Engagement Techniques

If you spend your budget on trade shows in 2025, read this. This is one of the fastest growing trends I am observing at large trade shows and confexes. The funnel booth. If you have been in the industry long enough, this may not be new to you, but it has picked up recently. Some of the busiest booths I’ve observed implement this tactic. I recommended a similar strategy to a client in late 2024. The idea-> combine multiple activations to accommodate attendees at different funnel stages. An example: Awareness Visible signage Catchy activation with high dwell time Consideration Demo stations Workshop areas Decision Meeting rooms VIP areas Retention Client lounge Offsite events I’ve classified some of the most popular activations I’ve seen over the past three years into their funnel stage. I’ve also assigned some KPIs you can track for each. You could design a booth template that combines multiple ideas, which you can selectively roll out depending on the event you are exhibiting at. Of course, you need space and sometimes budget, but I’ve seen this concept implemented in tiny booths with much creativity. P.S. I’ll add a PDF version of this doc tomorrow in my newsletter with more context on how to use it. The link to join for free is at the top, next to my name.

𝗠𝗰𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱'𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 (𝗢𝗢𝗛) 𝗔𝗱𝘀 - 𝗔 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 McDonald's OOH ads are renowned for their clear, memorable, and impactful messages. Here’s why they work so well: 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: • 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: The billboard with arches formed by two lights and the message "Open at Night" shows minimalism at its best. The arches are instantly recognizable, and the message is straightforward. • 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: This uncluttered approach ensures the message is quickly understood, whether viewers are driving or walking by. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀: • 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: The consistent use of distinctive brand assets (red and yellow colors, the slogan, and the arches) make the brand instantly recognizable. • 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Familiar brand codes reinforce recognition and familiarity, linking the ad to positive experiences with McDonald's. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀: • 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Billboards with arches acting as directional signs ("On your left," "On your right," "Just missed us," "Next exit") creatively use the iconic brand code to provide practical information. • 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: This clever use of the 'M' draws attention and enhances the viewer's experience while reinforcing brand presence memorably. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: • 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: The temperature-responsive Coca-Cola billboard ("100° reasons to refresh yourself") changes based on the weather, making the ad contextually relevant. • 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: This dynamic approach captures attention by being timely and personalized. 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: • 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: The "Bag Some Dinner" billboard uses an inviting Big Mac image and a playful message to evoke craving and satisfaction. • 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: By tapping into emotions and hunger, the ad creates a strong desire to visit McDonald's, leveraging food advertising's emotional power. 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲: • 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: The "Stay Open to Fresh Taste" billboard with a partially unwrapped message creates curiosity and engagement by revealing the message interactively. • 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: This interactive element draws viewers in, encouraging closer engagement and increasing the likelihood of the message being remembered. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: • 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: The ad featuring various breakfast items aligned with a clock face suggests different breakfast options at various morning times. • 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: This ad aligns with the cultural understanding of breakfast times, making it relatable and reinforcing the idea that McDonald's offers a variety of options to suit everyone's schedule. How does your branding compare? Share your thoughts below! ⬇️ ♻️ Repost to help others with their marketing and advertising. And follow Tom Wanek for more!

Six weeks ago, I went underground. Not off the grid. Just deep into the private Discord servers where sneakerheads spot fakes before they hit the market. The Slack channels where CMOs trade budget hacks they’d never tweet. The WhatsApp threads where collectors swap intel like it’s insider trading. I was lurking. Reverse-engineering how trust gets built in dark social. It seems like increasingly, we're seeing public feeds are for performance. And private chats are for proof. Back in 2010, Bitly found 69% of social shares happened in DMs and emails. Today, it’s closer to 90%. These spaces aren't controlled by algorithms, they're ruled by humans. Want in? Here’s how AI can help you: 1. Find the watering holes without wasting 100 hours: Tools like SparkToro reveal where your audience actually talks and track how those spaces shift over time. 2. Decode the language in minutes, not months: Drop top conversations into Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini and ask: “What slang, inside jokes, or recurring complaints stand out here?” A skincare brand did this and found its audience was skeptical of clinical claims—so they pivoted to raw, unfiltered before-and-afters. 3. Pre-test content before you post: Use Perplexity to analyze which links get shared most in those communities. Run your hooks through ChatGPT and ask: “Would this grab attention in a thread full of X jargon?” Last month, a supplement brand nailed this. They scanned 500-plus Reddit, Inc. threads on workout fatigue, discovered that everyone hated the term biohacking, and switched their messaging to old-school muscle science. Engagement tripled. Your move this week: 1) Pick one niche community, whether it’s Discord, Slack, or a tight-knit Substack. 2) Use AI to extract three insider phrases and identify one unaddressed gripe. 3) Draft content that speaks their language, not yours. High impact means going beyond being data-driven to being community-fluent. And fluency starts with listening smarter. AI can help. #hicm #DarkSocial #SocialListening #AI

Want your words to actually sell? Here’s a simple roadmap I've found incredibly helpful: Think of crafting your message like taking someone on a mini-journey: 1. Hook them with curiosity: Your headline is the first "hello."  Make it intriguing enough to stop the scroll.  Instead of just saying "Email Marketing Tips," try something like "Want a 20% revenue jump in the next 60 days? (Here's the email secret)."  See the difference? Promise + Specificity = Attention. 2. Tell a story with a villain: This might sound dramatic, but hear me out.  What's the problem your audience is facing?  What's the frustration, the obstacle, the "enemy" they're battling?  For the email example, maybe it's "wasting hours on emails that no one opens."  Giving that problem a name creates an instant connection and a sense of purpose for your solution. 3. Handle the "yeah, but..." in their head: We all have those internal objections.  "I don't have time," "It costs too much," "Will it even work for me?"  Great copy anticipates these doubts and addresses them head-on within the message. 4. Show, don't just tell (Proof!): People are naturally skeptical.  Instead of just saying "it works," show them.  Even a simple "Join thousands of others who've seen real results" adds weight. Testimonials, even short ones, are gold. 5. Make it crystal clear what you want them to do (CTA):   Don't leave them guessing!  "Learn the exact steps in my latest guide" or "Grab your free checklist now" are direct and tell them exactly what to do and what they'll get.  Notice the benefit in the CTA example: "Get sculpted abs in just 4 weeks without dieting." And when you're thinking about where you're sharing this (LinkedIn post, email, etc.), there are different ways to structure your message. The P-A-S (Problem-Agitate-Solution) or A-I-D-A (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) frameworks are classics for a reason. The core difference I've learned? Good copywriting isn't about shouting about your amazing product. It's about understanding them – their challenges, their desires – and positioning your solution as the answer in a way that feels like a conversation, not a sales pitch.

I have a confession to make. I have been guilty of putting people to sleep during my presentations. Unfortunately, not once, but many times. I could blame it on the complexities of tech topics or the dryness of the subject. I could always console myself by saying that at least it's not as sleep-inducing as financial presentations (sorry, my friends in Finance). Deep down, though, I knew that even the most complicated and dry topics could come alive. As with anything, it's a skill and can be improved upon. Thus, I turned to my friend Christopher Chin, Communication Coach for Tech Professionals, for some much-needed advice. He shared these 5 presentation tips guaranteed to leave a lasting impression: 1/ Speak to Their Needs, Not Your Wants Don’t just say what you like talking about or what your audience wants to hear. Say what your audience needs to hear based on their current priorities and pain points: that sets your presentation up to be maximally engaging 2/ Slides Support, You Lead Slides are not the presentation. You are the presentation. Your slides should support your story and act as visual reinforcement rather than as the main star of the show.  Consider holding off on making slides until you have your story clear. That way, you don’t end up making more slides than you need or making slides more verbose than you need 3/ Start with a Bang, Not a Whisper The beginning of a presentation is one of the most nerve-wracking parts for you as the speaker and one of the most attention-critical parts for your audience. If you don’t nail the beginning, there’s a good chance you lose the majority of people. Consider starting with something that intrigues your audience, surprises them, concerns them, or makes them want to learn more. 4/ Think Conversation, Not Presentation One-way presentations where the speaker just talks “at” the audience lead to dips in attention and poorer reception of the material. Consider integrating interactive elements like polls and Q&A throughout a presentation (rather than just at the very end) to make it feel more like a conversation. 5/ Finish Strong with a Clear CTA We go through all the effort of preparing, creating, and delivering a presentation to cause some change in behavior. End with a powerful call to action that reminds your audience why they were in attendance and what they should do as soon as they leave the room. By integrating these, you won't just present; you'll captivate. Say goodbye to snoozing attendees and hello to a gripped audience. 😴 Repost if you've ever accidentally put someone to sleep with a presentation. We've all been there!

Your LinkedIn post doesn’t start when you hit publish. It starts 30 minutes before. Most people post and pray. (And hey—prayer is great. Just maybe not about LinkedIn 😅) Here’s the engagement strategy I teach clients who want visibility, leads, and real traction: 1️⃣ The 30-Minute Pre-Engagement Rule (a.k.a. Content Seeding) Don’t just drop your post cold. Warm up the feed. Before you publish, comment on 5–10 posts from people you want your content to reach. When you engage with them, you trigger LinkedIn to surface your upcoming post in their feed once it goes live. 📌 Pro Tip: Prioritize → Your ideal audience → Past engagers → Active accounts with good reach (they help amplify you if they engage) This is how you train the algorithm to pay attention. 2️⃣ The 15-Minute Post-Boost Once you publish, your post enters a test phase. It’s tracking: → How fast you get engagement → Whether people stick around (dwell time) → If the comments spark back-and-forth conversation So when the comments start coming in, don’t ghost. Reply quickly. Ask questions. Keep the thread alive. Every interaction signals to LinkedIn: “This post has value.” 3️⃣ The First 3-Hour Window Is Critical Your post gets a short trial run. If it performs, it gets pushed to a wider audience. If not, it gets buried. Remember: LinkedIn is in the business of keeping people on the platform. It rewards content that does the same. Your job in this window:  → Keep the engagement active  → Drop a thoughtful comment on your own post to extend the conversation.  → Send it to a few trusted peers and say, “Would love your POV on this.” (Don't spam though. Make it relevant.) Bonus: Save outbound DMs for people who actually care about the topic.  You’ll get better feedback and avoid annoying your network. Most people treat LinkedIn like a billboard. Top performers treat it like a system. Which of these tactics do you already use? Which one will you try next? 👇

I just crossed 90,000 LinkedIn followers (!) I went from too scared to post to coaching Tech CEOs - I just wish I knew these 9 lessons sooner. 1. Get people to *sprint* to "see more" (without being cringe) Posts live or die by the first 1-2 lines So spend the most time on your hook. 1st person stories, curiosity gaps, or bold statements perform the best. 2. Focus on relatability over expertise. People connect with people, not titles Share struggles and wins Your journey matters more than your highlight reel. 3. Use pronouns LIBERALLY We like "You" and "I" Once I did this, my engagement spiked like an olympic volleyball player. Use them. 4. Emphasize *outcomes* not just information Nobody cares about your "5 tips" unless they solve real problems. Frame everything through the lens of: "How will this make you better?" 5. Write how you talk Ditch the corporate robot voice Use contractions. Keep it conversational. If it sounds weird when read aloud, rewrite it. 6. Format for mobile scrollers No text walls! Short paragraphs, double-spaced. Simple formatting = higher readership Your ideas deserve oxygen to breathe. 7. Hit emotional nerve centers Logic makes people think, but emotion makes them act. Talk about challenges and go into DETAIL. Posts where readers think "finally, someone gets it!" will always outperform. 8. Reframes are GOLD Take conventional wisdom and flip it Welcome disagreement. 9. Keep it concise and cut ruthlessly. My best-performing posts are rarely my longest ones. (Hopefully this one's an exception!) Punchy beats long with the wind every time. I'm honestly blown away by this journey. 90K wasn't even on my radar when I started posting here. But what matters most isn't the number. It's the conversations, friends, and business I've built along the way. Thank you for being part of this incredible ride! Time to keep makin' waves 🌊

I'm tired of hearing PR = traditional media. Most agencies are getting it wrong too. 🙃 It isn’t… The NY Times The WSJ  <Insert any other big-name publication> people get excited about Even if you land in a top-tier publication, chances are people will read about it like you are right now - on their LinkedIn feed - rather than the actual media platform where it was published. These traditional platforms may provide varying degrees of credibility, but they don't provide distribution. Today, EVERYTHING is media. Here’s what that might look like: Targeted Content: - Niche Podcasts: Identify the specific podcast your ideal CIO (Chief Information Officer),  CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), or whoever listens to based on their industry and interests. These podcasts are GOLD for moving prospects from awareness to consideration. - Curated Newsletters: Seek out targeted Substack newsletters relevant to your niche, not just "gems." Think "Bankless" for crypto enthusiasts or "The Information" for tech insiders. - Engaging Collaborations: Partner with influencers who genuinely understand your audience and know how to engage them on platforms like Instagram Live. Look for influencers who spark conversations and promote meaningful interactions. - LinkedIn Fireside Chats: Host live-streamed chats with industry leaders and your CEO, and top clients. This adds credibility and attracts a wider audience. - Leveraging Trends: Create TikTok accounts or tie into those that creatively engage with relevant trends and topics specific to your industry. Interactive & Community-Driven: - Virtual Conferences: Participate in or host virtual conferences that attract your target audience, offering valuable content and networking opportunities. - Twitch Streams: Consider live-streaming on Twitch for real-time interaction, especially if your target market is tech-savvy or in the gaming industry. - Reddit AMAs: Host Reddit AMAs (Ask Me Anything) on relevant subreddits to directly engage with your audience and answer their questions in an informal setting. - Pinterest Boards: Create curated Pinterest boards around themes your target market actively searches for, showcasing your brand's expertise and visual appeal. Content with Reach & Impact: - YouTube Channels: These channels have content optimized for search, and one interview alone can drive targeted traffic. - Data-Driven Insights: Prioritize creating content backed by data and industry insights that your target market craves, like reports, white papers, or infographics. Remember: If you aren't seeing the results you want with PR, it's almost ALWAYS one of two things. Either your definition of media is too narrow (and hence, strategies are outdated and underperforming), and/or you don't have a distribution plan to go with it. #pr #publicrelations #strategiccommunications #marketing #tech #b2b

There's a lot more to LinkedIn ads retargeting than just retargeting website visitors. Website retargeting is very important but you shouldn't stop there. Take a look at each way LI allows you to retarget and use what works for you. These are all the different retargeting audiences you can build in LinkedIn Campaign Manager and how I do (or don't) use them: ✅ Single Image Ad Interactions For my RT audiences, I always retarget people who've interacted with single image cold ads within the last 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. When choosing your engagement window, consider the audience size (is it large enough that LI will allow you to launch the campaign?) and the messaging in your RT ads (top of funnel, middle funnel, bottom funnel). ✅ LI Company Page Visitors I almost always include people who've visited the LI company page within the last 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. ✅ Video Views If I'm running video ads in the cold layer, I always retarget video viewers. You can retarget based on how long the user watched the video (25%, 50%, 75%, 97%). I always consider the length of the videos in the cold layer. A 50% view of a long form video typically shows more interest and intent than a 25% view. Adjust your targeting and RT ad messaging accordingly. ✅ Lead Gen Form Opens / Completions You can retarget people who opened or completed your native on-platform lead gen form. I only use this when I run lead generation campaigns, which is not often. However, if you want to stay in front of people who have opened your lead gen form but not yet submitted their information, this is what you should use. ✅ Document Ad Interactions You can retarget people who have interacted with your document ad or downloaded the ad. I only use this when I run document ads, which is also not often. However, you can use this to stay in front of people who have shown interest and intent by scrolling through or downloading your document ad. ✅ LI Event Engagement You can retarget people who have marked themselves as "attending" your event. I've never used this retargeting feature but it's great if you host LI events often. #linkedinads #linkedinmarketing #socialmediaadvertising #paidmedia #performancemarketing

I’ve written 500 LinkedIn posts (here’s how I write for max reach) I've had posts get 250,000 views And 250 views Here's what I've learned Formatting matters, mainly because ↳ Most readers skim ↳ LinkedIn sessions are short ↳ Clarity keeps the reader's attention So, don't ramble on in your post Do this instead 👇 1. Post Length   - Aim for 700–1,500 characters, depending on post type   - Top posts are slightly longer, carousels 2. Hook   - Keep it bold, under 8 words, and use numbers   - “How I” > “How to” readers want real stories 3. Rehook   - Second line should challenge or build on your hook   - Use it to set up what’s coming next 4. Whitespace   - Break lines often to improve mobile readability   - Each line should feel easy to skim 5. Formatting   - Use a “wave” structure to guide the eye   - Makes text easier to process visually 6. Short Sentences   - Keep sentences under 12 words for clarity   - Value-dense writing performs 20% better 7. No Orphan Words   - Avoid leaving a single word on a new line   - Clean formatting keeps readers engaged 8. Topic Chunking   - Group related thoughts to boost readability   - Use connectors to shift between ideas 9. Power Ending   - End with a clear, bold takeaway   - Leave readers with something memorable 10. Call to Action (CTA)   - End with a question to boost engagement   - Increases comments by 20–40% You can ignore these 10 rules… But don’t complain when your posts flop. Master the structure. Then let your creativity fly. What’s your biggest formatting mistake? 👇