Over the years, we’ve encountered and gathered the top five myths surrounding the organization of B2B events. You may have heard them all: B2B events are dull, lack influential figures, rely solely on tedious white papers, old-fashioned lectures, lifeless case studies and non-engaging exhibitions. But what was the true state of B2B events in 2020s?

The conventional perception of unexciting B2B events has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent times. In this exploration, we aim to dispel these tenacious myths and illustrate how the landscape of B2B events has evolved from mundane to unforgettable.

Let’s delve deeper and dismantle these prevalent B2B event misconceptions while discovering how your brand can thrive in this new era of business marketing.

B2B Events is unnecessary

As a marketer, you may heard, “it just an event, it’s a waste of money and time” from your stakeholders. It could be they perceived as a failed ROI, and the amount of manpower and time required to put up a “good show”. In worse case, Events = Party events.

Myth Busted:

B2B event marketing matters because it connects with hard-to-reach decision-makers. These events gather many of them in one place, making it a goldmine for sales. Building relationships quickly is tough in other marketing channels.

let’s take a look at some compelling event marketing statistics:

• An overwhelming majority of C-Suite executives (87%) believe in the power of live events and plan on investing in them more in the future. (Source)
• Studies suggest that over 90% of CEOs believe the events channel is an effective way to create brand awareness, deepen relationships and accelerate opportunities. (Source)
• 95% of marketers agree that live events provide attendees with a valuable opportunity to form in-person connections in an increasingly digital world. (Source)

B2B Events = B2C Events

Here comes the sarcasm, a B2B event is just like any other event, such as concerts, food fairs, property fairs, etc. Oh, you will be wasting money if you have such a mindset towards B2B events. There may be some hybrid of B2C event elements in B2B Events, such as Business Golf meetings, Customer/Client Appreciation Dinner Nights, Vacation Resort types of Conferences and many more, depending on the Marketers’ creativity.

Myth Busted:

Let’s make a quick visual comparison, between both types of events;

One significant difference between the two event types is the emphasis on quality over quantity. B2B events often require prospect prequalification before extending invitations. However, there are instances where large-scale events attract not only potential clients but also headhunters, job applicants, and competitors. That will be a bad ROI.

However, both types of events at some juncture would be cross defined. It all comes down to the creativity of the Marketers.

Measuring Success in B2B Events: Is Attendee Quantity the Key?

Many consider the number of attendees as the key measure of success for B2B events. Having a large audience certainly looks impressive in pictures and marketing materials (Especially Socmed). However, the question is whether it’s more valuable to have 10,000 attendees from diverse backgrounds or just 100 decision-makers in attendance.

Mythbuster:

Analyzing post-event data consistently reveals that smaller B2B events tend to generate more meaningful conversations and conversions. For instance, in a recent event with just 30 attendees, our client secured impromptu deals with key decision-makers.

The reason is straightforward: in smaller groups, interaction and communication thrive. When you’re in a large crowd, you may need to yell to be heard, but in a smaller gathering, a smile often suffices.

Organizing a B2B Events doesn’t require help of an event agency

As a B2B marketer, you already wear many hats: managing brand awareness, lead generation, website development, content creation, sales collateral, and more, depending on your organization’s structure. Somehow, as a B2B Marketer we wish to be an Octopus, juggling numerous tasks at once, especially with limited time and resources.

That’s a plateful. While being a skilled multitasker can help, organizing truly impactful B2B events requires a unique approach that prioritizes quality and memorable.

Mythbuster:

Here’s an analogy to consider: Imagine organizing your daughter’s 5th birthday party. While you might be a skilled baker and can make a delicious cake, you also must think about venue decor, balloons, logistics, invitations, and most importantly, enjoying making sure everyone has a great time at the party—would you realistically have the time and focus to craft a beautiful cake from scratch? It might make more sense to order a cake from a renowned bakery and simply pick it up!

This analogy applies to organizing a B2B event. Just as you’d rely on a bakery for a high-quality cake, you can engage with an Event Agency to ensure the delivery of high-quality event content, brand awareness, and lead generation with the right quality audience profile. They can also help secure the best venues for your B2B event, freeing you to concentrate on the overall event’s success.

B2B Event is not helping on brand building/ product awareness.

There’s a common misunderstanding when it comes to B2B events. People often equate them with the hype-driven, emotion-driven approach commonly seen in B2C events, where the goal is to excite the audience, spur impulsive purchases, and elicit applause. While this approach suits B2C events well, it doesn’t necessarily apply to B2B events.

In reality, B2B events focus on imparting product knowledge, sharing case studies, and facilitating continuous learning. Decision-makers at these events are responsible for their entire organization or a group, making collective choices, rather than individual consumers.

Mythbuster:

In fact, you have the opportunity to establish your brand using the photos, videos, and testimonials from your event attendees. Successful B2B events naturally gain traction within the community, leading interested parties to approach you rather than the other way around.

While it’s common to take a direct approach when aiming to increase awareness of your products or services, it’s worth noting that audiences are often more convinced when presented with case studies and in-depth information. Statistics indicate that Decision Makers prioritize logical factors over their own emotional needs.

These are the five common myths we’ve encountered while organizing our flagship events and our partners’ events. But if you know of more than these five prevalent misconceptions about B2B events, please don’t hesitate to reach out and share them with us. We would love to hear it from you!

It’s undeniable that B2B events are evolving into more engaging formats. We’re currently witnessing a surge in panel discussions and group talks, fostering greater interaction among attendees. 

Should you are keen to organize your thriving events, Get in touch with BIGIT nowto discover how we can ensure your next event is a triumph! With a decade-long experience specializing in Conferences and Exhibitions” for businesses across industries – Reach out to us or  CLICK HERE to learn more!