With 85% of B2B organizations stating lead generation is their top marketing priority, it’s no wonder that lead generation has upgraded from an industry buzzword into a business staple.
There are many ways to secure a lead, especially with social media and email marketing. But one method–event lead generation–has proven to be very effective.
Learn how to implement an event lead generation strategy, how to master physical and virtual events, and how to develop a marketing strategy that produces more sales opportunities for your company.
What Is Event Lead Generation?
Lead generation is the process of finding and collecting potential customers, and distributing targeted marketing to gain more purchasers for your product or service.
Event lead generation takes this one step further by using in-person events, virtual events, and hybrid events to meet your target audience and establish a connection with the event attendees. The event lead generation process is more direct than social or online lead generation.
Why Are Event Leads Important?
If you can generate leads from social media and other online platforms, why go through all the work of getting event leads?
Accessible and Versatile
Event lead generation can be done at any level and almost anywhere.
You can host an online event or seminar for like-minded individuals and offer free information. You can set up a booth at an in-person event that fits your business or product niche.
You can also host your own in-person or hybrid event and collect all the attendee's data. It’s accessible and infinitely versatile and can be tailored to your business and product needs.
Sample Products
In-person and hybrid events offer to opportunity for people to see and use your product. No matter how much you market a product, it doesn’t compare to user experience.
In this sense, even leads outpace many other forms of marketing. If a consumer likes your product when they handle it, they are much more likely to purchase it–maybe even on the spot.
Put A Face To The Brand
If your target audience has direct contact with your brand and your product, they are much more likely to trust it.
We’re all human. Most people want to know who they support. If there is a physical person or a face behind the item in their hands, they’ll trust the product more and have a bigger investment in your story and success.
Improve Brand Awareness And Retention
Your target audience has physical access to the product at in-person and hybrid events. They can also see real-time demonstrations with virtual events.
Event consumers associate a face and a product with your brand. This is going to improve brand awareness and retention, both of which are conducive to long-term success and increased sales.
How To Make The Most Of Event Leads
Use the following event lead generation strategies to turn consumers into loyal paying customers.
Host Or Join An Event
There are many types of events you can host or you can join an upcoming event hosted by an industry leader.
Let’s take a look at your options:
- In-Person Events: Plan, pay, and host your own event. This is expensive and turnout could be low. However, because of in-person meetings, it has the biggest ROI if done right.
- Virtual Events: Plan and host your event on a virtual platform. It’s an accessible and affordable option and can introduce your product to people all around the world. However, product demonstrations won’t be as hard-hitting as they’d be in person.
- Event Booth: Join an event hosted by an industry leader who is offering booth space to start-ups or up-and-coming companies. Bring a booth, your best sales reps, and products to show off.
- Hybrid Events: A mix of an in-person event and a virtual event. You have access to a live audience while also streaming to people all around the world. This option has the biggest reach.
Choose An Event That Suits Your Niche
Use specific industry events and trade shows to showcase your product to the right target audience. If you are selling cleaning supplies, it wouldn’t make sense to go to a print expo. Find your niche events to access interested customers.
Stand Out From The Crowd
Trade shows and expos are a great way to generate leads. Your target audience is collected in one space and they are actively looking for better products.
Stand out from the crow with a unique display and an interactive product setup. Showcase your product's unique features and let consumers in on the fun.
Use Software To Your Advantage
Software has revolutionized event lead generation. There are two big ways in which it will help.
First, use software to host your event and to capture customer information. CRM software and event management software will make it easy to manage your event calendar and collect customer information, which will later be used by your sales and marketing teams to start your outreach campaign.
Secondly, use analytics software to track your event lead generation and your ROI. You need to capture your starting point metrics to determine if the event was a success or if you need to improve your lead generation approach.
Follow Up With A Lead Generation Campaign
Your event was successful and you generated a lot of leads. You have access to consumer contact information and a pool of potential customers. Now what?
You create an outreach campaign. Gather your sales and marketing teams, create an eye-catching marketing strategy, and send a call to action through your outreach channels for people to purchase your product, join mailing lists, etc.
Implement your outreach strategy as soon as possible. You need to contact your event leads while your products are still fresh in their minds. Prepare your outreach campaign in advance. That way you only need to input the event data and press send after the event.
Conclusion
Lead generation is a priority for any growing business, and event lead generation has proven to be an effective strategy with high ROI. Whether you are hosting your own in-person or virtual events or joining an industry trade show, you can use the above tips to make the most of every lead encounter.
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