Use Event Marketing Successfully for Lead Generation

Events are a highly visible way to demonstrate your marketing prowess.  Or the lack of it. Beyond the fact that it is more difficult than ever to attract people to live events, the events themselves require a large amount of careful planning and development, good content, and great orchestration.  The truth of the matter is, though, event marketing can deliver quite impressive return on your lead generation investment. 

If you're planning any type of event marketing, Ruth Stevens' new article on MarketingProfs.com is a great place to start.  Ruth is a super marketer and I think she's dialed in on what's working (and what's not) in event marketing today.  Her book, Trade Show & Event Marketing, is definitely worth checking out too. 

Ten Secrets of Success in Business Event Marketing| MarketingProfs.com.

Three Ways to Develop a Business-Event Marketing Strategy| MarketingProfs.com

Comments

[Sridhar Ramanathan]

Brian,

My clients spent huge bucks on trade shows and big customer user conference events. Interestingly, many of them are finding some of the smaller, more intimate events like a "Lunch & Learn" customer seminars have the highest ROI in terms of number of qualified prospects per dollar spent. I talk about this and other things that Marketing can do to impact the deal closing phase in my blog posting at http://www.pacifica-group.com/2006/02/marketings_role_in_closing_dea.php

Thank you,
Sridhar

[Andrew - Attack]

I, from experience, must agree Sridhar. Trade shows in the event and promotional marketing industry are not always the best use of your advertising budget. We have been sponsors in several events over the years (Not naming names) and gotten very minimal return, at best, on our investment. I would focus more on making your brand visible at "niche-specific" showcases and events where your services will truly stand out and catch your potential clients eye. Why be one-in-a-million when you can be the the only non-traditional solution in attendance? Just as much relevance, way less of a headache.

My advice: Wait until you're asked to be a guest speaker to attend the industry-related events.