How to hold a terrific B2B event in a post-pandemic world

Ever wondered what it will require to bring your B2B event up a notch? Have you thought about what elements will impact people’s memories even when the event is over? These are the kinds of questions you need to be thinking about when you’re planning a B2B event. A good B2B event marketing strategy needs to be impeccably aligned with the event objectives to succeed. And at the end of the day, you would want your B2B event lead generation tactics to result in a good number of conversions.

Thanks to the pandemic, B2B events can now be done in 3 forms: In-person, Virtual, and Hybrid. The advancement of technology solutions during this pandemic has transformed B2B events from a physical marketing strategy into a virtual yet personalized one. Interestingly, the future is looking to be different. Visme reported that 80% of event organizers have reached a wider audience via virtual events, but in the years to come, 82% of marketers plan to resume in-person events. Regardless of whether it is offline or online, B2B event marketing allows brands to exchange knowledge and become thought leaders in their fields by providing solutions to challenges. Meanwhile, brands must cultivate relationships to achieve their business revenue goals. In this article, we will examine how you can host a B2B event in a post-pandemic world.



What is Event Marketing?

A great deal of you who attended a B2B event would define Event Marketing down to one purpose: Networking. However, it is just one aspect of event marketing. When thinking of event marketing, we need to approach it as a strategy that involves promoting a brand/service/product to other brands at an event. Traditionally, it is an avenue for physical interaction between brands that will lead to the actualization of business goals. Within this strategy, we need to focus on different factors such as brand awareness, lead generation, developing relationships, feedback collection, and sales acceleration. However, every event differs in terms of audience, industry, and culture. As a result, it deserves its own unique marketing strategy.

Is Event Marketing still needed?

97% of marketers believe that in-person events contribute to business outcomes, according to Bizzabo’s report. It is stated in the same report that 85% of executives, senior managers, and board members see in-person events as essential for their company’s success. Furthermore, another report mentions that 95% of marketers agree that live events provide attendees with opportunities to make personal connections in this increasingly digital age. In addition, 84% of event attendees express a positive opinion about the company, brand, product, or service they attended.

If we reflect on the bigger picture, the B2B industry is guided by this rule: “People buy from People”. Personal contact and trust are essential for successful business relationships. The decision to invest in a new business partner is very important for many companies, especially when the stakes are high. It is also important to determine whether the new business partner fits in well with their ideas, values, and way of working. A good event provides the opportunity to establish personal relationships, put a face and a personality on previously anonymous products and services, and generate leads and new customers.
Photo by Luis Quintero

Tips for a successful B2B event in a post-pandemic world

Though there are more B2B events options available since the pandemic, it should not be done in haste or to keep up with the hype of new trends. As a suggestion, we would advise that you be specific and decide on your objectives when it comes to your event marketing strategy. Once you’ve decided on your objectives, you may refer to these tips that may help improve your chances of success.

Message for the event

Why is your event unique? What do you wish to say? What are you trying to convey? Choose a message that echoes in the attendee’s mind and differentiates it from other comparable events. Use it consistently in your marketing efforts once the message has been established. Always keep in mind that the message for your participants should be distinct.

The journey of the attendee

Touchpoints can be defined as interactions that take place between organizations and customers along the customer journey. These instances have a big impact on brand impression and customer experience. Businesses should take advantage of quick opportunities to optimize their customer journey by mapping out important touch points. You will have touchpoints with your participants and attendees before, during, or after the event throughout the attendee journey. From the marketing and pre-registration phase through the post-event survey and follow-ups, consider every possible channel that they could use to interact with your brand. You might have to think about their perspectives to formulate this better.

Deliver value

You must consider your audience’s needs, pain points, and how you might alleviate those issues if you want to be valuable to them. Most business professionals are extremely busy and don’t have enough hours in the day to finish all their tasks. If you’re going to ask people to sacrifice a few hours of their time, you need to give them something worthwhile to learn from and experience. High-level executives may find it challenging to attend your event, but if you can find powerful speakers and panelists, they will be more inclined to do so because you have given them an excellent networking opportunity. The pain points of your attendees can be addressed in a product demonstration by working with your sales and marketing teams in advance to develop them. This will give your attendees a useful solution to their issues.

The follow-up

Targeting your audience and organizing your event took careful thought. You will need to put in effort after your event has concluded if you want to reap the major benefits of a B2B event which are the leads. Make a strategy for what to do next following your event. For example, after the event, send thank-you emails right away. These emails can either be more general or personalized based on the size of your event and the audience you are trying to reach. They should include:

1. Links to the website of your business
2. Links to post-event media such as a highlight video or newsletter
3. Short surveys for attendee’s feedback and insights
4. Call-to-action that follows your strategy

After which, your event’s attendees’ data can be analysed by your sales and marketing teams to start lead scoring and determine which attendees have been most engaged.


Best Practices for B2B Event Marketing

You can use the advice we gave to direct your planning when it comes to B2B events. As you develop your strategy, you might see the value in setting event marketing goals to better fulfill your objectives. Here are a few best practices that may help accomplish your B2B event marketing objectives:

• Invite satisfied clients to testimonials
• Plan as many one-on-one conversations as you can
• Establish frameworks and KPIs to clearly define and align event objectives
• Launch a lead-up marketing campaign to raise interest

Conclusion

People always think about what is in it for them when attending events, such as the advantages they can gain from it. One of the key components for a successful event is developing an event plan that adds value and positions your business as a thought leader in the industry. Because events need a lot of resources, it is important to prepare them as well as you can to avoid wasting time and money. The success of your efforts will ultimately depend on whether you can improve brand recognition, foster relationships, and generate a significant return on investment through B2B marketing events.

Convergence Concepts began as an in-person, physical events company. As our company grew, we expanded to offer various services such as virtual events, hybrid events, digital media, strategic marketing, creative solutions, and experiential design. We believe that events are the best way for our clients to share their ideas, exchange perspectives, learn new knowledge, and network with business associates. If you need a specialized team in B2B events, feel free to reach out to us at marketing@convergenceconcepts.com.sg to inquire more!