We will see in this blog, B2B event marketing, its various forms, its pros and cons. Learn about the potential of event marketing in relationship development with prospects and customers, leads and ROI. Learn about how event marketing strategies can make the most of your events.
B2B event marketing helps you leave an impression on potential customers and establish connections through helpful dialogues. Event marketing is not only about getting noticed but it is also about showing your product/service a little different and your own. It is a great way to promote your business to lots of people in short period of time.
This blog will explain what event marketing is, what are its types, why event marketing is a good B2B business marketing and some best practices so you can get started. Whether you are brand new to events or you’re revamping your existing event approach, this article will walk you through the ins and outs of events and get you on the right path to event success.
What is B2B Event Marketing?
B2B Event Marketing is a great platform for companies to connect with their audiences. The type of marketing is intimate, personalized, and allows businesses to connect with customers. Moreover, it makes the business and potential customers interact more directly with each other for brand exposure and engagement.
B2B Event Marketing can be used to drive leads, sales, and enlighten potential customers about a business’s offerings. It is also a great way to connect and interact with a network of other professionals. Companies can launch their brand and gain contacts by attending live events.
Why B2B Event Marketing is So Important? What does it do for the Lead Generation?
Meetings are also a part of B2B event marketing. It helps companies gain authority and trust from their customers and establish a good brand.
B2B event marketing is also very important because executives are often hard to find on the internet. The B2B events are the only way to gather large number of decision-makers at one place which is a good beginning for sales teams.
And no other marketing channels are able to build these many relationships so fast. Over 90% of CEOs, studies have found, say that events help increase brand recognition, generate leads, build relationships and launch deals faster.
B2B event marketing is the proven solution to bolster your sales pipeline and cut the sales cycles. B2B event marketing is a way to build your brand, increase B2B lead generation, relationships and close the deal. B2B event marketing can be used to release new products and services, train customers and partners, and get client feedback.
Types of B2B Event Marketing
There are different kinds of B2B event marketing. Trade shows, conferences, webinars, online events, seminars and so on let you meet your customers and partners to form alliances and kickstart your B2B lead generation.
Best B2B events have these few best practices in their execution to make the campaign work better. First determine your goals and users. Then figure out which kind of event will deliver the most results for you. Then create a budget and promo strategy.
Lastly, track your ROI so you can tailor your campaigns going forward. Event marketing consumes a lot of resources and therefore must be prepared as best you can.
Online events
Our business and social lives have now incorporated the events online. Virtual Meetings, Conferences, and Events will stay in the event space for life. Because of the mobility of virtual events, so-called “hybrid events, or in-person / online hybrid events, are gaining popularity. It’s the same old fashioned live event, only with the addition of virtual participation for people who are not able to make it in person.
What Online Events Provide that Business: The online events are convenient for the business to attend, like:
Reach a wider audience: Because they are online events, there are no geographical restrictions on participation. So, brands are able to have more access to consumers outside of the local networks than they could have if they were at a physical event. By taking advantage of internet events, you can avoid bad registration or traffic to your site.
Less expensive: Virtual events are usually more resource-efficient and affordable to host than a physical event. Because you don’t have to hire space, or fork over money for catering and other services.
Greater scalability: Online Events can be modified according to business and the requirements of audience. For instance, enterprises can conduct live or recorded meetings and have Q&As and polls.
Webinars
Webinars help you meet new customers and market your brand. Vendors, as thought leaders can also take advantage of this channel to share their knowledge and interact directly with their followers.
There are a lot of webinars out there, but the most common are the live ones. 87 per cent of C-suite executives (87%) trust in the power of live events and will invest in them more. Such events can be interactive where marketers and decision makers are able to interact with each other and answer questions in real time. Or they can be captured and broadcast live for everyone to see.
There are several advantages to webinars compared to other marketing avenues. They’re highly participatory, intimate and acclimatizing. They also present you with a chance to earn trust and credibility with your readers by imparting your knowledge.
Here are a few rules of thumb in case you want to host a webinar.
To begin with, pick a subject that you can make your audience interested in.
Second, advertise your event in your existing marketing channels like B2B email marketing campaigns and social media promotions.
Third, go with a fun software like Webex or Zoom that supports interactive and quick Q&A. Also, webinars can drive more traffic and registrations to your website.
Last but not least, provide participants after the event with helpful tools or more details about your product or service.
Live Streaming
In the modern digital era, live streaming is one of your best marketing tools. Live streaming will allow you to communicate with your audience directly, it will be much more intimate and more relatable which is very helpful when developing relationship with clients and increasing your brand.
For high quality live streaming, there are multiple sites available for you, like Facebook Live, Instagram Live, Twitch, and YouTube Live. Each platform has different strengths and disadvantages, so make sure you use one that’s right for you and your objectives.
You can live stream product launches, Q&A, Behind-the-scenes tour, Live event and so on. For whatever you’re doing with it, live streaming is one of the most essential marketing devices which lets you connect with people in real-time and attract a lot of fans to reach your business objectives.
Live Chat and Product Demo Sessions Available.
Live chat events let companies talk with their clients on a one-to-one basis to create greater connections and generate an established client base. Not only that, these events are low-cost and time-efficient so the companies get more exposure without having to spend money on a venue. Combined with the right approach, such events can build loyalty, customers and sales.
The same goes for product demos, a great way to tell prospective clients why they’ll benefit from what you’re offering and how your products and services can be utilized in the real world. You can network with leads and promote your brand through B2B events such as live chat and demos.
Offline Events
There are a lot of benefits to marketing your business at an offline event. You get to interact with prospects in person at offline events. This human touch will also allow you to establish yourself with potential customers and make your company stand out. Also, offline events can enable you to be connected with other professionals in your industry and stay up to date on industry developments.
A survey from Event Marketer reveals that three out of four people (74%) attend events because it reinforces their positive impression of a product or event-organiser. Offline events that re-energise your marketing. Events offline wake up the decision centre of the brain. Indirect physical offline interaction trains a region of the brain responsible for active self-assertions about choices, that is the big takeaway.
Trade shows are usually large-scale meetings of a particular type of business wherein a lot of companies get together and present their products and services. Conferences, conventions and workshops are some other regular offline events.
There are certain best practices when it comes to marketing your business in an offline event.
You need to start with a goal for the event. This will help you figure out which events are right for your business and how to use the event for lead generation.
Second is to stand out from the rest of the crowd, your booth or exhibit must be noticeable and educational.
And lastly, follow up with potential customers after the event by sending a thank you note or calling them to keep up the conversation.
Exhibitions as a Lead generation tool
As far as event marketing is concerned, exhibitions can help get your product or service in front of masses. An exhibition is an exhibition where the companies are making their products and services known. Exhibition stand design is a way to get noticed and build interest in your business and its products.
Messaging can be a great source of leads, branding, and new business. They’re also a great place to connect with other companies and industry experts. If you’re looking to get the most out of an exhibition, then you’ll need a strong design stand that speaks to your brand voice and outlines what you’re selling.
Consider the following while designing your exhibition stand:
– Your company brand and logo.
– Your target audience
– The general aesthetic of your stand.
– How you will layout your stand (floor plan, furniture, signs, etc.)
– Your exhibit displays (i.e., samples, brochures, video demos)
The appearance of the exhibition stand is what matters, so make sure that yours is prominent and professional. If you don’t know where to begin, you can always consult a B2B event agency or exhibition stand design company that can tailor an innovative package for you.
Showcases To Build Brand Reputation.
This is one of the most common types of event marketing, trade shows. They are also a great way to network with customers and leads in person, establish relationships, and get leads. When done right, attending a trade show can be a win-win for your company.
Trade Shows B2B Events is a great opportunity to market new products and services, collect industry counterpart registrations and feedback, and build brand. These events can be attended by businesses for learning, promotion and opening up new business.
But there’s more to the trade show strategy than that, from participating in the right shows to cramming your booth with activities.
You want to have a good feel for what your presence in the trade show is about and that’s a way to get people to get to know your brand. It might be as simple as a giveaway personalized like power banks, phone holders, high quality water bottles, etc.
Memorable experiences can also be an experience such as a contest or demo of your product. Then there’s follow-up after the show to make sure you’re following up leads and turning them into clients. This event can also be used to get opt-ins for premium personal content via branded emails and more.
Roadshows and Product Demonstration
It is an event marketing method of which the brands travel on the road to take their message to a larger group of people. Roadshows can be for a product launch, creating awareness of a cause or campaign, or generating leads. There are numerous advantages of roadshows: Brand exposure, direct client touchpoints, and the reach of a large audience over a shorter time.
Roadshows also include product demos where companies present the product in action so the potential customers can have a hands-on look into the product. Even roadshows can include experiential workshops and activities, which give visitors a good time. Brands can also leverage roadshows as part of their event marketing campaign to leave an enduring impression on customers.
Roadshows are best-practiced when planning and coordinating them, setting objectives, and after-the-fact follow-up.
Conferences for Productive Conversations
B2B event marketing conferences events are usually filled with speakers, workshops, and networking events to exchange ideas with other businesses and gain new methods to enhance their marketing activities. The conferences are useful for companies because they learn, network and discover new things.
Many of these shows are industry specific or niche-based and business get to know what is happening there in that particular field. B2B event marketing conferences are very important for businesses in order to stay on top of the market and increase client and retention rates. There are various events marketing conferences, and they have their own aims. Events like: Some of the biggest ones are:
Event Marketing Summit: It’s an annual conference that talks about all things event marketing, from planning and strategy to execution and analysis. Guests can look forward to partnerships with peers and learning from the best.
Brand activation Conference: This is a conference for the experts who run brand activation campaigns using events and experiences. People will learn about new technologies and innovations, and also case studies of successful activations.
Expo! Expo! A must-attend event for anyone working in the trade show space, Expo! Expo! Includes training in exhibit design, lead generation and branding. Participants will also have the chance to mingle with exhibitors and suppliers.
Conclusion
B2B Event Marketing in general, is a great medium for companies to connect with their target audiences and establish connections. It’s more intimate and intimate, and therefore there’s more direct communication between companies and their customers.
You can use it to establish a good sales pipeline, generate sales, and educate customers about a company’s products and services. We also have custom events services that are a great opportunity to connect and make connections with professionals.
