When it comes to getting people to know about your business, there are many different avenues and tools for you. One thing that should be at the top of your list is going to events because the Content Marketing Institute’s Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends report said that 56% of people use in-person events as a top marketing tactic, above digital advertising and email marketing.
Event marketing means you need to be attending exhibits, putting on displays, presentations or organising gatherings to showcase your company’s products and services.
Today, people are looking for specific products or services; they know what they want; however, with so many options, it can be difficult to cut through the clutter. At an event you can have a face-to-face discussion with your customers, helping them to establish a much more personal and intimate relationship with you and your company than could ever be possible in the digital space.
This is also the perfect opportunity to give your potential clients a goody bag with your logo on which they can carry around and advertise your company all day, in it, you can give clients a metal keyring, a USB, a pen and other merchandise for that added touch and ways to remember you.
Events are also the best way to roll out your new products or services. They are a cost-effective way to show new products, and you can usually get buy-in on a new product far quicker when you have a live and captive audience to showcase it to. It can come in at a much lower cost than going through traditional media as well.
Collecting Feedback
When you are at an event, you can generate feedback immediately which means that you can get valuable feedback much faster, and this can allow you to address any potential issues with your product or service there and then making your business more flexible and adaptable, as well as improving your customers’ satisfaction.
One of the most significant benefits of attending an event is lead generation as events often generate a high volume of both marketing and sales-ready leads, and the return on investment (ROI) is easier to calculate than other digital marketing initiatives. The quality of event leads can vary depending on several factors. Whether you are organising an event or just exhibiting at one, there are a couple of strategies you can use not only to attract a high volume of leads but quality ones as well.
Most events also include networking opportunities; whether it be networking breaks, drinks, meals or more substantial activities such as golf tournaments, cocktail receptions or award ceremonies. These activities can provide some light relief from work-heavy sessions throughout the day.
Don’t just think of these extra sessions as a break, but use them as an opportunity to make connections with other people in the industry. It can be valuable to have mutually beneficial partnerships with organisations in your field of work because you can leverage each other’s experiences and knowledge to build better solutions and, ultimately, provide your customers with more value.