Maximize Your B2B Marketing Potential: Top Events for 2018 Success
Maximizing B2B Event Impact
In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, B2B events play a crucial role in driving success for companies across various industries. This fact is highlighted by a study from Certain, which found that nearly 3 out of 4 B2B professionals agree on the increasing importance of hosted events to their company’s success.
Importance of B2B Events
B2B events serve as a platform for business professionals to connect, collaborate, and cultivate meaningful relationships. These events are designed to facilitate mutual growth and value exchange, generate high-quality leads, and provide hands-on learning experiences that can significantly boost business growth (Ortus Club). Additionally, successful companies leverage these events to drive brand awareness, demand generation, pipeline acceleration, and customer engagement. This makes B2B event marketing a critical part of any comprehensive marketing strategy.
However, despite the obvious benefits and potential of B2B events, maximizing their impact comes with its own set of challenges.
Challenges in Revenue Generation
One of the major challenges faced by B2B professionals is tying event spend to revenue generation. According to Certain, over half of all surveyed B2B professionals find this task challenging. In fact, fewer than 20% of companies spending 25-50% of their marketing budget on hosted events are able to make a direct tie to revenue.
This challenge is further compounded by ineffective resource allocation and technology usage. About 3 in 4 B2B professionals report that their current mix of technology and resources is ineffective, leading to lost data around leads, spend, and revenue, potentially rendering impactful events futile.
Moreover, over half of B2B professionals report that the lead hand-off to sales is ineffective. This impacts marketing’s pipeline accountability, the sales team’s ability to close deals, and the likelihood of future events.
To overcome these challenges and maximize the impact of your B2B marketing events 2018, it’s crucial to adopt effective strategies and leverage the right resources. In the coming sections, we’ll delve deeper into these strategies and provide insights into how you can make the most of your B2B events.
Strategies for Successful B2B Events
In the dynamic world of B2B marketing, event success is determined by multiple factors. From leveraging email marketing to optimizing resources, your strategy can shape outcomes. Here are three key strategies to consider.
Leveraging Email Marketing
In the realm of B2B event marketing, don’t underestimate the power of a well-crafted email. According to Certain, email was identified as the most used and most effective activity among the dozens of pre-, during, and post-event tactics available to impact event success. Email marketing provides an efficient platform for promoting your event, engaging attendees, and following up with leads post-event. Tailoring your emails to each recipient boosts engagement and increases the likelihood of achieving your desired outcomes. More tips on effective email marketing can be found here.
Optimizing Technology and Resources
Are you making the most of your resources? A report by Certain disclosed that 3 in 4 B2B professionals feel their current mix of technology and resources is ineffective, leading to lost data around leads, spend, and revenue. This can render impactful events futile. To prevent this, it’s essential to invest in technology and resources that enhance your event management process, from planning and promotion to lead capture and follow-up. Explore the latest b2b marketing events 2018 to keep up with trends in marketing technology.
Enhancing Lead Hand-off to Sales
A well-executed event can generate a wealth of leads, but what happens next? Over half of B2B professionals report that the lead hand-off to sales is ineffective, impacting marketing’s pipeline accountability, the sales team’s ability to close deals, and the likelihood of future events. Therefore, implementing a clear, structured process for transferring leads from marketing to sales is crucial. This not only ensures that leads are pursued promptly, but also provides valuable feedback to guide future event planning. Check out our guide on seminar marketing for b2b events for more insights.
By leveraging these strategies, you can maximize the success of your B2B events. It’s all about making the right connections, engaging your audience, and ensuring a seamless transition from lead generation to sales. Stay updated with the latest b2b marketing events 2018 to learn from industry leaders and keep your marketing strategy fresh.
Key Insights from Top B2B Marketing Conferences
With B2B marketing events providing a wealth of knowledge, networking opportunities, and industry insights, it’s important you make the most of these platforms. From the 2018 ANA B2B Masters of Marketing Conference to the B2B Marketing Exchange Conference, let’s explore some key takeaways that can help you bolster your B2B marketing strategies.
ANA B2B Masters of Marketing Conference
In 2018, the ANA B2B Masters of Marketing Conference was themed “Growth: Driving Results and Marketing Value”. This event brought together leading CMOs, technology company executives, and B2B agency leaders from across various industry sectors. Here, they shared their approaches to effective, results-driven brand marketing.
This event emphasized the importance of growth and value within B2B marketing. One takeaway you can learn from this is the crucial role of effective brand marketing in driving business results. Consider how your own brand marketing strategies align with this aim, and where improvements can be made.
B2B Marketing Exchange Conference
Held in Scottsdale, AZ, the B2B Marketing Exchange Conference is known for bringing together top thought leaders and practitioners in content, demand generation, and sales in North America (LinkedIn). From this event, it’s clear that collaboration and exchange of ideas across various marketing disciplines are key to success in B2B marketing.
Take note of how these different areas intersect in your own marketing strategies. Are there opportunities for better integration and collaboration within your team?
Insights from Other Industry Events
Other notable B2B marketing events include the ABM Innovation Summit by Demandbase and MarTech conference. The ABM Innovation Summit provided insights into account-based marketing (ABM) from real people who practice it every day. From this event, we can understand the increasing importance of ABM in B2B marketing.
On the other hand, the MarTech conference aimed to cross-pollinate the best ideas and latest innovations across marketing, technology, and management. The key takeaway here is the growing need to merge marketing strategies with technology and management for better results.
Each of these events offers unique insights that can help you shape your own B2B marketing strategies. Whether it’s enhancing brand marketing, integrating various marketing disciplines, implementing ABM, or leveraging technology, these insights can give you a competitive edge.
To stay updated with the latest trends, ideas, and strategies, keep an eye on upcoming b2b marketing events.
Trends Shaping B2B Event Marketing
The landscape of B2B event marketing is ever-evolving. As a marketer, staying abreast of the latest trends can help you maximize your event strategies and generate measurable results. In 2018, three significant trends emerged: the move from personalization to individualization, the shift towards an audience-centric mindset, and the impact of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on marketing.
Personalization vs. Individualization
In the past, personalization was a key focus for marketers, but 2018 saw a pivot towards individualization. The adoption of AI technologies enabled marketers to track buyer behaviors and deliver unique experiences for each individual, moving from mass-communication to individualized experiences (MarketingProfs).
For example, by utilizing AI, you can identify specific interests and preferences of each event attendee and customize their experience accordingly. This could mean personalized event agendas, targeted networking opportunities, or even tailored event communications. As you plan your b2b marketing events, consider how you can leverage AI to provide a more individualized experience for your attendees.
Audience-Centric Mindset
Another significant trend in 2018 was the shift towards an audience-centric mindset. Companies that focused on examining customer journeys and ensuring a seamless end-to-end experience with their brand proved to be more competitive.
An audience-centric approach means putting your audience at the heart of your event planning and execution. It’s about understanding their needs, desires, and pain points, and crafting an event experience that speaks directly to them. This might involve creating more interactive sessions, offering more networking opportunities, or providing valuable insights and learning opportunities. As you plan your next b2b marketing event, think about how you can make it more audience-centric.
GDPR Compliance and Marketing
The enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) from May 25, 2018, has significant implications for B2B event marketing. The regulation requires companies to be transparent about data collection, affecting marketing functions as they are primary owners of customer data in the digital era.
The impact of GDPR extends beyond Europe to any company with data on EU citizens, imposing heavy fines for non-compliance—up to 4% of annual revenue or €20 million. However, this regulation can also be an opportunity for brands to strengthen trust by showing compliance and creating innovative customer engagement strategies (MarketingProfs).
As a B2B marketer, it’s essential to understand the implications of GDPR and ensure your event marketing strategies are compliant. This includes being transparent about how you collect and use attendee data, obtaining explicit consent for data usage, and providing options for attendees to opt-out or request data deletion.
By keeping these trends in mind, you can effectively navigate the shifting landscape of B2B event marketing and maximize your event success. Remember, the key is to stay adaptable, keep your audience at the heart of everything you do, and always operate within the boundaries of the law. For more insights on B2B event marketing, check out our article on B2B event marketing trends.
Noteworthy B2B Marketing Conferences of 2018
As you continue to explore fresh opportunities for professional development and networking, it’s essential to stay informed about the most impactful B2B marketing events. Let’s dive into some of the noteworthy conferences that took place in 2018.
B2B Marketing Leaders Forum APAC 2018
The B2B Marketing Leaders Forum APAC 2018, held from May 14-16 in Sydney, Australia, was a three-day extravaganza of expert insights. The event attracted keynote speakers from formidable companies such as Slack, HSBC, Deloitte, IBM, and Cisco, providing attendees rich learning opportunities. Topics covered ranged from the latest marketing trends to innovative strategies for revenue generation (Forbes). To learn more about this event, check out our B2B Marketing Leaders Forum APAC 2018 review.
Insights from Midwest Digital Marketing Conference
The Midwest Digital Marketing Conference, held on March 27-28 in St. Louis, has the distinction of being the largest digital marketing event in the Midwest. The conference hosted 100 sessions and welcomed 2,000 attendees, including thought leaders from Twitter, Refinery29, and Venngage. This event was an excellent platform for gaining insights into the latest digital marketing trends and strategies (Forbes). To learn more about the insights shared at this conference, visit our Midwest Digital Marketing Conference review.
FutureM Event and Innovations
The FutureM event, a gathering of marketing and technology innovators, served as a platform for contemplating and celebrating the innovations fueling the future of marketing, technology, and design. Although the exact dates for the 2018 event were not initially announced, the conference promised to continue its tradition of featuring industry pioneers from companies like Amazon, Google, and IDEO (Forbes). For more on FutureM and the innovations discussed there, check out our FutureM Event review.
To stay updated on the latest B2B marketing conferences, keep an eye on our upcoming events page. By attending these conferences, you’ll gain access to the latest trends and strategies, helping you stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving B2B marketing landscape.
Objectives and Types of B2B Events
B2B events are pivotal in the world of business marketing. They create an environment that facilitates value exchange and offers a platform for professionals to connect, collaborate, and cultivate meaningful relationships. In this section, we’ll delve into the business objectives driven by these events, the marketing goals they achieve, and the various types of B2B events that you might consider for your 2018 B2B marketing events.
Driving Business Objectives
At their core, B2B events are designed to boost business growth. They provide an environment that facilitates mutual growth and high-quality lead generation. Through these events, businesses get the chance to promote their products or services, build brand awareness, and foster relationships with other companies. More than just a platform for networking, these events serve as a catalyst for tangible business growth and development (Ortus Club).
Marketing Goals of B2B Events
B2B events offer opportunities to achieve various marketing goals. From creating an engaged customer base to driving event engagement, these platforms can serve several purposes. They can generate new revenue and pipeline through event prospecting and increase brand awareness. They can also provide thought leadership speaking opportunities that help position your company as an authority in your industry (Ortus Club).
To help you plan for your 2018 B2B marketing events, it’s important to identify your marketing goals early on. This will help you choose the right events to attend and ensure that your efforts align with your business objectives.
Exploring Types of B2B Events
There are several types of B2B events, each offering unique opportunities and benefits. Some of the most common ones include large-scale exhibitions and trade shows, specialist conferences, industry association events, network community events, one-to-one hosted buyer events, roadshows, and webinars.
Choosing the right type of event to attend or host can greatly influence the success of your B2B event marketing strategy. It’s crucial to understand the nature and benefits of each type to make an informed decision.
Remember, the best B2B event for your company is one that aligns with your business objectives and marketing goals. Whether it’s a large conference or a smaller webinar, make sure to choose the type of event that best serves your needs for your upcoming 2018 B2B marketing events.