"From events to revenue"- Webinar summary

In this webinar we’ve discussed events strategy and execution with Brooke and Yoel- two seasoned events experts.

Events main goals are obtaining leads and supporting business growth. ?In recent years, in-person events have undergone major shifts from “the norm”. Covid stopped all in-person events, then afterwards it took several years for the industry to rebound, and now it seems that everyone is anxious to go to events, which means that even busy, senior executives are now attending events.

How to choose the right event?

Yoel codified the thought process under the acronym ”RISC”. ?

Relevance- is the event relevant to your industry? Geo, time of year?

Impact- will participation be impactful?

Size- choose the right size of event for you.

Cost- obviously, you can only exhibit at events you can afford.

Size is important, but it isn’t everything. Large industry events (such as RSAC, BlackHAT) are very prestigious but can be less impactful than smaller events. Yoel gave an example of how he choose to exhibit at smaller, non-cyber events, which were cheaper and more intimate, but still gave his company the opportunity to meet decision makers from their desired vertical/ industry (like banking events).

Brooke mentioned you can be present at event without presenting. You can attend as participant, walk the floors wearing your brand’s logo, strike conversations with people and even collect leads. However- refrain from “Suitcasing” (or peddling). This is prohibited in most expos and can get you banned from future events. If you wish to showcase a demo or hand out brochures- do it outside the expo premises.

Pre-event planning is crucial. No matter the size of event, you need to create a “wish-list” of prospects (sometimes- you’ll have the attendees list. Otherwise, you will need to try and guess which companies will be visiting). Draft a list of 20-30 companies and work on scheduling meetings in advanced. People are usually Ok with you approaching them and asking if they’d like to meet at the event.

Remember that quality is more important then quantity. It’s not about how many badges you scan, its about getting to a follow up meeting or a call with the right person.

?

Bring outgoing and approachable people to "work the booth”. The key word here is “work”. Events are hard work. Not a prize. People who are on booth duty should be prepared to work long, grueling hours. The day should start with a briefing and you should utilize this to charge the team with energy, update them about lessons learned from previous days, and try review the schedule of the day (when are the busy hours, scheduled meetings, etc.) ?

The day should end with a debrief- this is your only opportunity to gain insights about what’s working, and if possible, make necessary changes for next days (or the next show). ?Review the leads at the end of the day. If possible- try to approach these and set follow-up meetings DURING the event. Remember – even though you are the event manager, you are not alone, and should not try to do everything on your own. The booth should be manned also by sales and marketing functions.

Lead collection and follow-up

Use scanners. They are worth the money (Yes- Scanners, more than one, so even if the booth is crowded, people will not pass by unscanned). Scanners collect all relevant information and can integrate directly to your CRM. Prepare follow up email in advance. ?

Paperware is still important. You don’t need to bring lots of brochures. You can bring server dozens and display them at the booth. This gives salespeople something to hold while talking, and ensures visitors that your company is legit (as the saying goes- "if you don’t have a product sheet- you don’t have a product"). Create a QR code for people to scan and download brochures ("go green").

We hope you've enjoyed the webinar. Feel free to contact Brooke and Yoel for additional information and insights.