B2B event marketing is an important component of a successful marketing strategy. In fact, 87% of C-suite executives believe in the power of live events and plan on investing in them more in the future.
This overwhelming majority of executives see beyond the cost of attending trade shows and are fully aware of the benefits of including them in their marketing strategy.
Below, we’ve outlined the key benefits of how B2B companies like yours can boost overall marketing efforts and generate more revenue by participating in trade show events.
Boost the visibility of your company or product launch
Whether your company is entering the market, or planning to launch a new product or service, trade shows are the ideal platform to generate buzz and make a much bigger impact.
Not only will you reach your target audience and influencers in one condensed week, but you can also leverage the different opportunities these events offer to really make a big splash. Some of these opportunities can include:
- Speaking at a keynote session or panel discussion
- Delivering an on-stage product launch or demo
- Receiving an award for your company or new solution
- Demonstrating your solution on the exhibition floor
Keep in mind that your announcement should not be a one-time thing at the event but rather a process of building momentum leading up to the event, using teaser videos and social media for example, a spectacular reveal at the event, and afterwards, continuously educating your audience and the media leveraging various marketing techniques.
Strengthen your brand recognition
Regardless of the size and maturity of your company, presenting yourself at relevant trade shows is critical to strengthen your brand.
First and foremost, it is important to be associated with the organizations and events that matter most in your industry. Your brand gets more recognition by association, conversely, not participating at major events can damage your brand and create doubt in your ability to remain a key stakeholder in the industry.
Trade shows offer a wide range of sponsorship opportunities to expose your brand to your targeted audience:
- Exhibiting booth
- Speaking sessions
- Networking events
- And more… there is something for every budget!
Event marketers are getting more and more creative, finding new ways to engage their audience with event apps, chats, and contests which offer an additional opportunity for you to gain more traction at the event without spending more.
Furthermore, industry media and analysts are covering trade shows which you can leverage at your advantage and plan to give press interviews on-site, meet with analysts and build strong media relationships which will serve your brand today and in the future.
Trade show planning is certainly time-consuming, nonetheless, it gives you the opportunity to promote your brand presence leading up to the event, during and most critically of all, after the event.
Build your pipeline and trust
One of the main reasons to participate in B2B event marketing is to generate new leads, convert existing ones and build strong relationships. Industry trade shows bring together professionals with similar interests and needs into one space for a few days, giving your organization plenty of opportunities to network and connect with potential customers.
In this professional yet friendly atmosphere, people are more inclined to share their information with you and open up about their business needs, making it an ideal environment to build your pipeline.
In addition to having an exhibit booth on the expo floor where you will meet most of your prospects, you can drive more traffic and interest to your organization by speaking at a keynote session or sponsor other activities.
Not to mention, there are scheduled networking activities throughout the event which are excellent for building stronger relationships and meeting new people in the industry.
To best leverage your investment, you will need to put together a strategy to meet as many people as possible and not just rely on organic traffic to your booth. Leveraging both your sales and marketing teams to set meetings with prospects and customers ahead of time is a key element of success for any trade show. As a matter of fact, American Express found in their 2018 Global Meetings and Events Forecast report that conferences and trade shows account for one-fifth or more of planned meetings activity in North America.
As an executive or senior leader, your time is best used in these one-on-one pre-set meetings or by hosting dinners and networking events with high-level prospects to build strong relationships from the beginning, renew trust with customers and meet strategic partners.
Take home valuable learnings
By attending trade shows you have access to a plethora of educational sessions and workshops discussing the latest trends in your industry, and what challenges or changes it is experiencing.
You get exposed to new, fresh ideas from subject matter experts, influencers, key players and of course, your target audience.
It is also an invaluable opportunity to speak directly to your target audience and get their feedback on what is important to them and what resonates or doesn’t resonate with them. As mentioned before, thanks to this very particular atmosphere, your prospects open up more easily and will provide a much more honest feedback than what you might get during a sit-down meeting or an online survey.
This concentration of key professionals and new ideas in one space can be extremely valuable to your company. From strengthening your brand recognition in the industry to building your pipeline, B2B event marketing can deliver a profusion of benefits to your organization.
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