Leebug: social networking buzz

I write this post to dispel any fears and misconceptions people may have when considering listing their conference on Leebug. If you have concerns that are not addressed below, please let me know so that I can clarify the value proposition of using the site. We will be pulling the beta tag off the site very shortly and beginning a large marketing push and are excited to make partners.

The goal of Leebug is to protect user privacy while making event networking more efficient and increasing revenue for everyone. So let’s nip this in the bud shall we.

Misconception #1: Attendees will be angry to find themselves on Leebug without their consent.

Nobody ends up on Leebug without their decision to be there. Users must either sign up for Leebug themselves through the website or opt-in while registering for an event.

Misconception #2: Your attendee list will be downloaded and distributed.

There is no way to download or export any individual data or participants of an event.  There is no button or option for this. It can’t happen.

Misconception #3: Your attendees will be exposed for everyone to see including your event competitors

The only attendee details shown are profile photo, company, title and location.  No contact or profile information is displayed without the approval of the user.  You must seek each individual user’s permission for these details. In addition, events can be made “Private” so that only attendees of your event have access to each other.  This means that no other Leebug user can view your event or attendees without your permission.

Misconception #4: Your attendees will be spammed

Direct messages to attendees can only be sent one at a time. Any abuse of this will result in the immediate removal of the user. For users not interested in receiving mail, message notifications can be turned off in the Control Panel.

Misconception #5: Competitors or unsavory businesses will set up a v-Booth on your event listing

You are able to have complete control over who sets up a v-booth at your event by setting up a pass code. Only users with the code can set up a v-Booth.

Misconception #6: Leebug is a virtual conference website

Leebug is not replacing the conference, it is enhancing the conference experience. There are no avatars or animations on the site. Leebug is a professional social networking website built to make networking more efficient at events.

Misconception #7: No one is going to bother coming to your event if they can network online.

A social networking tool could never replace the actual event. People attend an event to educate themselves, network face to face, go to parties and explore the service provider booths. Leebug is a tool to enhance the event and make networking more efficient.  In no way is Leebug attempting to replace the live conference experience.

Misconception #8: Posting an event on Leebug is just like posting an event on LinkedIn or Facebook

Not even close.  We offer registration integration, Meet Ups, v-Booths, advanced attendee filtering, the Concierge, mobile applications, customization and more. In addition, Leebug is branded for use by professionals who are going to conferences. People using the site are actively attending conferences or looking for conferences that could be interesting to attend.

Misconception #9: It’s complicated to integrate enrolling your attendees into Leebug

It’s simply a matter of adding an opt-in button on your registration and having a developer send a couple of fields of registration data to us so we can add it to the backend of the site.  We are set up to receive registration information and take care of the rest of the enrollment automatically.

Misconception #10: There are hidden costs.  Using Leebug is going to cost you something.

Leebug is free to use. Your conference will get free exposure to thousands of Leebug users. In addition, you can opt to have a revenue sharing arrangement with Leebug linked to sales of v-booths if you so desire. In brief, your company gets free advertising, a free networking tool for attendees plus a revenue sharing opportunity. Note: If there is a special feature you would like us to build into the site for your conference, there may be a charge to build.  Contact me to learn more.

Misconception #11: Leebug will solicit, spam, hassle your attendees.

We don’t send emails soliciting Leebug or any other businesses, and we do not share information with anyone.