B2B Event Marketing in Russia
B2B marketing tools are relatively limited compared to the B2C segment. However, today we want to focus on a powerful tool specifically designed for B2B sales: events for B2B companies. Conferences, showcases, and exhibitions provide a platform to share valuable information about your company, its services, or products with your target audience in a favorable environment. If you’re interested in learning how to organize a successful B2B event that generates maximum response and feedback, we recommend reading the report by Quarter Billion Agency Group.
In the B2B segment, direct sales remain a fundamental approach to promotion. It is crucial to engage directly with decision makers. However, reaching out to them by visiting their office or making phone calls runs the risk of being seen as an unwelcome interruption, diverting their attention from pressing matters. Needless to say, such actions could have a negative impact on the potential for cooperation. Alternatively, you can rely on email communication, but there’s a chance that your emails may go unanswered or remain unread.
One of the most effective strategies for promoting in the B2B segment is hosting various events where your prospective clients are prepared to engage in a dialogue with you and already have an interest in your products or services. These events can take the form of conferences focused on sector-specific issues or discussions on trends within a shared field of interest. Instead of directly advertising your product to the entire audience, you can informally discuss it in the context of the conference. Regardless, clients who attend your event will be more receptive to your business proposals.
The first step in organizing such an event is defining your target audience. In the B2B segment, the target audience is usually more precisely identified compared to the B2C segment. Working with your target audience requires a robust CRM database. The more comprehensive your database, the more effective your efforts will be. We recently provided information on how to collect data for a B2B CRM database, which you may find useful.
When identifying your target audience, it is essential to differentiate the VIP audience from the general population of prospective clients. The VIP audience consists of your most valuable clients, deserving special attention. Apart from sending them invitations, you can consider offering a gift to the VIP attendees. This gift could be a premium event ticket or something of higher value. It’s crucial to imbue the event with a sense of prestige in the eyes of the audience. Additionally, conducting a mailout of analytical reports or white papers before the event can enhance your expert status.
To ensure effective invitation management, it is recommended to utilize multiple communication channels. For instance, you can send invitations via email or engage a delivery service for the VIP audience, followed by maintaining control over the registration process through phone communication. Overall, meticulous registration control is an important aspect of event management that deserves careful attention.
During events, B2B companies typically aim to guide prospective clients to the next stage of the purchase funnel, such as scheduling appointments or organizing product showcases at the client’s premises. While direct product presentations are not prohibited, they are not the norm. Therefore, the most common approach at such events is to encourage attendees to request consultations with the company’s specialists.
At the event itself, gathering feedback from the audience through polls or questionnaires is crucial. It is important to gauge their perception of the event, whether they found it useful and successful, and if they would be interested in attending future events hosted by your company. Additionally, the questionnaire can include inquiries about customer engagement with specific products offered by your company.
Following the event, conducting post-event follow-ups is essential. This can involve contacting each attendee, soliciting their opinions about the conference, and offering them the opportunity to schedule consultations with your specialists once again. Furthermore, there are other forms of interaction at this stage. Since the client is already familiar with your proposal, you can directly engage in active sales conversations. You can also propose subscribing to a newsletter or provide additional resources to the client.
In the realm of B2B promotion, events stand out as highly effective means to showcase your products or services in a favorable light while engaging in interactive discussions and receiving valuable feedback. When it comes to organizing memorable events that leave a lasting impact on the audience and contribute to increased sales, you can rely on the expertise of Quarter Billion Agency Group specialists. They will assist you in planning and executing successful events that resonate with your target market.