Event marketing as a whole is growing as an industry.
One of the leading trends in marketing for 2020 is increased spend in physical events along with integrated technology and data collection to gain insights into the key states of sales funnels.
When you think of events, you probably just think about tradeshows — those stacks of business cards [you never did anything with] and bags of swag you managed to swipe [that are still sitting in your kid’s toy box].
Events, however, have expanded beyond banner-ups and tablecloths. Increasingly, companies are seeing the strategic value in smaller intimate events, such as roundtables and VIP dinners that provide a personalized customer experience. Enhanced technological tools now give us the ability to measure the impact that this event work can have — both on your ROI and on the quality of relationship you’re creating with your customer.
of B2B marketers
most effective strategy.
What is B2B event marketing? Why is it important?
B2B event marketing is where we focus on building relationships across organizations and where experiences are leveraged to facilitate face-to-face interactions, resulting in higher customer retention, increased event revenue, sales acceleration, and a higher level of brand awareness.
There are a number of different ways B2B companies can add event marketing into their overall marketing strategies. A great marketing partner can help you strategize and execute any or all of these tactics, and help you assess the impact of the event once it’s done.
Exhibiting
By attending an event as an exhibitor, you have the opportunity to create a booth and connect with prospects who are interested in your product. Exhibiting at an event can be a strong lead generation opportunity along with promoting brand awareness because you can connect with contacts whom you’ve never been able to reach before.
Hosting
Hosting events does not have to mean putting on an entire conference. There are opportunities for VIP networking or event sponsorships. You can also create meaningful engagement through one-day roadshows, small regional conferences, speaking engagements, and seminars. Hosting successful events will establish a meaningful footprint within your industry and force others to view your company as a thought leader.
Speaking
If you have any talent at all for public speaking, hosting workshops, leading breakout sessions, or even getting into keynote speaking can be a great way to educate your target audience about your industry while simultaneously positioning yourself as a power-player in their industry.
Post-Event Activities
Event planning does not stop once the event is over — the success of the event leans heavily on what you do with the data you’ve collected and how you follow up. Proper post-event marketing requires a streamlined approach. Creating workflows for follow-up engagement will keep the conversation open and the sales process moving forward. You will need to break down your data to fuel your sales funnel and strategies.
By combining physical and digital data and leveraging technology, you can extend engagement, continue to nurture leads, and close more deals, which will help to improve the event ROI over time.
Our Services
When you’re assessing marketing agencies that can help you with event management, look for the services you know you need.
- Strategic planning and program development
- Event marketing campaign set up
- Pre-event marketing (email, direct mail, social referral)
- Attendee and sponsorship list management
- Social media strategy and integration
- On-site marketing (CRM lead capture, engagement)
- Post-event marketing and reporting (lead nurture, tracking, ROI)
- Booth design services and presentation production
Event Marketing with Waypost
Waypost covers all the bases:
Pre-Show Planning
- Create custom CTAs and landing pages for your trade show booth.
- Produce personalized emails to set up meetings with those attending the show.
- Create promo emails to invite prospects to the show.
- Post on the event’s social media platforms with relevant content.
Day-Of Activities
- Monitor and engage in trade show activity on social media channels.
- Create a custom landing page to complete a goal, like encouraging attendees to sign up for a trial, buy a product, fill out a contact form etc.
- Monitor and engage with industry leaders from the conference.
Post-Show Activities
- Create follow-up emails, adding a sense of urgency with discounts/promotions to order.
- Create follow-up social media posts to thank those who attended.
- Produce blog post recaps.
- Follow up with any industry leaders to share content and establish a relationship.
- Determine ROI of the event.
Let Waypost be your go-to partner for all your event planning needs.
Compare the value of time spent making sales versus executing all the ancillary tactics. When you need a bigger footprint in the industry, we’ll be there beside you, building your reputation in the market along the way. And when you need an extra set of hands, we’ll extend your capabilities to make you more profitable. Call us today at (864) 288-6162 to discuss your next event or request a consultation online.