HOW B2B EVENTS MIGHT FIND GREATER IMPACT AND NOT BE ONLY LOOKED UPON AS JUST A COST CENTER

Beyond the uncertainty of the 2023 economic landscape, events (no matter the format) must revaluate its role and reason for being as part of a much broader and integrated B2B Content Omnichannel Ecosystem as the accompanied?infographic demonstrates.

Events are content and needs to be looked through a lens as much more than the 4 walls of hotel conference meeting rooms, location destinations, high cost superfluous aesthetics and/or the features and functions of a technology platform.

With my background coming from TV/digital as well as corporate events - thinking like a content company and acting like a media company affords a much larger conceptual schematic of possibilities to drive further growth at a time of both virulent business enterprise headwinds and industry transformation ignited by the pandemic. ?

All parts of a content strategy and plan should be aligned, integrated and fervently repurposed - synchronous and asynchronous for maximum business outcomes with established KPIs, contiguous storytelling, elevated engagement and unique audience experiences. This virtuous cycle of content should be more than just a rare exception or an ad hoc antidote for siloed organization dysfunction - but a mindset shift not beholden to outdated organization structures, inflated legacy cost centers or a lack of imagination.

From events, webinars, blogs, podcasts, video, white papers and more, all should be viewed as vital audience activation assets which are interlaced in a matrix like fashion to provide sales leaders, marketers and event managers a content roadmap of valuable customer touchpoints with better informed performance metrics along the B2B customer journey from top of the funnel awareness to brand advocacy. ?

Certainly, one of the key results of this content convergence along with a secular shift to B2B digital commerce, will be the much greater prominence of earned first-party data with its clear and fair value exchange. This will not only have the capacity to jolt the current dynamics but also turbocharge personalization based on user behavior with a more cost effective, always-on growth strategy that provides end to end customer solutions with the MarTech stack for sales and marketing driven event experiences. Will there be a tipping point this year for traditional events, conferences and meetings to meet the new, modern demands of customers for relevant content to meet their needs at each stage of the journey?

BOB MITCHELL - OVERVIEW

As a leading NYC-based marketing and business development executive at the intersection of media, content and corporate partnerships at such media companies as: Paramount, Disney, Sony Pictures Entertainment, NBCUniversal, Madison Square Garden Entertainment and various digital B2B companies, he most recently was recruited and relocated to Washington, D.C. and over the last several years transformed, reimagined and reorganized the B2B events based global speakers bureau business with a greater alignment and emphasis on integrated marketing, sales, partnerships and new business models with a strategic and philosophical shift into the business of storytelling, audience experiences and content. Serving corporate brands, national trade associations, professional societies and non-profits he and his team successfully brought to market innovative client solutions that directly generated revenue growth, created unique customer experiences, forged emotional connections with audiences and amplified the power of storytelling across multiple platforms.?

Currently, as a principal at his consulting firm, Mitchell Partnership Alliances he advises organizations on the operational, strategic, creative and communications alignment across integrated channels including content, platform, audience and revenue generating partnerships driving successful business outcomes for such clients as: PwC, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), Kaltura, USO, Gathr, A&E TV Networks and several B2B information services companies.??