Hosting in-person or face-to-face marketing events is a valuable strategy for B2B marketers. These events let your company connect directly with attendees, increase awareness about what you offer and gather instant feedback to improve your product/services better to suit the market needs. Because there are many marketing events happening, it’s crucial to be distinctive and design an event that suits your audience. If you present your event as just a promotion like “come see our demo,” not many people will be interested in attending. Instead, provide attendees with valuable content and insights by focusing on thought leadership.

In other words, it’s like serving a cake without an icing or cream.

To ensure a thriving B2B event, remember these four key elements: Goals, Planning, Promote, After-Event;

1. Goals

• Before diving into event planning, take a moment to define your objectives. Do you want to gather new leads? Or maybe you’re focused on engaging your current customers? Whatever you aim for, ensure these goals are clear and measurable after the event.

2. Intensive Planning

• Keeping your organization’s goal in mind, it’s time to delve into the event planning process. Start by pinpointing the event format that aligns with your vision. Start by choosing the event format – a big conference, a seminar, a user meetup, or a casual “networking lunch/dinner.” In some cases, Golf vacation retreats, and resort-style conferences. Each has its pros and cons based on your goals.
• To attract more attendees, consider hosting a respected industry expert as a guest speaker. They’ll add credibility and help promote the event to their followers.
• Additionally, think about how to captivate your attendees and curate a distinct encounter. Consider introducing a social gathering on the event’s opening night or extending invitations to prospects for an exceptional live performance arranged by your company. 

3. Spread the Word, Promote

• Getting the word out is key to getting people to register. Start promoting early, especially for events that need a big time or money commitment. Also, as schedules fill up fast, secure a spot on attendees’ calendars early. The sooner, the better, your desired number and quality of attendees.
• Numerous avenues exist for promoting your event. To maximize impact, adopt an integrated marketing strategy, deploying various methods like email, social media, direct mail, and personalized phone outreach by your sales team. However, there are scenarios in which the internal workforce lacks the capacity to take on the additional tasks mentioned. In such cases, enlisting the services of a third-party event organizer or client acquisition firm can prove significantly beneficial. 

4. After the Event

• Even though what happens before and during an event is important, what you do afterwards can make a big difference. It’s crucial to reach out to the leads you got during the event as soon as possible. This keeps your company fresh in their minds and lets you answer any questions they might have.
• You can also use event content like photos, videos, and presentations to keep the event’s momentum going. Sharing these online and on social media helps get your message out there and might encourage others to join your next event.

For a successful B2B event, think ahead, during, and after. There are many efforts that go into planning an event, so it is important to be well-organized and, if needed, consult an experienced/full-fledged event organizer. Even though hosting an event demands time, focusing on the four points of event marketing boosts your chances of meeting or surpassing your goals

Get in touch with BIGIT, now to 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!